It's difficult for me to make this actually make sense to people who haven't worked in my tiny little world... But, I'll give it a shot.
Background... For terminology's sake...
I spent about a half dozen years, of my 20 year career, working with Army, Navy and Marines, from the US, as well as from other countries... Early on, with Canadians, in NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) and later, with personnel from various NATO countries.
As a member of an Air Force Special Activities Detachment, I made a lot of friends, but very few were people that stayed with me beyond a tour of duty... They returned to their home country and their actual military branch. No one rotated with me... So, while I kept in touch with some, I lost track of most.
In NATO, I wrote performance reviews for one US Air Force Staff Sergeant and he didn't even work in the same area as me... special activities are somewhat disjointed, administratively.
While the Army uses MOS, the Air Force, in my time, called it "career field"... I started out in the 685xx career field, in 1968 and, somewhere along the way, 685xx became 511xx, before I retired in 1988.
I spent 18.5 years, in an Air Force that had always segregated computers by function (support data processing, base supply, communications), working in the support data processing function (511xx career field), in some fashion.
At the 18.5 year mark, the Air Force rotated me, from a 511xx position with NATO AFCENT, Brunssum, The Netherlands, to a communications squadron, at a base in Texas.
I didn't know that, while I was with NATO, the Air Force, in their infinite wisdom, decided to merge the support data processing functionality into the communications functionality... Still different career fields (MOS), completely different language use (terms, acronyms, etc.)... We had no common ground when it came to understanding one another... Tantamount to putting someone who speaks English only, into a unit that only speaks Russian... Speaking technically, about technical stuff, the communications staff didn't understand me and I didn't understand them.
Also, while I was in NATO, the personal computer (PC) had taken off and PC use, within the Air Force was basically out of control. Few people actually knew how to do much of anything with their new PCs, but they damned sure knew how to requisition them!! There were no controls in place... No one had to justify a "need"... Just order and have funds budgeted to pay for them... The funds didn't even have to be budgeted specifically for A PC, it could come out of any "pot".
Now, the rest of the story...
When I rotated in, as an E-8, into an FTE (full time equivalent (billet)) they made me the Chief of Resource Management, for 'support computers', for the Base... I was also named to be the 'Small Computer Manager' for the Base... Responsible for EVERYTHING related to almost 400 PCs... And I was assigned subordinate to the biggest idiot I ever met, in my entire Air Force career... a Major... A major idiot!!
I had two mid-level sergeants that performed the actual Reaource Management work (Base computer inventory and accountability) and NO knowledge of personal computers... Coming from NATO, I had never even seen one.
But, my two resource management (RM) sergeants knew their jobs and they kept me out of trouble and freed my time, so I ordered a bunch of books and a couple of tool kits and learned to tear PCs down, diagnose problems and fix them. I also learned how to upgrade the hardware, install the software and write software for use on them.
I talked one of my RM sergeants into working part time with me and I arranged for the use of an unused building and he and I physically built it out, as a classroom for 30 students... I arranged to have it completely wired, by promising training positions in our first PC classes... I developed a cirriculum and training plans (syllabuses) and worked out a schedule... We both worked as trainers and trained over 500 base staff in intro and advanced PC classes.
I also developed and implemented strict PC acquisition standards, to stop the pervasive purchase of PCs and establish some semblance of accountability.
Now, back to the idiot...
While I'm busting my ass, trying to rope in this heard of PC goats, my boss keeps turning my lights off!!
For example, I'd get up and walk to the head and return to a dark office... I'd ask people who was turning my lights off and no one knew... Seems no one else was experiencing this phoenonema.
Finally, after about my FIRST MONTH on the job, I mentioned this errant ghostly behavior, during a staff meeting, and Major Idiot says, "I've been trying to teach you a lesson. You're the senior NCO in the squadron, you need to set a good example".
I said, "Of what? Everyone already knows how to turn their lights on and off".
Major Idiot had an underdeveloped opinion that flourescent lights waste MORE energy, when they are left on and unneeded, than it takes to turn them off and then back on.
