211222 Sentinel, Words

I love words.

Words are human's most important asset.

Words can be used for good and for evil. Words can woo a potential spouse, or they can cut like a sharp knife. Words can change a person’s life or change the course of human events. They can start wars or end wars .

I remember being onboard the USS Kitty Hawk operating off the coast of Vietnam for 9 months at that point, when I heard the captain’s voice for the first and only time. He spoke over the 1MC (Ship’s announcement system) and his words were, “Set course for 090, we’re going home.” Those were the best 8 words I heard during that western Pacific cruise. The worst words I heard on that cruise came from my shop chief when he said, “ You have orders. They are going to cross-deck (change from one ship to another during a cruise) they aresending you to the USS Constellation, they need a man with your MOS (military occupational specialty you’ll be staying with them until they can get a replacement for you. It may be a few more months, I don’t know how long." The chief investigated and found that my MOS was coded incorrectly in Washington D.C and that was corrected for the moment, allowing me to return with the Kitty Hawk, but years later it was still not changed properly and that MOS bit me in the backside when I was sent to the USS Enterprise for that same reason. Words on paper can be as harmful as words spoken

I try to speak kindly to people I interact with or say nothing at all. Even if you are frustrated over a situation and want to have a problem corrected. Speak politely with the person you are talking with to correct the problem and you will get their best; speak harshly and you will get nowhere with them. Joyce told me she learned that from working as a customer service representative for many years.