A Difference of Opinion

A while back I was sent an E-mail from the Sgt in charge of the marine patrol. The marine patrol techs were told that we needed to do a swim test coming up. We were told that we should start to get ready for it. This was some cause for concern as I wasn’t sure what it would include in the test. Normally you practice for a test to make sure you’re going to pass it.

I wanted to know what events would be needed, but I never really got a good response from the Sgt. So I started swimming and doing some stuff to get ready for the test. It had been scheduled last week. So I knew it was going to be in the middle of February. That meant that I was down to crunch time.

So I wanted to see how much more I needed to do in order to pass the test. I sent an E-mail to the Sgt. I really wish I hadn’t done that. He responded to it saying that he is concerned over my concern about the test. He went on to explain what is expected out of the MPA’s. I don’t know how you can expect someone to be at a certain level, then warn them to “get in shape” for the upcoming test and not tell them what the test is. Then when I ask about it, I become a concern. He wanted to meet with me again. I am not sure what he wants to meet about, but he asked when I was next coming to town.

It caused me some stress, but I responded to the E-mail. I re-read and changed it around until I only had about three lines in the E-mail back to him. I much told him I believe I can do the things required of me, that I wont fail. I also told him when I would be back there. That was a bummer for sure.

I was on duty for Pullman tonight. I went down early for rig checks. I got two of the guys’ SCBA quarterlies completed. We went down to Station One for the fire critiques from the Earthtone apartment fires. That took about two hours total.

I took two guys out to the bay there and got them through the SCBA Quarterlies.

Then we went back to Station Two. I had one more person to get through the SCBA Quarterlies. I got that knocked out. I spent some time with the new guy, Clark, to go over the response codes and when to show up and when not to show up.