100% correct. Not going to debate that angle.
However, the navy has its own language...for everything. Decks, deckhead, bulkheads, galley, bow, stern, athwartships, etc, etc. Why bother with that then? "In" and "the" are simply part of that. Nothing more, nothing less. But somehow, people manage to use those terms but can’t manage "in" or "the"? Why? Not enough room in the brain for that? If "in" or "the" aren’t a big deal for sailors, then lets drop the whole damn thing. The entire tradition of our language. F**k it, unimportant.
But really, no one in the navy, not even those too lazy to wrap their brains around "in" and "the", would go for that.
Seriously gclarke, I dare you to go to your XO and tell him that you saw some 'garbage' on the 'floor' down the 'hall', up the 'stairs' on the 'second floor'. Tell me how that works out for you. Actually, say that to your CO - he and I taught at Venture for years together and spent a great deal of time teaching the customs and traditions of the Navy to JOUTS. Because that is all this is - "customs and traditions". Meh, unimportant, I guess. Did you bother to get your Executive Curl put on your tunic? Again, simply a tradition. Why should the Navy spend money on a tradition like that? Not life or death. Has no impact on how we do our day to day jobs.
I could care less what those from the other elements have to say - they have their own customs and traditions that I find odd - because I don’t fully understand them and where they came from, but they are their customs and traditions. They have a place - if they didn't, they would have been done away with.
Chief Stoker, you are also correct. More important things to worry about, I guess. But Chiefs and Petty Officers are supposed to be the custodians of the Navy's customs and traditions, no? Those who sustain our traditions through thick and thin? Well, if the Chiefs won’t do it, then I guess us XOs will. Seriously, guy, I got this. Don’t sweat it.
Regards,
MARS