High School BS

You would think that as a grown adult serving in the United States Military that one would be an adult and leave the trivial drams of high school-like issues behind them. This might be the case with some branches of service… the United States Navy is not one of them.

On USS Last-Ship, we had Last-Ship High… an organization consisting of the many 20-something year olds an below who have nothing better to do than to have your daytime soap opera drama. (i.e. Who is sleeping with Who, who said what about who, what so-and-so did the other night) On USS This Ship the High School Drama continues…

I have a strict policy that whatever is said in my office stays in my office and does not leave for anything. It is a confidentiality clause that allows people the opportunity to get out frustrations or whatever issues they may have so that they can be psychologically free of stress. You see, I’m not just the medical and dental department… I am also the Psych Department.

Unfortunately, someone who I thought was a mature adult was unable to abide by the Confidentiality Clause and went and told someone onboard about a conversation that was had in the office of a particular sensitive nature. This person that was told (being the mature adult that they are) sent a threatening e-mail to me complete with profanity and horrible grammar. I replied with an invitation to come down to medical so that we can discuss whatever issues that this person might have… to no avail. Apparently it is easier to be big and tough through e-mail, but the reality of going down and physically confronting someone isn’t as convenient.

I do my best to steer free of the shipboard high school nonsense. I don’t really associate with many people onboard outside of work, and I pretty much keep to myself underway… granted, the topic that I discussed with the person that was in medical was more gossip-like in nature… but it was mindless chatter in the confines of medical. I’m not sure if I am upset about the violation of the confidentiality clause, or if I am upset because the person that violated said trust is supposedly a friend who is in a job that requires the ability to seal one’s lips… maybe it’s a combination of both…