I was designated the Bull Ensign this last DWE. It was an "interesting" ceremony, and one of our Cheifs did a great job engraving it.
However, I am curious if any of you have seen this in the EDO community or in the Reserves in general? The Bull seems to be more of a shipboard tradition. The newest Ensign in our unit also got the "boot"; which I read to be a SeaBee tradition. Is it mixed in to communities now?
Here is what I saw at Wikipedia:
"The most senior U.S. Navy ensign on board ship or in a naval aviation squadron, receives an enlarged collar insignia, often engraved with the word "BULL", and is known as the "Bull Ensign." However, this is usually confined to within the command, as it is not recognized as regulation uniform devices. By tradition, this officer is responsible for guiding and mentoring the other ensigns of a ship or squadron's wardroom."
Murraymr: The bull, boot, and JORG (junior officer requiring guidance) are used at both NOSCs that I've been associated with. At my first drill at a new command, a CDR and LCDR told me I was the bull and the boot since I was the only ENS at the time. The CDR told me to get a bull bar, I replied that I wear cammies and asked if that would be proper to pin cammies. He said he didn't care, "Make it happen".
The bee tradition of filling a boot with concrete and rebar and making the newest ENS carrying it around (inspection ready, of course) is not very common in other communities but I like it. In fact, I'm presenting our newest ENS with a boot this DWE. Instead of concrete this one is very muddy, and he will be expected to get it inspection ready. Part of this is initiation into the officer ranks for a former enlisted sailor, and part of it is kind of a leadership lesson. This person is a DCO and as a second class they didn't spend a lot of time in front of people, kind of quiet and a hard worker. This exercise forces them to get out in the spotlight a bit and will help to turn the corner from enlisted to officer.
Originally posted by dugmn: Murraymr: The bull, boot, and JORG (junior officer requiring guidance) are used at both NOSCs that I've been associated with.
I think you meant to say "george." JORG is a stupid ****ing backronym developed in an age in which people assume that if the origin of something cannot easily be determined, it must be an acronym for something. Because, damnit, everything has to mean something and if its origin has been lost to time, it must be back-logged.
Originally posted by dugmn: Murraymr: The bull, boot, and JORG (junior officer requiring guidance) are used at both NOSCs that I've been associated with. At my first drill at a new command, a CDR and LCDR told me I was the bull and the boot since I was the only ENS at the time. The CDR told me to get a bull bar, I replied that I wear cammies and asked if that would be proper to pin cammies. He said he didn't care, "Make it happen".
The bee tradition of filling a boot with concrete and rebar and making the newest ENS carrying it around (inspection ready, of course) is not very common in other communities but I like it. In fact, I'm presenting our newest ENS with a boot this DWE. Instead of concrete this one is very muddy, and he will be expected to get it inspection ready. Part of this is initiation into the officer ranks for a former enlisted sailor, and part of it is kind of a leadership lesson. This person is a DCO and as a second class they didn't spend a lot of time in front of people, kind of quiet and a hard worker. This exercise forces them to get out in the spotlight a bit and will help to turn the corner from enlisted to officer.
I like that perspective. I got to wear horns at PT. One of the enlisted (he was in a PT uniform) asked if a lost a bet. I was told it wasn't "mandated" to wear them because it could be viewed as "hazing". Yet my CO tactfully said I should wear it with pride that I am the Bull Ensign, and that I would essentially have more right to have the next bull do the same after I had done it myself. No pressure, no pressure at all.
