The Rundown
You may notice that the word “shipmates” in the title of this article is in quotes. That is because, at least in the nuclear navy, and also very often in active duty, the usage of the term “shipmate” is not a term of endearment… it is more of an insult that anything. As I work with more veteran groups, the term tends to be more of endearment with them, so it sometimes takes a keen ear and good interpretation skills to figure out how it is being used.
This page is about those sailors who have had to bail out their “shipmates” from various law enforcement arms around the world.
The Stories
- I did once, he made a pass at a stripper, she complained to the bouncer (I think if he tipped her more she wouldn’t have complained, but Nukes are cheap) the bouncer tells him to leave, but the drunk Nuke throws a punch at the bouncer. Who promptly decked the Nuke with one punch. I get called at 3AM to go to the Police lockup (with $200 for bail) to pick him up. I get to Police headquarters and realize, if he is still drunk, he can sleep it off in jail, I’ll get him in the morning. Cop says he is mostly sober, just has a sore jaw from the bouncer. Cop releases him, says be at Court Monday at 9AM.
I take him to Court, they call his case, judge sees me sitting next to him, wants to know who I am. I tell the judge that I put up the bail money, made sure he got to court. Judge orders my money refunded, then asks my friend what he pleads to drunk and disorderly, he pleads guilty, then the judge reads the charges.
The judge asks, “Where is the stripper?”
“She did not come to court.”
“Where is the bouncer?”
“He did not come to court.”
“What about the arresting officer?”
“His day off your honor,” says the Prosecutor.
“Are there any witnesses?”
“Uh, no, your Honor” says the Prosecutor.
Judge looks over at my friend says “it’s your lucky day, with no witnesses, case dismissed.” - I had to get a staff pickup out while at NPTU Charleston. He was downtown and went to a bathroom in a parking garage that was locked. He was beating on the door yelling for whoever was inside to finish. Someone came up behind him and asked if there was a problem, he got pissy and it was an undercover cop. I bailed him out in the morning after quarters.
- I never had to bail anyone out, but in Greece we had a couple of my young mechinecks come running around the corner towards the Liberty bus in the wee hours of the morning. Just as soon as they get on the bus here come the cops. They said they didn’t do anything, that someone else broke the store window. I told the cops they could follow the bus to the boat and talk to the command, but unless they could pick them out they couldn’t take them . They were pissed, but dropped it there.
- While on medical hold in San Diego, I got the privilege of driving the Disciplinary Legal kids to their medical and court dates. One such days the kids was worried about if they’d be hard on him. I asked what he’d done and he said he was the driver when his buddy tried to pick up a hooker (undercover cop, oops). I told him that it might not be too bad since the courts know the ship would get their hands on him too.
We get there and the other kid is all done up in a suit and lawyer while this kid is in stenciled utilities and public defender. The judge looked at them and said “You done messed up a good thing. You tried to pick up a street walker, she was a cop. They searched your car and they found a bag. What was in the bag is what disturbs me. Ski mask, ok. Rubber gloves, sure. Sawed-off shotgun… the only thing that is used for is killing other people. Three years.” *bang* goes the gavel
“Take them away.”No passenger on the way back from Court that day.
- I got called at 10pm one night when I was at home. Brand new student was in county jail an Ballston Spa, New York. I was an off-crew instructor. Since he had just shown up, I was one of the only numbers he had.
All I heard from the clerk was that he was arrested for petit larceny. When I picked him up from jail, I inquired as to what he did. Apparently, the dumb ass tried to steal Magic the Gathering cards. He went to Walmart picked up three packs, went to the self checkout, swiped one pack, and threw all three into the bag.
Apparently at his DRB, he told the chief’s mess that he felt that stealing from Walmart was a victim less crime.
The real kicker is that the next day, another instructor was at the same Walmart. He saw a dude walk out with a TV without getting caught.
- I had to get bailed out by my Chief at 2am due to getting arrested for driving on a suspended license. He wasn’t too pleases. Funny thing was my car was a manual and he hasn’t driven one in 20 years, and it was pretty much brand new. He told me to drive it the mile to the jail parking lot with out getting pulled over again.