When going through SFUWO, we used to take turns driving the stake-bed truck carrying everyone back and forth from the billets on Fleming Key to the mess hall over at Truman Annex at Key West. One Sunday it was my turn. I was wearing white tennis shorts and a white polo shirt, and another student spilled his orange drink which splashed all over me at breakfast.
On the way back to the billets, several guys were getting off to do laundry so I gave them my shirt, shorts, socks, and underwear to wash before the stains set in – all I was wearing were my tennis shoes.
I got stopped at the entrance back to the billets area by the Marine gate guard who told me I couldn’t drive the truck because I wasn’t wearing a shirt. He couldn’t see inside the cab of the truck – one of those IH 4x4 5-ton stake-beds – but made me show my ID and MilDL, and wrote my name on his clipboard before letting me through the gate with a warning to be sure and have a shirt on in the future. I told him I would be sure to do that.
The guys in the back of truck were laughing their @$$es off and the next day we got warned by the SFUWO cadre to be sure and wear a shirt IAW Navy regulations when driving the truck around Key West.
Those were before the DADT days - don't know what would've happened today.
Richard