He had never once said a single word to me... Just played his little game, like the child he was.
I tried numerous times to explain to him that he was wrong, but he knew that couldn't be possible...
I told him, "You can't possibly be the only person in the civilized world that doesn't know how much energy it takes to energize the ballasts and tubes in flourescent lights!! How did you ever make it to Major?".
Major Idiot said, "You're being insubordinate!!".
I said, "Major, I'm dumbfounded!!".
He said, "Prove to me, by close of business tomorrow, that I'm wrong, or I will press charges!!".
The MASH-like staff meeting ended early that day.
I returned to my DARK office, turned on the lights and called the Base Resouce Conservation Officer... Another Major... I started to explain the situation and as soon as I mentioned Major Idiot's name, the Resource Conservation Major said, "He's an idiot... He's on our Resource Conservation Board and all he does is interrupt and give his ridiculous opinions".
I explained the disagreement and he said, "I call him and try to explain this to him".
A few minutes later, Major Idiot came into my office and, to be fair, apologized and told me he had been set straight on the subject... I didn't know him well enough to know just how he really felt.
But, at the next Squadron Commander's Call, he pulled me up on stage and told the entire squadron that I was a treasure... A senior NCO who was willing to stand up when he knew someone/thing was wrong... He said he was going to put me up for a medal.
I told him, in front of the squadron, "Please don't, just let me bask in the knowledge that you value me!!".
Major Idiot was glowing the rest of Commander's Call... I retired about 17 months later and received a third Meritorious Service Medal, for all my hard work with PCs and PC training.
When Major Idiot presented my medal and a framed retirement certificate, he, referred to me as "the senior NCO who saved the Base so much money, by stepping up, under threat to his career, and stopping the rampant waste of energy, by pointing out that it's better to leave fluorescent lights on until you are leaving for the night".
I shook the idiot's hand and thanked him and said, "To be fair, Major, you are the only person who was under the misassumption that it was best to turn fluorescent lights off every time you leave a room. But, you're right... I saved a lot of money by putting a stop to YOU constantly turning lights off".
The Base Commander and all the other senior management had a great laugh, along with everyone else... Even, Major Idiot.
Sorry this is so long... But, it's hard to put this kind of story into an understandable context.
Background... For terminology's sake...
I spent about a half dozen years, of my 20 year career, working with Army, Navy and Marines, from the US, as well as from other countries... Early on, with Canadians, in NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) and later, with personnel from various NATO countries.
As a member of an Air Force Special Activities Detachment, I made a lot of friends, but very few were people that stayed with me beyond a tour of duty... They returned to their home country and their actual military branch. No one rotated with me... So, while I kept in touch with some, I lost track of most.
In NATO, I wrote performance reviews for one US Air Force Staff Sergeant and he didn't even work in the same area as me... special activities are somewhat disjointed, administratively.
While the Army uses MOS, the Air Force, in my time, called it "career field"... I started out in the 685xx career field, in 1968 and, somewhere along the way, 685xx became 511xx, before I retired in 1988.
I spent 18.5 years, in an Air Force that had always segregated computers by function (support data processing, base supply, communications), working in the support data processing function (511xx career field), in some fashion.
At the 18.5 year mark, the Air Force rotated me, from a 511xx position with NATO AFCENT, Brunssum, The Netherlands, to a communications squadron, at a base in Texas.
I didn't know that, while I was with NATO, the Air Force, in their infinite wisdom, decided to merge the support data processing functionality into the communications functionality... Still different career fields (MOS), completely different language use (terms, acronyms, etc.)... We had no common ground when it came to understanding one another... Tantamount to putting someone who speaks English only, into a unit that only speaks Russian... Speaking technically, about technical stuff, the communications staff didn't understand me and I didn't understand them.
Also, while I was in NATO, the personal computer (PC) had taken off and PC use, within the Air Force was basically out of control. Few people actually knew how to do much of anything with their new PCs, but they damned sure knew how to requisition them!! There were no controls in place... No one had to justify a "need"... Just order and have funds budgeted to pay for them... The funds didn't even have to be budgeted specifically for A PC, it could come out of any "pot".
