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paralegal role that
 non-com was always intended to be.  
We contacted the governs office with our briefing and the
 first person we spoke with, a secretary, actually asked if we
 were suing the governor, as seriously as possible we redirected
 her, explaining that the scenario was being faxed as we spoke.
We drew heavily upon our experiences at naval ship yard
 long beach, the closing of that based had caused all manner of
 protest. When we went to be issued our shipyard badges we
 were warned that the FA designation indicating Forces Afloat
 might draw hostility from the yard workers since the admiral
 had decided to close the base. Many crew members and officers
 acquired other designations ADM indicating Administrator was
 taken by many officers; this actually restricted their access to the
 base and even the ship especially during off hours. Several
 enlisted to ORD designation which indicated Ordnance civilian
 contractor.
Given that warning and being very aware that the base was
 being closed by the congressional appropriations committee,
 sub-committee for base closures I took the FA designation
 signifying I was still navy. Attributes that I developed on my
 first ship were die-hard and cast in brass.        
Preparing for the worst was just my cup of tea, and after
 what seemed to be a lifetime of heart break I was ready for
 someone to tempt my rage by coming at me misinformed and
 violent. The picket lines formed first on base right at the pier
 sentry point of the dry dock. They expected the admiral to
    reconsider. Personally, I had no understanding of how they came
 to believe that that level of authority existed in an admiral’s
 position. Their apparent naiveté was compounded by the
 unusually high concentration of military veterans in this civilian
 work place. I would later learn most service members that
 complete uneventful service never have the first clue about how
 things really worked.
We first informed them of their right to protest was not
 exercisable on a military installation. “Since when…” an angry
 man shouted not two inches from my face, “…no, since when. I
 was in the marine corps…” I interjected, “You were in the
Marine Corps and you believe an admiral can shut down this
 base and shut down its budget, on his own authority; and that
 civilians can bring a picket line style protest right on base;
 interfering with the operations of the United States military?” I
 asked in a very authoritative manner.    
He replied in angry confusion, “Well…no. Hey, but we’re
 the United States military!”
I looked him up and down obviously assessing him and his
 statement and asked, “Do you remember how happy you were
 when you got out? Huh, no more working for idiots just because
 they out rank you? Having no say even in your own personal
 life?”
“Your god damn right I do!” he yelled and I calmly replied,
“And, the reason those things changed is because you are no
 long the military.”
With a tone of defeat, having realized he was speaking to
 active duty that was still tasked like some kind of slave he
 respond, “Damn it. I just need a job”
“The protest…” I said calmly as a representative of an
 organization larger than just my life, “Must happen off base.
    This petition you have passed around going to an admiral is
 hopeless, it has to go to your district congressmen or senator;
 otherwise you would be giving it to some other districts
 representative and Massachusetts will not likely understand how
 they are relevant to a navy base closing in California.”
A middle aged woman with all the wear and tear of having
 worked as a wielder leaned forward pushing her face out
 amongst the crowd and said, “So we just give up then…is that
 what you would do?”
I replied, “Thank you for being so passive aggressive it’s as
 though you are a member of