Reacting Strongly
Frustrated Navy enlisted personnel reacted strongly after an officer stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, submitted a request for officer housing. The officer justified the application by expressing worries about his attractive family's involvement in what he described as "enlisted deviant activities." This unusual claim sparked significant tension among the ranks.
As the situation unfolded, it quickly gained widespread attention across social media, igniting a wave of public outrage. Both officers and enlisted members, along with civilians, seized the opportunity to voice their opinions and capitalize on the controversy, highlighting the deep divisions and discontent within the military community.
Losing Control
Chris Redding lost control when he came across a letter he wasn’t meant to read. The issue wasn’t the content of the request itself, but the way it had been presented that caused the problem.
Only a few months earlier, Redding had found himself in a similar situation. Even with his training, he had been bold enough to address the enlisted men with inappropriate terms, crossing a line he should have respected.
Surfaced On Social Media
Once the request surfaced on social media, the entire scenario shifted rapidly. The officer, who had displayed a superiority complex, faced widespread criticism from numerous directions.
Chris never expected the issue to attract such a huge response. In the end, it seemed almost fitting that the officer might be tasked with scrubbing the decks of the Naval ship as a form of consequence.
Aversion To Authority
Chris Redding, an enlisted Navy serviceman known for his honesty, had a strong aversion to authority figures. His attitude stemmed from a wish to simplify his life and avoid unnecessary complications.
However, this mindset created challenges for him, as he constantly worried about upsetting the Naval officers at his post. This fear of offending those in command affected his daily experience while serving.
Taking Things Further
Among all the officers Chris had issues with, one stood out for taking things further than the rest. This was Lieutenant Hal Fredericks.
Although Fredericks had only been serving as an officer for a few months, he was already assigned to Yokosuka, Japan-the very place where Chris was also stationed.
Intense Opposition
Chris had never before encountered such intense opposition from a fellow officer as he did with Fredericks. Fredericks wielded his authority in an almost harsh and domineering way, making it difficult for Chris to accept. The experience was unsettling, marking a rare moment of strong disagreement for him.
Despite this, Chris understood that his advancement depended on the judgment of officers like Fredericks, so he chose to endure the situation quietly. However, over time, he reached a turning point where he could no longer overlook the troubling behavior and felt compelled to confront the reality he had been avoiding.
Entitlement
Lt. Fredericks displayed a level of entitlement that surpassed all other officers. Within just two months, Chris found himself reprimanded multiple times, yet eventually, he relented after being persistently pressured.
During a night out on shore leave, Chris unexpectedly ran into Lt. Fredericks. However, this time, the officer made a demand that Chris was unable to meet.
Caught His Glare
In the bustling bar, their eyes briefly met, but after Chris caught his gaze, he quickly looked away and focused back on his drink. This fleeting moment would leave a lasting impression on Lieutenant Fredericks.
Unaware of the impact he had made, Chris took some time to notice the Lieutenant steadily making his way through the crowded room toward him. The significance of the encounter slowly became clear as the distance between them closed.
A Sharp Glare
When Chris appeared, the lieutenant immediately shot him a sharp glare. For a moment, Chris didn’t understand the reason behind the intense look, his confusion growing with each passing second. What could have triggered such anger from the lieutenant?
Lt. Frederick’s face flushed bright red, his eyes widening in frustration. “Even though we’re off base, enlisted personnel must show proper respect and salute when encountering an officer!” he barked loudly, making sure everyone nearby could hear his reprimand.
Time Off
It was hard to believe that Chris was being reprimanded while on his leave. To him, his time off was a rare chance to enjoy some peace and quiet, something he considered untouchable. However, Lt. Fredericks clearly didn’t see it that way.
Did the Lieutenant really expect Chris to salute in casual clothes in front of everyone at the bar? Perhaps Chris might have complied if the request had been made respectfully. Instead, the Lieutenant’s harsh tone made the whole situation unbearable and completely unacceptable.
Repercussions
Chris smiled and said, "sorry, Lt. Fredericks, I'm on leave and don't think it's necessary to salute. The Lieutenant only got angrier after Chris' defiance.
He started rambling about "consequences" and "repercussions." Chris wasn't phased, but he had no idea how far the officer would go. He would soon stumble upon the evidence by complete accident.
Getting Back To Base
With Chris' evening a little spoiled due to the Lieutenant, he tried making the most of it until he had to return to the base the next day. He had a few beers and watched the sport on the TV before going to enlisted housing.
On his way back, he passed Lt. Fredericks' housing. He lived in enlisted housing, too, despite being an officer. Chris was tempted to do something to get him back earlier. But he had no idea what it would turn into.
Messing With Him
With a few beers already metabolized inside of Chris, he lacked the judgment he normally had. At the moment, he thought it would be funny to go into his housing and eat the food out of his fridge.
It wouldn't be enough to notice, but it would be a small victory. But that's when he stumbled on something that wasn't for his eyes.
Revenge
With a little bit of effort, he managed to get the Lieutenant's door open. The rest was easy as the kitchen was just to the right of the front door on every unit. Chris opened the fridge door and looked inside.
He found some expensive-looking wine that he swigged out of the bottle before moving on to the officer's cheese, bread, and other things throughout the kitchen. With his work done, he was about to sneak back out. But he then noticed an open letter sitting on the kitchen counter.
