I got called by the useless front office secretary to help with a document. I told her it wasn't my document, it was the Flag Sec's and she needed to ask him, but she said no that I had to take it.
So, I walk over to the other building, take the document and bring it to the Flag Sec (military ranking gentleman), who sits in the room next to the front office secretary. I explained to him that the director wanted changes to the document but that I was concerned because the changes would make it out of alignment with navy correspondence standards. I told him that I would make the changes myself, but I wanted his approval first as it was his document.
He started getting really belligerent with me, snapping at me and telling me what I was asking wasn't making sense and generally being very rude to me. I remained calm and explained to him 3 or 4 times what I was looking for (approval to change the document to nonstandard formatting), but he had worked himself up so much that he wasn't hearing me.
Finally he snapped, "Well, why the [blank] are you bothering me with it.
YOU talk to Director about this! I don't know why everyone brings this kind of [expletive] work to
me!"
I kind of gaped at him. I was trying to figure out how to say "Well, because it's
your document,
your job to parlay with Director regarding things like this and, as a lowly HR assistant, I've got to say that I am absolutely appalled that you, an high ranking officer, would cuss at me over this."
But, I didn't need to. From the door (behind me), a voice said, "LCDR, don't talk to Peas like that!" Director and Deputy Director are standing in the door and both of them look really, really, really P-Oed. Deputy Director asked that I please excuse them and I slipped out the door and they shut it behind me.
So, thank you to the Director and Deputy Director of my command who cared enough about one of the lowest-ranking people under their purview to read the riot act to a LCDR taking his frustrations out on her.
