Hi All,
Haven't been around much lately. We've been extremely busy at work the past week in preparation for a special visitor to the Academy (http://www.usmma.edu/), President Bush (http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/stories/ny-usbush204789308jun20,0,6619322.story).
The maintenance staff put in a lot of overtime, myself - 45 hours OT last week alone. We're all bushed (pun intended).
I've got some Private Messages to answer and posts I'd like to reply to, but right now my brain feels like mush :bonk: and all I want to do right now is go to sleep! :sleep:
Catch up with you all later, John.

All rested and raring to go!

For all of our hard work with the special graduation this year, the Admiral hosted a three hour barbecue for the entire staff today at the O'Club, Melville Hall, overlooking Long Island Sound. He also granted early leave (1 hour) for all, today, Thursday and Friday :banna: . It's nice to be the Admiral!

He told us that the President, before leaving, remarked to him how impressed he was with the warm welcome he got and the professionalism of the ceremony.

We asked the him if that meant that the President would remember us favorably in the next budget year :loltwo: . He said most likely yes, but it still has to get by Congress, no matter what the President says.

By the way, one fact I learned during this past week.
Merchant Marine Cadets have to serve accumulated one years' training aboard various ships during their four years of study. Starting with our own training vessel, the Kings Pointer, then on to various merchant ships around the world, including ships that go into a war zone to supply our troops.
For this reason, our Academy is authorized to fly the Battle Standard (http://www.usmma.edu/parents/BattleStandard.htm).

http://shipmodeling.net/vb_forum/images/linked/battlestandard.gif

None of the other service academies (West Point, Annapolis, etc) are allowed to because their cadets don't go into a war zone until after they graduate and receive their commissions in the armed forces.

John

Interresting job you have ?. I myself got promoted to expert/manager, so the first thing i did was scrap overtime from the departments dictionary ;). Better to bet the money on quality and process improvements. Overtime is the messenger of bad quality, bad planning and low morale ( and mostly only more crap is produced by overtime ).

You have a nice job, wanna switch with my exciting job? ( Oh god say yes )