| Project by brianinpa | posted 90 days ago | 209 views | 0 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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The story leading up to overkill.
For an enlisted man or woman in the US Navy there are a few days that hold significant meaning to them. For me those days are the day that I graduated boot camp, the day I retired from active duty, and the most significant was the day that I was initiated as a Chief Petty Officer. Being a Chief is not merely another advancement, but rather the acceptance of all other Chief Petty Officers as a member of their brother/sisterhood of men and women who can accomplish anything. In any command, the Chief’s Mess, as it is called, has a member that has been there, done that, and bought the T-shirt. If you don’t have the answer or solution to a question or problem, someone else has and all you need to do is ask for help. The events that occurred the year I made Chief are different from the events that take place today: political correctness and progression of time have caused certain aspects to become a part of Naval Heritage. Some things belong in the past, but there were some things that I had to endure that taught me very valuable lessons. I am proud of the fact that I was and always will be a Chief.
The day I was selected to the rank of Chief, my “I love me wall” (the place where I hung all my awards or commemorative mementoes) became an “I love me room.” One of the items in my room is my hat box.
The overkill!
The instructions given were to construct a vessel that will contain the combination cover the day of the pinning ceremony when you first wear the uniform of a Chief Petty Officer. The instructions were to make this box out of 6 sides measuring 13 inches square and 7 inches tall with a window in the front. These instructions were fine for everyone else, but not for me: I made mine more of a display case.
Red oak stained walnut. The dimensions are as instructed, but the top also had a pane of glass. Both the top and front are picture framed to add a “touch.” The inside is lined with navy blue silk that is embroidered on the back panel.
Others were satisfied with just following the instructions; I always went a little bit further. The results are a display case for a symbol that represents a Chief, and I am proud of it. Thanks for looking.
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
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13 comments so far
Grumpy
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4131 posts in 257 days
posted 90 days ago
Beaut job Brian. Thanks for sharing.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
CharlieM1958
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3705 posts in 624 days
posted 90 days ago
Fantastic display box!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
GaryK
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8274 posts in 394 days
posted 90 days ago
Great box! Thank you for your service to our country.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Scott Bryan
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8049 posts in 228 days
posted 90 days ago
Brian,
This is a wonderful box and a nice story behind it as well.
Thanks for sharing.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
brianinpa
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288 posts in 129 days
posted 90 days ago
Thanks. I like to share the reason behind the project, sometimes I get a little wordy but I think it adds to the project..
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
Napaman
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1400 posts in 483 days
posted 90 days ago
very cool…thank you for all the you do sir!
-- Matt, Napa, CA...SING WITH ME: "Sum...sum...sum...summ...summ...summ...summertime..."
Dusty56
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690 posts in 94 days
posted 90 days ago
awesome box and thank you for serving !
-- Dusty56@comcast.net
SeniorChief
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40 posts in 133 days
posted 90 days ago
Yep Brian it is that time of the year again, this time make sure you are on the board for Season of Pride and guide the future Chiefs in this area of our heritage, but regardless, good box.
-- When you are at a point in life and you think there is nothing more to learn, then you must understand that you have learned nothing at all. Billy
Lip
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126 posts in 456 days
posted 90 days ago
Nice box … so where’s the hat? lol
::: hoping never washing out your coffee cup and hanging it up for everyone to see as soon as they walk into the Chief’s Mess is one of those things that’s slipped into Naval Heritage :::
-- Lip's Dysfuncational Firewood Farm, South Bend, IN
MsDebbieP
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11043 posts in 567 days
posted 89 days ago
a wonderful story behind this piece. Beautiful hat box and memories
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
brianinpa
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288 posts in 129 days
posted 89 days ago
The picture with the hat in the box didn’t make in the post because of my poor photograhy abilities. I don’t think coffee cups hanging in the Mess will ever go away. One thing that can always be found on board ship or station is a hot pot of coffee 24 hours a day. I still find myself carrying my coffee cup around like Billy is holding his in his picture above: force of habbit even after retiring 4 1/2 years ago.
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
kenn
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60 posts in 126 days
posted 88 days ago
Way to go Brian, that’s a great looking box and a very worthy story to go with it. Thanks for your service to all of us.
-- Every cloud has a silver lining
brunob
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1243 posts in 575 days
posted 88 days ago
Beautiful box and story.
-- Bruce from Central New York