Promotion for CWO Harkness

Is just me or ??? I think that Harkness should be booted up to Officer status. A lieutenant or Lt.Commander, I should think. After all, he's been holding officer slots lately and with the planning and execution of the jail break in "in enemy hands" has shown natural leadership bordering on almost Honor Harrington levels.

Gun Boat Diplomacy wrote:Is just me or ??? I think that Harkness should be booted up to Officer status. A lieutenant or Lt.Commander, I should think. After all, he's been holding officer slots lately and with the planning and execution of the jail break in "in enemy hands" has shown natural leadership bordering on almost Honor Harrington levels.

Horace Harkness is one of those rare enlisted who would rather have a couple of social disease than take on the responsibilities of an officer. He is what we refer to as a 'dirty hands' specialist in the military. When I was in the USN we had a Master Chief Sonar Tech who had a doctorate in Oceanography. He could have been an officer but didn't want to be one.

Hi Saber964,

Thankfully every service has some who're more interested in getting the job done and enjoying themselves along the way than having all the perks officers get.

I had a drill sergeant who was very adamant about not putting up with all the crap officers had to deal with, especially because of his wife's opinions apparently despite getting 3 different recommendations by 3 different CO's, because he was a truly outstanding senior NCO and could have been an excellent officer.

My dad had a sergeant major who was a major in the Army Reserves, but enjoyed being a S-M on active duty more.

Then there was the lawyer who was one of our gun bunnies; rather than going to OCS as they wanted him to, he preferred staying a gun bunny, despite all the pressure the officers tried to push him to do it; somehow they thought it was bad for morale, though the rest of the gun bunnies loved him for it- the only morale problem was the officers'- they thought it made them look bad, maybe easier to approach or something.

L

saber964 wrote:

Gun Boat Diplomacy wrote:Is just me or ??? I think that Harkness should be booted up to Officer status. A lieutenant or Lt.Commander, I should think. After all, he's been holding officer slots lately and with the planning and execution of the jail break in "in enemy hands" has shown natural leadership bordering on almost Honor Harrington levels.

Horace Harkness is one of those rare enlisted who would rather have a couple of social disease than take on the responsibilities of an officer. He is what we refer to as a 'dirty hands' specialist in the military. When I was in the USN we had a Master Chief Sonar Tech who had a doctorate in Oceanography. He could have been an officer but didn't want to be one.

Harkness has been actively refusing taking a commission. Being a Warrant is as far as he's willing to go.

He has a PMV and has (allegedly) hacked BuPers multiple times. He's not taking an officer's commission until and unless he wants to. Unless you convinced his wife to convince him to take a commission first, but she's a career noncom herself.

Gun Boat Diplomacy wrote:Is just me or ??? I think that Harkness should be booted up to Officer status. A lieutenant or Lt.Commander, I should think. After all, he's been holding officer slots lately and with the planning and execution of the jail break in "in enemy hands" has shown natural leadership bordering on almost Honor Harrington levels.

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To add to the other comments here --
In the USN a CWO4 has the authority (positional and technical) of a LCDR.
The Department Head (on larger ships usually a CDR) of Deck Department is usually a Bosun CWO4, who was probably a BM1 when the O-6 Captain was an 0-1 Ensign.
On a Carrier, Air Department, which controls the Flight Deck and Hanger Bays will frequently be either a AB CWO4 or a LDO (Limited Duty Officer) former Aviation Bosun.

The schoolboys (excuse me, new-minted Ensigns) will be rotated through as Division Officers with implied / explicit orders to watch, listen, learn from the Chiefs who are nominally working for them. The smart Ensigns do just that.
See the early relationship between Tremaine and Harkness and later Carson Clinkscales and Harkness.

-- Stewart
(USN retired)
"I worked for a living: My shoes were black, my shirt was blue, and my parents were married (to each other) long before I was born !!"

saber - we weren't all that rare. NCO's have more fun than officers. At least until you hit E-8 or thereabouts.
SSG ( E-6 for the nonArmy types ) was the most fun I had in 22 years in uniform. Tho SFC wasn't bad and SGT had it's moments.

saber964 wrote:

Gun Boat Diplomacy wrote:Is just me or ??? I think that Harkness should be booted up to Officer status. A lieutenant or Lt.Commander, I should think. After all, he's been holding officer slots lately and with the planning and execution of the jail break in "in enemy hands" has shown natural leadership bordering on almost Honor Harrington levels.

Horace Harkness is one of those rare enlisted who would rather have a couple of social disease than take on the responsibilities of an officer. He is what we refer to as a 'dirty hands' specialist in the military. When I was in the USN we had a Master Chief Sonar Tech who had a doctorate in Oceanography. He could have been an officer but didn't want to be one.

I can sympathize with Horace. I reached GS-13 about 14 years into my Government career, and the next logical jump would be into Management, first Branch Chief and then Division, and maybe higher management later. Sitting in my own office, attending executive meetings, doing personnel evaluations, making up charts and progress reports.....

It's 17 years later and I'm still a GS-13.

Sometimes you manage (or get lucky) to find you niche...and are smart enough to relaize that is where you belong.

So here's to you, Horace Harkness.

Kytheros wrote:

has (allegedly) hacked BuPers

When Horace Harkness wants to be a commissioned officer, his records will show that he is a commissioned officer.

And BuPers records wouldn't lie, right?

Fox2! wrote:

has (allegedly) hacked BuPers

When Horace Harkness wants to be a commissioned officer, his records will show that he is a commissioned officer.

And BuPers records wouldn't lie, right?

Also, hell will have frozen over and the Detweiler's will be hosted as guests of honor at a family gathering of the Harringtons and Benton-Ramirez y Chous.

Kytheros wrote:

Fox2! wrote:
When Horace Harkness wants to be a commissioned officer, his records will show that he is a commissioned officer.

And BuPers records wouldn't lie, right?

Also, hell will have frozen over and the Detweiler's will be hosted as guests of honor at a family gathering of the Harringtons and Benton-Ramirez y Chous.

Nah, he'll probably get a "field commission" as an admiral a week before he retires for the pension. :p