Interview with a Hero: RDM 2-C John Clay Poche

I've always had a passion for World War II history. Whether watching old war movies and documentaries or reading encyclopedia articles on some of the major battles, I've always wanted to see and hear as much information about the conflict as I could. However, the source of information that I've always found the most fascinating has been the veterans themselves. Hearing their first-hand accounts of what they experienced, what they thought and felt, and how they put the conflict in perspective decades later is an educational experience like no other. Recently, I was privileged to interview a couple of World War II veterans at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, and I am proud to share a partial transcript of my first interview below.

But first, I'd like to share a little bit about the museum that facilitated the interviews.

National World War II Museum

Luckily for me, I live within driving distance of New Orleans, which is home to the National World War II Museum. While making a trip down to the Big Easy to see the museum would seem like a no-brainer, one reason or another had kept me from stopping by for several years. However, a couple of weeks ago, I finally got the opportunity to experience the museum first-hand.

And what an experience it was.

First off, the place is huge. The museum campus consists of no less than five buildings (with a sixth on the way!) and countless displays and artifacts to analyze. Everything from uniforms, maps, weapons, tools, and vehicles are there to be seen. It goes without saying that I was a bit overwhelmed by it all, and even after spending a full day at the museum, I estimate that I made it through only about a third of the exhibits.

However, despite the impressive scale and artifact collection, I believe that the museum's most important staples are the veterans themselves who often take the time to set up in the museum lobby and personally share their experiences with visitors. While artifacts, videos, and demonstrations are well and good, nothing beats hearing an account from someone who lived through World War II and experienced it first-hand.

For my part, I had always wanted to take the time to sit down for an interview with one of these veterans, and on the day of my visit to the National World War II, I was honored with the opportunity to speak with not one, but two of these heroes. In this post, I'll post an edited transcript of the first of these interviews, a short talk that I had with U.S. Navy Radarman 2nd Class John Clay Poche.

RDM 2-C John C Poche

RDM 2-C John Clay Poche

Briefly tell me about where you're from and about your service experience.

I was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. At a very early age, we moved to Marrero, Louisiana. I was living in Marrero at the time I went into the military. I served two years, ten months, and 13 days with the Navy.

I went into the Navy because I knew if I was in the Navy I would have three hot meals every day, and a clean bed to sleep in every night.

And I was wrong! One day, and only one day, I did not have three hot meals. We were under siege by the Japanese fleet (Note: This engagement is known as The Battle off Samar, one of the most brutal naval battles of the Pacific war). We did not have the gunpower to fight with them, because all we had was one 5-inch gun, a tail gun. We did fire that gun; we scored 18 direct hits out of 115 [shots] fired (Note: 6 of the claimed hits were on the Japanese heavy cruiser Chokai).

I was in radar and we were giving radar bearings, relative bearings, and ranges to the to the tail gunner all the time. Every 30 seconds we were giving range and bearings, and they were using those range and bearing to fire at Japanese ships. It worked out real good.

The Japanese did not have radar. That was a big advantage that the American fleet had over them.

Poche's ship, the USS White Plains (CVE-66), a Casablanca-class escort carrier

A lot of people probably ask you about your combat experiences. I want to ask you about some of your experiences where you weren't in combat. What did you and your friends do when you had spare time? Did you play cards?

I played cards. Maybe 45 minutes before my [shift] would begin, I would play cards. Sometimes for money, sometimes for bragging rights! And I liked to brag!

One time, and only one time, we were playing with the Joker, the Joker was wild, and I had the Joker, and the Queen of Spades, and I drew three cards, and I got the Ace of Spades, the King of Spades, and the Ten of Spades! A Royal Flush! I bet two dollars, and nobody called!

Did you watch any movies?

We had movies on the ship, yes we did. We had sometimes 10 movies aboard ship. They would show a movie at certain times of the day, and they would always try to show a different movie. If we ran out of movies, we would get 10 more movies (Note: I'm guessing movies would be included in the regular resupply runs) or whatever our complement was. So, we seldom ever [saw] the same movie more than one time.

What were some of your favorite movies or actors?

Franchot Tone was one. And the movie he played in, I forget what it was, I was really fascinated by the acting. It was really very good. I don't remember the movie anymore but I remember the ending.

What did you and the guys talk about? The war? What you were going to do when you got home? What your plans for the future were?

Personal experiences, more than anything else. We talked about things at home, things that were important in their life.

