Man the hoses!

<p>


</p>

<p>Not at all. However, we are still gathering evidence. I honestly feel we will have another "Beat Army" issue. And I do have my feelers out, shortly expecting results. If, after presenting my case, you still feel entitled to a bottle of Yellowtail merlot, it will be on the way. I know better than using this "unbiased" body of posters as a jury and will ignore their inputs.</p>

<p>^^^ Agreed. Just don't take too long--- don't wanna age faster than the wine!</p>

<p>
[quote]
I know better than using this "unbiased" body of posters as a jury and will ignore their inputs.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>smart man. Me thinks the jury is fixed. ;)</p>

<p>I really don't care why either anymore, just fix it.</p>

<p>LOL
[quote]
And I do have my feelers out, shortly expecting results. If, after presenting my case

[/quote]
And we should believe your feelers or your case. Not going to happen here. I have my own sources bet they are as good as yours and equally as biased in their opinions. ;)<br>
Just bring on the Merlot, Navy2010 is waiting patiently.</p>

<p>I too don't really care for the reason we had the PR spin so it is time to start serving the Brigade enough food of the quality variety.</p>

<p>


</p>

<p>Rather a harsh statement. Tantamount to calling one a liar. I invite you to present one single case where I have lied.</p>

<p>Are there valid reasons for screwing up? </p>

<p>Arn't those called excuses . . . .</p>

<p>Not a harsh statement in the least. Totally never called you a liar once. Just that we all have our own sources and they are all biased based on our circle of "friends." I will believe mine and you will believe yours, I don't know how credible your sources are nor do you mine, has nothing to do with calling you a liar. Just a statement. Kind of like a school yard fight: my source is better than yours statement. I have no reason to blindly believe yours and like wise you have no reason to blindly believe mine. If you are offended I am sorry. Certainly never meant to offend you.</p>

<p>now now now.... let USNA69 gather the evidence. I am willing to listen, learn and lea.............(opps!!!!!!!!) wrong post!!!!!! :rolleyes:</p>

<p>usna69- in all honesty, would like to know what was at the root of this. All seems so unnecessary- so will continue to wait "patiently".............</p>

<p>
[quote]
Are there valid reasons for screwing up? Aren't those called excuses . . . .

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Well yes...but then again I seem to recall my Mid telling me about the 5 "appropriate responses for a Plebe" and if my memory is still working I thought one of them was "no excuse sir" too bad that doesn't follow rank all the way up the chain of command...</p>

<p>Oh course when you get further up in rank I assume you get more appropriate responses to pick from...things like "it's the FSOs fault", "it's the contractor" or my favorite typically reserved for elected officials and heads of state:
"I don't recall"</p>

<p>


</p>

<p>While I am flattered that you have confused me as an official spokesman for the Academy, nothing could be further from the truth. While you have been speculating that the only reason for the food problem is gross incompetence of the staff, I have, similiar to you, been proposing other alternatives. I think I have as much right to propose reasons as you. To the best of my recollections, all the releases I have seen have had responses in line with "No excuse, sir". If I am incorrect, please enlighten me as to the source of the blame to FSOs or contractors.</p>

<p>


</p>

<p>That's called Alzheimer's Disease. It worked for Ronald Reagan and he was telling the truth.</p>

<p>
[quote]
the best of my recollections, all the releases I have seen have had responses in line with "No excuse, sir".

[/quote]
</p>

<p>On this one we may have to disagree....
unfortunately there was a long letter released by the head of food services (will go back and confirm).... lots of quotes by Dant... saw quite a bit of dodging and everything but "no excuse." I think had that been done it would have quieted a lot of people down.... but instead, the apparent reluctance to accept accountablity and responsiblity has had the opposite effect. Will repost if you want- but I believe it has been posted already (perhaps back on the thread that was locked to further comment.)</p>

<p>Navy2010
In the published repsonse your thinking about they blamed the Mids for taking more than their "fair share" portion. My sponsor Mids pointed this out to me and said "how do we take more than our fair shre when there are 6 pieces of meat for a 12 man table! Or 8 chicken nuggets to a 12 man table" I never saw a "No Excuse" published anywhere here in Annapolis anyway!</p>

<p>opps... not sure what happened to the rest of my post....</p>

<p>(and naptown- yes, that is the one I am referring to...PR blunder IMO....)</p>

<p>....but if I can continue my above post ....</p>

<p>Sad to say- but until that is done, IMO, the issue of credibility will continue to ferment. Unfortunately. I would like nothing better than to put this to bed.</p>

<p>There are lots of times I have had to listen to patient compaints regarding care, staff, docs, etc.... some legit, some so far fetched I stand there in utter disbelief as to "no way this could have happened like this"....... yet to each I say "I'm sincerely sorry this happened to you.... our goal is.... what can I do to help you right now.....". No finger pointing. No placement of blame. No questioning as to "truth." In essence, "No excuses." To them, as "misplaced" as their complaint and anger might be, it is still their "reality"... just as it is my job to "fix" it. The faster I accept responsibility, offer an apology (given most sincerely- and it is), and work on addressing the issue, right then and there, the better. It's not rocket science.... quite basic really. </p>

