Custom paint or wrap for the "frunk"

[retiredsquid]

That is the hard part Rich. Make sure it is crisp and at least 600 pixel if I remember correctly. The anchor inlay cost me 10 bucks from AAA Vector Graphics. Good Luck Mate

Be Safe
AC:spyder2:

Looks like they are up to the task. The initial layout looks like it will run $45 and additional, if more extensive modifications are necessary. I'm thinking it will still be less expensive than getting a guy to air brush paint it. Plus, with me having ten thumbs I may just have to ship the frunk to Pete to have the wrap professionally applied.

 

[acinpcola]

That's great! Can't wait to see what it looks like...

Be Safe
AC:spyder2:

 

[retiredsquid]

AC,
I've received the first draft and it looks good. I am just asking for them to tweak it a bit and put the ESWS pin at the top with the flag in the background like it is with the mustangs. Chief's Anchor in the left side and Officer Crest on the right side.

Then at a future date I want to possibly put a CPO Anchor on one saddle bag and the Officer Crest on the other.
Regards,
Rich

 

[acinpcola]

Rich, I am considering putting Chief Anchors on the saddle bags that should do it for me then. By the way, didn't you say you were a Warrant Officer? If so, I thought Warrants were not mustangers or am I wrong on this. A few of the Chiefs I socialize with down here seem to think like me that a Warrant is not a mustanger but is a Chief testing the waters of "O" Land, after all you did keep your first name of Chief. If I have been missinformed let me know and I shall pass the words to my brothers. Looking forward to seeing your design.

Be Safe
AC:spyder2:

 

[retiredsquid]

Rich, I am considering putting Chief Anchors on the saddle bags that should do it for me then. By the way, didn't you say you were a Warrant Officer? If so, I thought Warrants were not mustangers or am I wrong on this. A few of the Chiefs I socialize with down here seem to think like me that a Warrant is not a mustanger but is a Chief testing the waters of "O" Land, after all you did keep your first name of Chief. If I have been missinformed let me know and I shall pass the words to my brothers. Looking forward to seeing your design.

Be Safe
AC:spyder2:

Chief,
Nope, once a Warrant Officer becomes a CWO2 he/she is now a permanent commissioned officer the same as the rest of the zeroes that are USN. I know when working with detailers I could take any billet in my designator and LDO designators up to O-5 as long as the receiving command would accept you (works a bit different in the officer community than enlisted.) That is in the Navy and I believe the Marines. I think in the Army you are temporary. I know when I was commissioned they discharged me and my oath of office was that of an officer and my commissioning certificate is exactly the same as my wife's and she is a regular line officer. I was held up a full year plus on my commissioning due to Tail-Hook and I was deployed at the time and a black shoe to boot. My year group was also the first group to have to decline promotion to E-8. So, a buddy of mine that I made Chief with managed to be frocked to E-9 before I got commissioned. It was a miserable two years in the Chief's Mess with some of the Chiefs that thought I was a traitor. True Chiefs knew the score anyway. I never turned my back on the Chiefs and never will. I've always looked at the CWO Program as putting some adult leadership into the wardroom. I was initiated back in the day when it was old school and done traditionally -- was on Guam.

Hopefully Tom will get the design finished today. I am hooking him and Pete up to work together on it.

Eventually, I would like to do something with the trailer, but want to get the primary done first.
Regards,
Rich

 

[acinpcola]

Rich, thanks for the infomation, I did not realize that at CWO2 you became commissioned. I will definately let the others know that were in the same boat as me. I do believe you are correct that the CWO program does in fact put top of the line experience in the ward room, and for the Navy that is a good thing. Like you I went through the initiation when it was traditional and am proud to say I am an Initiated Chief. As far as I am concerned the CWOs are all still my brothers and sisters who have moved on to enhance the navy, believe me when I tell you, you are now and always will be my Brother. After all those that make decisions high up in the chain of command were smart enough to leave the Warrants there first name of Chief, for all real Chiefs know that you have moved up and not out of the community. The duty stations that I was at after being initiated all let the CWOs enter the Goat Locker when they needed to just vent and unwind away from the youngins.

Thanks again for the information, oh yeah, I was initiated at FTC Norfolk, it was a blast.

Be Well and Be Safe
AC:spyder2:

 

[retiredsquid]

Looks like progressing along nicely. I've been working with Tom Adkins of AAA - Vector Graphic and Pete Ameno at Power Sports Wraps and had Pete and Tom coordinate what they needed to tweak things for the art. It's in Pete's hands to put it all together and make it fit the trunk. Both outfits have been very patient and great to work with. If you need graphics get with Tom and he can fix you up with something Pete can turn into a nice wrap for you.

I am going to look locally for someone to do the wrap. If nobody feels comfortable with it, then it will be packed up and sent to Pete.

