Mike, that certainly sums it up!

One of the flag policies that really hurt morale was fresh-water rationing. When we were at sea, we were restricted to three-minute showers, and then only at certain hours -- midnight was one authorized shower period I remember. It was a real inconvenience to the "snipes" (the engine-room gang) because when they got off watch they'd be oily and sweaty and usually had to go to sleep in that condition because shower periods didn't match up with their watches.

The reason for the water rationing? So the ship could be washed down with fresh water to wash off the sea salt before we came into port, to make a good visual impression when we docked.

The three-minute shower regulation was actually monitored by the master-at-arms. One minute of fresh water; turn it off and soap down; then two minutes of fresh water to rinse off the soap.

I remember another, more humorous, policy. When a VIP came on board, he'd show that he was "one of the boys" by eating with the enlisted men on the mess deck. The first time that happened after I was assigned to the ship was when Vice President Agnew visited. When we lined up for lunch, I noticed that the mess tables had miraculously sprouted red-checkered tablecloths and floral centerpiece arrangements; and our aluminum mess trays had turned into regular plates complete with the ship's coat of arms embossed on them. The Vice President ate with us, then made a little talk about how well we lived on the Providence, and how glad he was to see that the Navy was looking after its enlisted personnel. Of course, as soon as the VIPs left, all the goodies left too, never to be seen again until the next VIP visited.

For all that, though, the Prov served very good food, the best I ever had on any other ship or station I was on. Only the submariners had better food than a flagship.