Oh Boy the Sherman is Different

That’s right I said different, everything seems so weird at first. The way they (we) do things here, the pipes, the layout of different spaces, even the names of spaces are different. Is that so bad? No not really, we make do, it really isn’t that difficult. I just caught myself the other day referring a space on the cutter calling it D-CAT. Most people here from the Chase know it as the area in front of the LE locker. Everyone from the Sherman knows it as the LE staging area. No big deal, we learn, we adapt. The pipes are noticeably different, noon bells comes to mind, “test complete, all alarms back in effect, report all discrepancies to the quarterdeck” who says this? Everyone from the Chase knows it’s “now test complete, regard all further alarms report any discrepancies to the quarterdeck” Duh. Can we (should we) really complain? No, we get used to the changes, and soon the Sherman will be under the command and service of a new crew. That is why we are here (Chase personnel). To learn, to adapt, to see how we can improve ourselves, that is all we need to do. Sure when the Chase crew takes over some things that we were used to will start again, but some things are bound to change, we might just keep the departmental and divisional setup, we may keep the names of the berthing areas ( ask someone from the Chase where Weps Grotto is). Ok so I went on and on about how things are different, I should mention how it is the same too. We are all still in the same Coast Guard, and we all have missions to fulfill. When the Sherman crew disembarks they will all go on to their next units and see how things are different or the same there. They will go and do the things the Coast Guard needs them to do. The Chase crew will come here do the same, they will do the things that the Chase herself couldn’t do toward her end of service to the Coast Guard. Will it be the Chase part 2 or the Sherman’s continued glory. Maybe, and most likely the absolute best of both. -ET3 Timothy Allshouse