Now, the rest of the story...
I had two mid-level sergeants that performed the actual Reaource Management work (Base computer inventory and accountability) and NO knowledge of personal computers... Coming from NATO, I had never even seen one.
But, my two resource management (RM) sergeants knew their jobs and they kept me out of trouble and freed my time, so I ordered a bunch of books and a couple of tool kits and learned to tear PCs down, diagnose problems and fix them. I also learned how to upgrade the hardware, install the software and write software for use on them.
I talked one of my RM sergeants into working part time with me and I arranged for the use of an unused building and he and I physically built it out, as a classroom for 30 students... I arranged to have it completely wired, by promising training positions in our first PC classes... I developed a cirriculum and training plans (syllabuses) and worked out a schedule... We both worked as trainers and trained over 500 base staff in intro and advanced PC classes.
I also developed and implemented strict PC acquisition standards, to stop the pervasive purchase of PCs and establish some semblance of accountability.
Now, back to the idiot...
While I'm busting my ass, trying to rope in this heard of PC goats, my boss keeps turning my lights off!!
For example, I'd get up and walk to the head and return to a dark office... I'd ask people who was turning my lights off and no one knew... Seems no one else was experiencing this phoenonema.
Finally, after about my FIRST MONTH on the job, I mentioned this errant ghostly behavior, during a staff meeting, and Major Idiot says, "I've been trying to teach you a lesson. You're the senior NCO in the squadron, you need to set a good example".
I said, "Of what? Everyone already knows how to turn their lights on and off".
Major Idiot had an underdeveloped opinion that flourescent lights waste MORE energy, when they are left on and unneeded, than it takes to turn them off and then back on.
He had never once said a single word to me... Just played his little game, like the child he was.
I tried numerous times to explain to him that he was wrong, but he knew that couldn't be possible...
I told him, "You can't possibly be the only person in the civilized world that doesn't know how much energy it takes to energize the ballasts and tubes in flourescent lights!! How did you ever make it to Major?".
Major Idiot said, "You're being insubordinate!!".
I said, "Major, I'm dumbfounded!!".
He said, "Prove to me, by close of business tomorrow, that I'm wrong, or I will press charges!!".
The MASH-like staff meeting ended early that day.
I returned to my DARK office, turned on the lights and called the Base Resouce Conservation Officer... Another Major... I started to explain the situation and as soon as I mentioned Major Idiot's name, the Resource Conservation Major said, "He's an idiot... He's on our Resource Conservation Board and all he does is interrupt and give his ridiculous opinions".
I explained the disagreement and he said, "I call him and try to explain this to him".
A few minutes later, Major Idiot came into my office and, to be fair, apologized and told me he had been set straight on the subject... I didn't know him well enough to know just how he really felt.
But, at the next Squadron Commander's Call, he pulled me up on stage and told the entire squadron that I was a treasure... A senior NCO who was willing to stand up when he knew someone/thing was wrong... He said he was going to put me up for a medal.
I told him, in front of the squadron, "Please don't, just let me bask in the knowledge that you value me!!".
Major Idiot was glowing the rest of Commander's Call... I retired about 17 months later and received a third Meritorious Service Medal, for all my hard work with PCs and PC training.
When Major Idiot presented my medal and a framed retirement certificate, he, referred to me as "the senior NCO who saved the Base so much money, by stepping up, under threat to his career, and stopping the rampant waste of energy, by pointing out that it's better to leave fluorescent lights on until you are leaving for the night".
I shook the idiot's hand and thanked him and said, "To be fair, Major, you are the only person who was under the misassumption that it was best to turn fluorescent lights off every time you leave a room. But, you're right... I saved a lot of money by putting a stop to YOU constantly turning lights off".
The Base Commander and all the other senior management had a great laugh, along with everyone else... Even, Major Idiot.
Sorry this is so long... But, it's hard to put this kind of story into an understandable context.