WRIT 340 dpdoyle

Navy Leading Petty Officer (LPO) Less than 10% of the U.S. adult population have served in the military and of those people, even fewer have been in the Navy. So, I imagine most readers won’t know what a Leading Petty Officer (LPO) is. Fortunately, it’s your lucky day! I’m going to lift the veil and show you behind the scenes of one of the most gratifying and frustrating jobs in the world! The LPO sits on the lowest rung of the middle management ladder, so everyone in the office looks to you. The junior Sailors direct their concerns and complaints to you, expecting some resolution. The upper leadership expects you to handle the day-to-day running of the department. You sit in the middle of the action and it’s your job to keep everyone happy. To be a successful LPO, you must assume and master several roles at once: Trusted Counselor Production Manager Tireless Student The following three stories are typical for any LPO worth his or her salt.   Trusted Counselor Suicide is ...

I hail from a small hamlet in Oregon. The inhabitants are not evil per se, but the tranquil flame of rural America exists besides closed minds and limited perspectives. It’s this insularity that I started running from 20 years ago. My exit strategy wasn’t original and in the grand tradition of my family, I joined the military after high school graduation. When I close my eyes and imagine myself retired, I always picture myself running a small elementary school in rural Michoacán, Mexico. Courses will be taught in STEM, English, and business. I make this dream a reality by growing my retirement nest egg and learning the necessary skills. I’ve been working on both areas for a long time. My career will be lucrative enough to allow me the resources to get the project started. From my parents, I learned about having a dogged and joyless work ethic. It might not sound like a good thing, but sometimes you grit your teeth, put your head down, and just grind. I learned this from my mothe...