Vindication of the Bad Apple.

I was but a wee NUB (Non Useful Body) aboard the sweet Lady J. when I was exposed to some of the worst leadership available to man.

I was preparing for my first underway and I was frustrated with the long hours I was spending at work (from around 6 am to 6 pm, on a good day). I had a new baby, and a wife who was not yet accustomed to the submariner's lifestyle, so I believe I had some grounds to be frustrated. My direct superior, MMC (SS) JC ***** (I have omitted his last name to protect what little reputation he may have... I don't want to directly commit slander), approached me in one of my surlier moods and asked what the matter was. I, believing he was a sympathetic soul since he had a family of his own, spilled my guts and proceeded to divulge my fears and insecurities. His response will stick with me for the rest of my life, and I apologize for the crudeness but such is the way of the Submariner.

"Stop your fucking bitching. They didn't come in your God damned sea bag did they? You are a fucking Submariner, start acting like it and stop being such a pussy."

Never mind the rest of his inadequacies as a leader, this single point defined how I felt about the man.

Some time later, after I got my fish,  Chanse and I were sitting around in the Engine room shooting the breeze, occupying ourselves amidst the boredom of being underway, when up walks JC. He scolded us for being lazy and sent Chanse off to do some menial task. After we left JC vented to a senior mechanic, Luke, about how I was such a bad influence on the newer guys because I didn't align with his view of what the Navy should be and because I fostered a thirst for knowledge rather than verbatim compliance. He then uttered a phrase that would brand me for the rest of my time on the sweet Lady J.

He looked at Luke and said, "I don't want Runkel hanging around with our NUB's anymore. He is such a Bad Apple... he just doesn't get it." After he left Luke, a good friend of mine, regaled me of this exchange, and from that day on I was "the Bad Apple," a moniker I wore proudly.

Shortly after I was dubbed The Bad Apple my entire division left, and I was the most senior ELT on the boat. Over time new guys came in and I was responsible for training them and helping them acclimatize to submarine life. I had no idea how to do any of that, but I did know how not to do it...JC was a good role model in that respect.

A year or so later JC had left the boat and Jimmy Sitz was on his way out. We were slated to get a new boss, but there was going to be a gap of a few months where we would be leaderless. Jimmy Sitz recommended me to the position, despite protests from the Chiefs that I was too junior to lead. Eventually the Captain and Engineer saw that I was the only option, and concluded that I was better than nothing. My oral board consisted of three extremely knowledgeable men trying to find holes in my knowledge and technical expertise. An hour and a half later I was done and awaiting the verdict.

The Captain called me in to inform me that in his X number of years he had never sat on an oral board that went as perfectly as mine. Normally there would be some questions left unanswered that would need to be looked up, but I had made such an impression on him and the rest of the board members that I left nothing to be desired. He qualified me on the spot.

When we pulled in to port my first call was to JC. He had told me once that I would never qualify LELT because my attitude was so poor. He didn't answer, so I left a voicemail. I haven't heard back from him yet.

I went on to lead my guys for two months. In those two months I drove a hard line with my guys, I ensured the work was done to the standard Jimmy Sitz set for us, and I listened to them. My goal was to foster a working environment where they could come to me with any problem and I would help them deal with it.

My time in the Navy, and especially my time with JC, has reinforced and developed the mottos I live my life by. JC's biggest contribution was reaffirming that knowing how not to do something is as important as knowing how to do it. I have had a long time to think, out there under the deep blue wet thing, and in my ponderings I have come to the realization that, even though JC was the worst boss I have ever had, he still taught me many valuable lessons. Most of the lessons he taught me are centered around how not to be a leader, and how to alienate those above and below myself in the leadership totem pole.The great thing about my interaction with JC and then Jimmy Sitz is that I have seen both ends of the spectrum of leadership. I know what I want to be, and i know what I don't want to be, so in a way I owe JC a thank you card or something.