Peer Address

16FEB12

Yesterday I was asked to sit with the Chief’s because they wanted to tell me what my “peers” thought of me. I laughed as I heard absurd accusations. “Snitch, Flagpole runner, Contempt toward the Catholic Church, Voodoo Head, Gang Member, my Brown Pride Tattoo & my Mayan 13 wedding band.” To name a few that I remember.

I will take ownership for the unprofessional times I have made poor leadership judgments. Forgive me if I bypassed you on route to report personnel incidents. If I am not “filling” people in, it’s because of the confidentiality I give the people who have come to me. When I asked the Chief’s “How often have I ever come snitching on some one?” Neither could give me a number and said “It’s not what you do it’s what they perceive you to do and perception is 9/10 of the law” Then they told me to fix it! Don’t know how and not telling who? Even after stating that I have a right to face my accusers. My orders were to change the perception of my “peers”.

Who could be misperceiving my actions and why?

I have been an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church since 2008. I have performed 13 weddings, and 3 of those were shipmates from this base. I am Godfather to 5 boys, 1 whose father is a shipmate at this base. I have done a Burial at Sea at this base. Stop me when you have felt my contempt for the Catholic Church.

I have dealt with stereotypes my whole life, and I really love to crush them. I encounter& have to tolerate strangers who take a snapshot image of me and assume I am a Mexican Gang Banger. Then to their surprise I am actually a very intelligent, articulate Coast Guardsman of over 13 years. Most people figure out that I am actually not a Gang Banger within 30 min maybe an hour.

I was told at MEPS over 13 years ago, that I had to remove or cover up my brown pride tattoo on my chest. I was not prepared to do either so I chose to go home. They looked up the policy, saw there was no problem, and let me in with no further issues, until now. My body art is covered with Aztec & Mayan art work. Quinto Sol, Quetzalcoatl, Eagle Warrior, and a Double headed serpent, to name a few. Anyone who has set foot in my home knows instantly that I am proud of my indigenous roots and culture.

So why would a Mesoamerican inspired image for a wedding ring come as a shock? Could it be that my Irish wife came up with the idea, who also happens to have the same image tattooed on her wrist. In addition to being both of our favorite number, we were married on August 13th 2011.

I did not know that the Mayan 13 would offend anybody and was shocked when I found out.

I have been stationed here for over 3 years and only now is my “offensive image” brought to my attention, the day after I report a sensitive issue. And now I’ve been tasked to change the perception of my peers.

How does one even change the perception of individuals? People are going to perceive whatever they want to believe.

Where do I start, which peers? The over 500 kids at [school]? The over 300 Auxiliary members? The [cutter] crew? The [cutter] crew? The [cutter] crew? The 40 crew members at the station? With so many people I interact with I was at a loss.

They told me to start with the first class.