<p>And you know what I have learned? Most times, no matter how "outrageous" or "impossible" things seem at first, on closer examination there is, inevitably, some element of "truth" in there....something that coulda/woulda/shoulda been done differently, with better outcomes.</p>

<p>So again... patiently waiting to see what happened. But not sure the door on this will fully close until someone steps up to the plate- IMO, and based only on my own non-military and, in that respect, narrow experiences. So I will await the outcome of your fact finding, and trust that you will share it with the rest of us.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I think I have as much right to propose reasons as you.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You most certainly do, and my comments were not directed at or towards you, so please don't take offense, when I wrote that I did not think about prior posts by you or anyone else, I didn’t make the connection to any of your posts until I read your repsonce</p>

<p>As far as my assessment of the why. That is a non-issue. I don't believe I've said or even suggested that gross incompetence on the part of anyone was involved in what may or may not have happened to cause the meal turmoil that has resulted in many pages of mostly amusing but not very substantive posts. If there is one area that appears fair game for criticism has been the manner in which they; Supt, Dant etc have handled the public side of this as well as their lack of engagement of the Brigade on the changes they have chosen to implement as well as the timing. </p>

<p>Based on the comments from my Mid, most of the issues that have occupied us were largely non-issues in the grand scheme of things. He never mentioned the food issue until I asked, certainly never complained about it, he went shopping to buy some food to have in his room, but beyond that it was not high on his list of priorities. He's also not had any issues with work out time, gets up early to run and works out in the gym as well as his sports activities. So despite the changes in mandatory study time he's not getting fat or out of shape. As a Plebe he has different concerns than the upperclassmen, but he is not deaf, dumb or blind, so what happens to them does have an impact on him. If the upperclassmen aren't happy, there is no doubt he will eventually know about it and their feelings about the situation or attitude may impact him at some point along the way. </p>

<p>The last point I want to make that seems to be glossed over when you talk about how the Supt answers to no one here. The young men and women that are spending 4 years of their life at the Academy are some of the best and brightest of our nation, and they chose, key word being chose to be there, as in volunteered to serve our country. Give them a little respect and make them feel part of the process, not because you have to when you have stars on your shoulder boards, but because in the end the system and the results will be better for your efforts. And stop relentlessly criticizing them for some alleged failure to support or make this situation work, while you go diving for reasons to justify the situation or the position of the Supt. He doesn't need you help, but the Brigade just might</p>

<p>"I invite you to present one single case where I have lied." -usna69</p>

<p>Does it count if you misquote in order to inflame? For example, I made a comment about pork (some thought it was roadkill) being served in King Hall. I said, "What about the Jewish and Muslim mids? Pork?"</p>

<p>Later, you intentionally misquoted me by saying:</p>

<p>"Unfortunately, we are simply moving on to stage 2, which is criticizing the new menu; no red meat, what about the Arabs and pork, etc." -usna69</p>

<p>If you think all Muslims on this beautiful Earth sir are Arabs, I pray you're not teaching history, political science, or geography.</p>

<p>Furthermore, if you really think all Muslims are Arabs, then I'm guessing you drank the wine you promised usna2010, plus the other eleven bottles!</p>

<p>


</p>

<p>This is where we will continue to disagree. The mids need to learn to follow orders enthusiastically, even though they don't understand them. After they have done so, then they are entitled to question, comment, and critique, all within the proper channels, of course. There are many times that an explanation is neither appropriate or beneficial. I would say that a new Supt., bent on major changes, would consider this one of them.</p>

<p>usna69- understand that-
but the information that was made public offered not one but several explanations, none of them appropriate, beneficial or accurate. And therein lies some of the problem.</p>

<p>Gotta go back and reread all the releases. Don't remember reading any explanations at all. A reporter, I think, interpreted Capt Klein's remarks to something akin to we blew it, but, since it was not a direct quote, I have ignored that.</p>

<p><a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MD_NAVAL_ACADEMY_FOOD_MDOL-?SITE=DEWIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MD_NAVAL_ACADEMY_FOOD_MDOL-?SITE=DEWIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Capt. Margaret Klein, commandant of midshipmen, acknowledged that the Naval Academy has been caught off guard by the new food policy. </p>

<p>"These problems came to our attention in the past week or so," she told the newspaper. "We're doing everything we can to fix that as soon as we can."</p>

<p>Klein said the dining problems will be quickly corrected.</p>

<p>"We're eight days into mandatory meals, and the end of this week has been smoother than the beginning of the week," she said. "I'll take a wait-and-see approach. I'll wait with corrective action."...</p>

<p>acknowledged that the Naval Academy has been caught off guard..."came to our attention in the past week or so"..."doing everything we can to fix that as soon as we can"..."said the dining problems will be quickly corrected"...."I'll take a wait-and-see approach. I'll wait with corrective action."... How about that for talking in circles!</p>