 

[NavyChiefEd]

LET ME KNOW IF YOU FIND ANYTHING

I ended up getting a really good deal on a Navy helmet on ebay. I am also looking for some cool graphics. Since I was in aviation, I would like to find an aircraft carrier for my front. If you find anything let me know. Chief Ed

 

[retiredsquid]

Chief Ed,
Get a hold of Tom Adkins at AAA - Vector Graphics and let him know what you are looking for. Then get with Pete at PowerSportsWraps (a sponsor of the site here) for the wrap. Both of these guys will go way out of their way to get what you need and make you happy.
Regards,
Rich

 

[retiredsquid]

YeeHaw! Looks like the frunk wrap will be here via UPS on Monday afternoon. Working on getting an appointment to have it applied on Tuesday or Wednesday by the folks that do that sort of thing for a living. So, it looks like it will be in place in time for the MOGang's last ride next weekend.

 

[Littlebadwolf]

Glad to see other Chiefs here...I'm also a retired Army CW4 and I had the distinction of setting on the Warrant Officer Professional Development Board back in 1991/92 when we finally got the authorization for promotions to CW5 and attendance at the same professional advancement courses as our "Officer" counterparts. I actually turned down promotion to CW5 because I had already made plans to retire at the ripe age of 44 with 27 years service....They actually pretty close to authorizing CW6 in order to parallel the commissioned rank of full bird Colonel....Long overdue in my eyes. Sorry for being off topic...I initially started to read the thread because I bought a full wrap kit.

 

[retiredsquid]

LittleBadWolf,
I hear you. I pretty much had to make a choice between my sons and the Navy since I was a single parent after deploying in '91. So, I turned down CWO3 (was due to promote on the day I retired) to retire at 24. CWO5 would have been a nice place to end a career on. Very difficult to get to in the Navy since most do not get selected for the CWO Program until late in their careers. HYT will/would get most in my day. Had my status been different I feel certain that I would have been one of the first, though. Well, maybe..... my retirement physical found lots of problems, so maybe health wise it was the best that I retired. Plus, the "Newer, Kinder & Gentler Navy" made me a dinosaur since my first Chief was a WWII guy. Not sure that I could deal well with recent changes, either.
Regards,
Rich

 

[FrankPa]

My first thought...

Why wouldn't you retire the day AFTER your promotion?

 

[retiredsquid]

Why wouldn't you retire the day AFTER your promotion?

Frank, I wish it worked that way. You have a contractual requirement to accept a promotion and payback in time.

 

[Major spyder]

Mustang

I would really like to do something with our 2011 RT SE5 Limited to personalize it a bit. I am leaning in the direction of a variation of the theme of my avatar since I am retired from the Navy and the wife is still serving. I'm a "mustang" while she is not, but it will have a naval theme to it. What do ya'll think? Would it look right? I would think putting the "officer's crest" more in the center would look better.

I am a Mustang also......... but my wife will have her own so my personalization won't be a worry. on the other hand you do have an issue......so I can help ya



sorry

Major Spyder

 

[Bad Dog6]

Another SCPO

Senior Chief here (ADCS). Ret. Just wanted to sa hello to all my fellow Chief's. I to was initiated back when they would call youn E-7 if you didn't go through the initiation.. Would be fun to share "Charge Book" stories. LOL. Anyway, great to be among Brothers.

 

[retiredsquid]

Senior Chief,
Glad to see you here. We had an E-8 OS on my last ship and it caused a lot of problems for him and his division. He was given many opportunities to become a "Chief" and always refused. I'm sure he would have been given a lot more leeway than E6s being initiated like the Marine Gunny's doing it.

I still have my hat box and charge book from some three decades ago. I managed to get one of those new fangled greeting cards that played music when you opened it that played "Hail to the Chief." Man that got a lot of attention. hahahaha

Chiefs today haven't got a clue of the brotherhood of Chiefs past. When I joined the Navy all CPOs were referred to as "Chief," no matter what grade.
Rich

 

[retiredsquid]

Major Spyder,

My wife will eventually have her own Spyder, but it will not be before 2013 or 2014. I want to see some more options or upgrades before we buy the next one. There are a number of rumors floating around for 2013 that I like, but still not far enough IMO. In the most recent survey I voted for every option they listed and am willing to pay the price to have them factory installed. Better yet, it would be wonderful if BRP would let us special order a machine like we can cars and trucks.

Rich

 

[wyliec]

Senior Chief,
Glad to see you here. We had an E-8 OS on my last ship and it caused a lot of problems for him and his division. He was given many opportunities to become a "Chief" and always refused.

Don't mean to bud in here; but, when I was in the Navy from 67-71, an E-7 was a Chief, E-8 was a Senior Chief, and E-9 was a Master Chief and were addressed as such. There was also one E-10 for the Navy. So, I'm a bit confused as to what an E-8 OS is or was.

 

[retiredsquid]

No offense taken. I was a Chief for quite a few years and most things among the Chiefs stayed in the mess. The stations I was at Chiefs didn't start requiring addressing by the higher grade until the late 70s. Everyone has different experiences. The E8 would be called Senior Chief among the crew, but not in the Chiefs Mess. A non-initiated CPO's tours in my day and from the time the brotherhood began was a miserable existence. Non-Chiefs would not know.