"JohnH" wrote in message
...

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:02:47 -0500, Boater wrote:


In fact, I'd bet the factory workers drank a lot less during their
shifts than, say, military personnel.




That's something I've never seen, military personnel drinking while on
duty. We would often go to the club for lunch, but I've never seen anyone
order a beer or anything harder if they were going back to work.

Not to say it doesn't happen. But, in my experience it's pretty rare.


I agree John. It does occur, but not often and in very isolated cases.
The ramifications of drinking while on duty or during normal working hours
in the military are far more serious and severe than any I've witnessed as a
civilian.

Hell, us Navy guys couldn't even (legally) have beer, booze or wine aboard
the ship, underway or in port.

But, here's a sea tale. Not really a sea tale, because it happened at a
shore station, but:

The day I reported for duty at a communications station in Puerto Rico, I
met with the senior enlisted dude in charge of the transmitter site. He was
a crusty old Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8) with about 25 years in the
Navy. I sat down in his office as he welcomed me aboard and then pulled a
bottle of rum or vodka (can't remember which) out of his desk drawer and
told me to go buy a couple of Cokes out of the vending machine. Smart
enough not to refuse, I went out and got the Cokes. He took the cans, and
poured most of the Coke out in his wastebasket, and filled the cans back up
with the booze. He offered a welcome again, and was about to drink it when
he was interrupted by somebody coming in the office.
It was a personal matter, so I excused myself and left his office, quickly
went to the vending area and bought another Coke, throwing the booze filled
can away.

When the other guy left, he yelled for me to come back in, raised his Coke
can and took a drink.
He watched me as I raised my can to him in a silent toast and then chugged
the whole 12 oz's of Coke down in one long drink.

He got a grin on his face, we shook hands and I left. Turns out he was on
his way out of the Navy and retired about 3 weeks later.

Eisboch