Can't stand them.
I hear people whine all the time.
Maybe it's because I'm a LT and stuck in the middle between sailors of all ranks. Maybe it's because I just put my head down and get things done, normally without too much complaint. Or maybe it's because I foolishly listen to folks whine when I should just say "STFU."
But yes, we (as a Navy) have a bad case of people whining. Especially when it comes to what you need to do to succeed.
General Mattis (one of my heroes) says it the best here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/viral-james-mattis-email-reading-marines-2013-5
I remember when I enrolled in the Navy's JPME course and my first shipment of books came...and holy crap, there was a lot of reading. And I read it...and I give the Naval War College credit, almost all of it was really interesting (except Milan Vego, sorry man, I struggled to stay awake). I told one of my fellow officers about it, and he said he wanted to do the Air Force version because it required less reading.
Seriously?
We whine about mandatory training all the time, be it GMT, SAPR-F, or whatever pops up this week. But it seems that when we get the opportunity to really learn something, specifically from some well written books, we suddenly can't find the time...although magically we find the time to browse Facebook, Twitter, the 100 channels of nothing-ness on cable TV, etc. etc.
Guess what people? You need to read to succeed as an officer. Period. And if you think you're reading enough...you probably aren't. And it's not just novels on leadership or history...how about the instructions that you need to operate in the ADCON realm, or the OPORD planning guidance for the Operational level of war?
Stop whining. Now. Use you're wasted time to read something worthwhile. You might be shocked at how much you really can learn in that time.
