It's Plastic Only for USS Truman Sailors

[Dragon Lady]

It's Plastic Only for USS Truman Sailors

Tue Jul 27,11:29 AM ET
NORFOLK, Va. - There's no point asking sailors aboard the USS Harry S. Truman for some cash. They don't need to have any.
The aircraft carrier is among the first wave of cashless ships, with its crew relying instead on debit cards. Everywhere dollars and cents had been used before ? from the vending machines on the mess decks to the ship store to the ticket booth at the carrier's recreation department ? now takes only plastic.
For the past two months, more than 5,000 sailors and Marines carried the debit-only MasterCards at sea. The cards were loaded with cash by crew members, who transferred money from their personal bank accounts by using one of five automated teller machines on board.
The Harry S. Truman is one of 24 Navy ships that no longer use cash on board. With the card, sailors at sea can receive pay, access home bank and credit union accounts, transfer and withdraw money, and make purchases.
"We couldn't be any happier with the program," said Cmdr. John King, the Truman's supply officer.
The switch to plastic has even done away with the chapel's collection plate. Worshippers donate electronically on their way in and out of services.
The carrier used to carry $250,000 in coins, largely to feed the vending machines.
"There were some people who were skeptical when we first started," King said. "Now we have very few naysayers."

[Seascamp]

Well, that rips it. The Navy has gone completely bonkers. How in the world do ya have anchor pools, slush funds, hot acey ducey games, ad hoc bets, quick loans, etc., with plastic. Gots to have some MPC or real bucks to pursue any worthwhile vice so now they go and screw that up. It?s absolutely sadistically demonic to mess with 200 years of tradition that stands totally unmarred by progress. Now this, oh woe is me, woe is me, snivel, snivel. Hmm, I smell a preacher man in the woodpile with all this. Where?s that Keith? I need a word with that Lad.

Scamp

Yep.Imagine that makes for some real interesting poker games.Bet they've got a method worked out by now though.

[locksly]

Heck cant make any money standing in for other peoples watches

[David]

Now that everything they buy can be tracked I suppose the sailors and their families will be swamped with email and letter advertising at home and abroad derived from the marketing lists generated by their purchases.

On the positive side this real time tracking may help keep their favorite soda in stock during deployments

[Seascamp]

David,
Oh ye of too much faith, . JAN part numbers and the Sequence Cosile Listing were supposed to be the answer to Sailors? supply woes long ago. That?s why I got a dozen sets of barb wire cutters when I ordered a pneumatic pressure regulator and why a an eight foot tall penstock water valve showed up on a rail way flat car when a half inch sight gauge valve was ordered. Oh the fun of it all.
But on the bright side, maybe the water-cooled megamax, magnum computer that orders stuff will send in Bud instead of soda pop. And of course waste not want not and all that, so the poor Sailors would just have to struggle through as best they can, as usual.

Scamp

Money, money, its 's always money, it's a richman world.

[SparrowHawk62]

WTF? Man that puts a damper on all the comshark, card games, and so many other little things we use to do. Today's Navy has really gone down the tubes. Split Tails on the boats, rotating crews while the ship stays at sea, e-mail, soft as baby shit boot camp....... Not to mention the cuts made in crewing the boats themselves....

[Dragon Lady]

Hawk,
I'm gonna ignore this statement

Split Tails on the boats,

just because now and again I need to do that to keep things on a more even keel. :re:

Back in the '80s one of my childhood friends served on the USS Kittyhawk and she served her country with honor.

[SparrowHawk62]

Originally posted by Dragon Lady Hawk,
I'm gonna ignore this statement just because now and again I need to do that to keep things on a more even keel. :re:

Back in the '80s one of my childhood friends served on the USS Kittyhawk and she served her country with honor.

Well, Ok, but why can't they put them all on one ship. Time and time again it's been proven that a mixed crew doesn't work well.
Yes, like yourself I am sure many women have/are and will serve with honor!