I don’t have a lot of experience with NCOs (Non-commissioned Officers) in the other branches, so I’ll give you my Navy perspective.
The senior NCO ranks, first-class petty officers and chiefs, bridge the gap between officers and junior enlisted. They are in charge of the work-centers in a Navy command and translate broad orders into specific actions for their subordinate personnel. As work-center supervisors, the first-class and chiefs are experts in their technical fields and are responsible for instructing the junior members and guiding their development and advancement.
In my case, I graduated from the Navy technical schools as a 3rd-class petty officer (E-4) and joined the electronics-repair shop at Naval Communications Station Kodiak, Alaska, in 1970. After a year or so, I advanced to 2nd-class (E-5) and stayed that way for nine years. It was a good niche; I was senior enough to avoid swabbing the decks and junior enough to avoid all the work-center paperwork. In 1980, I received a direct order from higher command to advance to 1st-class and become a work-center supervisor. Now, I had to keep maintenance records, evaluate my junior technicians, solve technical and supply problems, and keep my division officer up-to-date on the status of our electronic systems. We fixed the radios and radars. When I became chief after 15 years, I was in charge of three work-centers at Naval Security Group Activity at Adak, Alaska.
Each advance brought more responsibility. It’s been said that the chief petty officers run the Navy, and the top sergeants run the Army, Air Force, Marines, and finally, the Space Force.
I had a good time in the Navy, stayed out of trouble and didn’t get sea-sick until I sailed on the USS Quapaw.
Freedom Dogs!
American Legion Post 41 in Houston will be offering grilled, all-beef hot dogs, famous-brand chips and cold bottled water at the annual Independence Day Parade in Houston this Saturday. The location is the Lone-Star Plaza on Grand Avenue, the time will be 4 to 6 p.m., and the Freedom Dogs will be offered free of charge to all comers until we run out. So watch for our signs and banners before the parade starts at 6.
Texas County area veterans organizations:
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 473 meets on the last Thursday of each month at 1800 at their Post Meeting Hall on Highway 63 north of Cabool.
- American Legion Post 559 meets at 1800 on the second Tuesday of each month at the VFW Post 6337 meeting hall in Licking.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6337 meets each third Monday of the month at 1730 in Licking at their Meeting Hall on Main Street just south of Highway 32.
- Fleet Reserve Association Branch 364 meets at 1430 every fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 41 meeting hall in Houston. The FRA exists to serve all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.
- American Legion Post 41 meets at 1800 on the second Thursday of each month at their meeting hall on the west end of Chilton Oil Company in Houston (just north of Pizza Hut). Changes to membership eligibility now allow U.S. veterans of all branches and periods of service to join the American Legion.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7222 meets at 1800 on the first Thursday of each month at their meeting hall just east of Summersville.
Houston resident Robert E. Simpson is a retired U.S. Navy chief electronics technician who served from 1969 to 1990. Email gfjjkaa@gmail.com.