A Letter
Chris knew he shouldn't have put his nose in someone else's business, but his curiosity got the better of him. He stared down at the letter and started to read it. He could tell that it was a transfer request.
The Lieutenant wanted to be moved from enlisted housing to officer housing. Chris couldn't believe the audacity.
Applying Too Late
The reason why Fredericks didn't get officer housing in the first place was that he didn't apply for it soon enough. Now he thought he could apply late and move up?
But the next part of the letter was what really got to Chris. As he continued reading through the officer's reasoning as to why his transfer should be accepted, his blood started to boil.
The Reasoning
The contents of the letter were obscene. The officer didn't just admit that he was late in submitting for officer housing and instead shifted to blame to those around him. He directed it specifically onto the enlisted soldiers that he shared the complex with.
But the extremes that he made up made Chris want to punch a hole in the wall. He saw words like "deviants" and "drug users."
Blaming His Subordinates
Chris almost couldn't believe what he was reading was real. He knew he had to do something about it, but he had no idea what. That decision would have to come when he was in a sober mindset.
For now, he took a photo of the letter with his phone before sneaking back to his own housing. But he had no idea what chain of events he was about to set in motion.
The Next Day
Chris woke up the next morning before his shift at the base started. He remembered the previous night's ventures through a hazy fog. Then he remembered the letter, and his blood boiled all over again.
He reread the letter through the picture on his phone. Now in a sober state, he was sure that he had to do something about it.
Showing It To His Friend
Before doing anything, Chris wanted a second opinion on the matter. So when he sat down next to a close friend and fellow enlisted soldier, he showed him the letter. The fellow soldier seemed to have the same reaction to Chris.
This was when he knew what to do. He had made up his mind, but he had no idea what kind of repercussions it would have.
What The Letter Said
Just a small extract of the letter read, "I have been an investigative officer and superior officer to many deviant enlisted sailors. There is a lot of crime, violent actions, drug use, and alcoholism that happens in enlisted housing. There are also sexual assaults and other perverts. I also have had to deal with drug and alcohol-related problems."
How could he think this way about his fellow soldiers? Chris knew exactly what he would do.
Thinking So Little
Chris was shocked that the Lieutenant thought so little of the enlisted. But surely he knew what he had said in the letter was untrue? They were lies made up to try and get him better housing.
Chris schemed and came up with the ultimate revenge. He went onto social media and wanted to know their thoughts.
Posting It
Chris posted the letter to social media. He knew he was playing with fire and could have been kicked out for doing it. But he had to show everyone what Lieutenant Fredericks really thought of his fellow soldiers.
When Chris woke up the next day, he couldn't believe the controversy that he had stirred up in the comments section.
"Unfit To Lead."
One commenter said, "This officer should be immediately separated from the service. He is unfit to lead, much less command, enlisted sailors."
"His attitude is unlikely to be reserved to his housing assignment and most likely carries over into his daily interactions with enlisted sailors." But that was only the start.
Compelled To Pay Respect
Another user actually had experience with superior officers like Fredericks, "The sad part is that though this a particularly egregious example, it isn't an uncommon attitude among the officer corps of our armed forces. It's a product of the outdated, centuries-old, classist, and grossly undemocratic practice of regarding someone with a title or college degree and a commission as some kind of higher life form."
He continued, "I played the game, did my duty, and never complained about it, but there I was near the end of my career, an SCPO with 25 years of service, pushing 50 years old and yet compelled by oath to make obeisance by saluting an officer right out of school and less than half my age and addressing them as sir or ma'am."
Getting The Attention Of His Superiors
Chris couldn't help but smile broadly. He was so overjoyed that civilians and even fellow soldiers saw the letter. It quickly spread like wildfire until everyone on the base had seen it.
At first, that was a good thing until it caught the attention of his superiors. He was promptly called into a meeting with someone even above Lieutenant Fredericks. What would happen next?
Repercussions
Chris felt his heart beating in his throat. He knew that something like this would happen. But in his mind, it was worth it anyway.
Insubordination
The Captain looked down at Chris and immediately started chewing him out, just as Chris was used to. "You taking a picture of that confidential letter and posting it to social media was a complete violation of our military morals."
He continued, "Lieutenant Fredericks would see to it that you are dishonorably discharged from the Navy." Chris felt his pulse race above 100. Was this really the end of his career?
A Twist
The Captain wasn't done yet, "But luckily for you, Fredericks doesn't have that kind of authority anymore. I don't think what you did was right, but I understand why you did it."
Of all the things to happen, Chris didn't understand this sudden twist of fate. Were things going in his favor? What was the Captain really meaning by all of this?
Kicked Out
"What do you mean, Sir?" Chris asked respectfully. "What I mean is that Fredericks was a rotten egg who dishonored his subordinates when he wrote that letter. His excuse was that his wife wrote it, but I didn't buy that for a second. You see, Lieutenant Fredericks is no longer a lieutenant. He's been discharged from the Navy for his complete disrespect for anyone else. If he said that about you, what was he saying about his superiors?"
Chris couldn't believe it, he wasn't getting into any trouble, and he finally got his revenge on Fredericks. He knew his days in the Navy would be a little easier from now on.