Saying Goodbye -- No, not to me...

Well, tonight I'll be taking my former Chief of Staff, Commander Aaron Bresnahan, to Kuwait City International Airport to head home. CDR B and I have worked side-by-side for the last three months working for General Ladnier and I have to say it was interesting. Despite a few flubs and faux pas, we worked together fabulously, and when you spend that much time with someone you get to know them pretty well. Eventually you'll start razzing one another, acquiring little inside jokes that are only funny to you two, and begin to know what the other's thinking in any given situation. And when your number's up and it's time to move on, you walk away with a funny story or two to pass on to the next poor sap who has to put up with you in your next tour. Well, here's my favorite little story about CDR B, which really (and humorously) put into perspective how I fit into the grand scheme here at the CDDOC:

About a month ago we were working on some awards, one of which was his. Knowing that yours truly is pretty handy with the pen, he asked for a little input. Now, being the hard-charging first class petty officer that I am, I had already pre-staged my departing evaluation and postulated that since he and I do very similar jobs, it'd be alright (and still pretty accurate) that he borrow some bullets from my eval for his own award. That was fine with him, so I proceeded to fill the 18 lines allowed with some fifty-dollar words taken from my own evaluation of my own performance. A couple highlights included:

"...exceptionally initiated, managed, and synchronized the daily schedule of numerous general officers, arranging office calls, coordinating military air and ground transportation with joint protocol offices, and ensuring smooth, timely movements between evolutions..."

"...utilizing meticulous time-management and unparalleled ambassadorship to visiting dignitaries and coalition forces, directly contributed to the senior joint leadership maximizing their effectiveness in support of the warfighter during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM..."

I was pretty proud of that. It sounded very important. Very executive. High class. White collar. Not quite 'The Man,' but at least 'The Man Standing Next to The Man,' if nothing else. I handed him my input, beaming. He read it and handed it back.

"I like the words you use, but...", he trailed off in his inimitable CDR B style. He's been known to walk past my desk, ask half a question, and continue walking.

"But what?", I ask.

"Well, it sounds a little too 'Johnny-Butt-Fuck-Carry-My-Bag' for my taste."

{silence}

He qualified that in his follow up, "But it sounds okay for you, though."

Nothing like a little pick-me-up from your boss.

We joked about that for the rest of our time here, calling each other "Johnny" whenever one of us was tasked with something that required zero brainpower and even less effort. So, for his going away present I presented him with "the prestigious and much-coveted aide-de-camp JBFCMB Award," something he could hang with pride on his I-Love-Me Wall. Right below the Employee of the Month certificate he got from Burger King during his sophomore year in high-school, no doubt.

But seriously, I know he didn't mean that personally. I have no delusions about my place in this top-heavy organization and know his job was much more important than mine. And it was good to see this normally reserved, quiet man get in a good laugh, even if it was at my expense, because he didn't seem to get too many of them. CDR B is a meticulous organizer and a bear for detail; the man knows how to get things done, and does his job in an efficient, unassuming way, always sure to cover all the bases and address every detail. I learned a lot from him.

He's the kind of guy you could go on an 18-hour flight with and never have one of those uncomfortable silences. I paid him the greatest compliment I can give someone today -- one I've only given to two other people that I've ever met: He's the best guy to be with when you want to be by yourself. Meaning, you don't have to entertain him, you don't have to make small talk. You can just sit there in silence, mind your own business and do your own thing. That's very refreshing to me. Sometimes I feel like I have to constantly be engaging people; keeping them talking (about whatever) or entertaining them so they don't get bored. I don't know why it is -- maybe it's just me. But he's one of the very few whose company you can enjoy without having to worry about whether or not they're having a good time. I've always appreciated that.

So, CDR B, if you ever read this, thanks. Thanks for your leadership, thanks for the example you set, and thanks for being who you are. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you and hope you have a very Merry Christmas back home with your family. You've definitely earned it....

...."Johnny."