What's one thing that you would want people to know about your experience that maybe they didn't know, especially young people? What would you tell them?

That the Navy life is a very good life, a very good life.

A Night at the Nexus

I've always been a fan of the theater. Growing up, my brother, father, and I would typically go to the movies at least once every couple of weeks, and it made quite an impression on me from an early age. The smell of popcorn, the dim lights, the big screen, and (of course) the movie itself... to a young me, it was a magical experience.

My love for the cinema continued throughout my formative years and well into my professional life. Two years out of college and into my first job, I was still attending the theater quite regularly (The Grand 18 in Hattiesburg was basically my second home). Then, in August of 2014, I moved to Mobile, Alabama, and things began to change.

With a population well over 300,000, the Mobile area didn't exactly lack for movie theaters, but what it did lack were theaters that people actually wanted to go to. On the west side of Mobile (where I lived), moviegoers had exactly two options: The run-down Carmike Wynnsong on Schillenger Rd (now an AMC), or the ghost town-like Regal Stadium over on Government St (which I had been advised to avoid). To a devoted moviegoer like myself who was also excited about living on a new metro, this was quite a disappointment.

In retrospect, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Even discounting the two lackluster options in West Mobile, traditional theaters overall were becoming increasingly low-rent. The crowds were dying off, theaters were not as well staffed or maintained, and cinema complexes were steadily acquiring a dubious distinction as havens for wondering teenagers and other sketchy characters to congregate and loiter. Call me what you will, but that's a big turn-off for me.

At the same time, my home movie-viewing experience had improved significantly. My father (with whom I was living at the time) had a theater of his own in the upper floor of his house. Complete with a large screen, surround sound system, leather recliners, and even a snack bar, there was little reason for me to venture out in search of the "theater experience". That, coupled with the new 65" 4K TV of my own that I had situated in my room downstairs, afforded me ultra-convenient viewing options at home that made the argument for going out to the theater much harder of a sell.

As a result, my theater attendance dropped off significantly. Rather than darkening the door of my local movie house every other weekend, I found myself showing up only for the occasional blockbuster release (like the latest Star Wars film).

All of that changed after my first night at the Nexus.

Nexus Cinema Dining (or simply "The Nexus") is a new "dine-in" theater that opened this past spring in Mobile. Nestled deep in the suburbs of West Mobile and containing only two screens (and a total of 117 seats), you can be forgiven if you drove past it without taking notice. However, the establishment's unimposing size stands in stark contrast to the exquisite experience that greets anyone who stops by for a visit.

First off, all ticketing for the Nexus is done online through their website. Rather than the split matinée/regular showtime pricing at traditional theaters, all tickets are priced at a premium $16.58 apiece. Seating is also reserved, so you pick your seat when you order your tickets, which is really handy for securing the best seats when you purchase your tickets early. And speaking of early purchasing, be sure to do it whenever you can. Since seating at the Nexus is limited, prime showtimes of major releases tend to sell out as much as a week in advance.

The Nexus main lobby

When you first enter the Nexus, the first thing you'll notice is the unique layout of the lobby. In addition to being a theater, the Nexus is also a full-service restaurant and bar, and the lobby serves as the dining area. In addition, the second floor of the Nexus includes an upstairs dining room that serves as a sports event viewing area, and is a popular hangout for those who want to catch a game and a movie.

The Nexus sports bar

Located at the rear of the building, the Nexus' two theater rooms, the primary "Main Stage" and the secondary "Theater", serve as the main attraction.

Main stage room seating

Theater room seating

As you can see, each room is equipped with multiple rows of plush, motorized leather recliners for seating, as well as 1-2 rows of table seating near the back. Now, it may seem odd that the Nexus elected to mix recliner and table seating in the theater, but I tried the table seating in the "Main Stage" during my first visit and it wasn't all that bad. Indeed, the extra room to spread out a bit that the table provides comes in handy during the dining experience (more on that later), but overall, I still much prefer the recliners.

The video and audio technology employed by the Nexus is top-notch. Each theater utilizes a 4K laser projection system (as opposed to the traditional bulb projectors used by most theaters) which not only provides a sharper image, but also better color saturation and contrast. In addition, the Nexus is also equipped with a full Dolby Atmos sound system, which features object-based sound and over 100 distinct audio channels. Before each film, a short tech demo is played for the audience that showcases these technologies. To put it plainly, the Nexus spared no expense in this area.

Now, the dining areas, seats, theaters, and technology are all well and good, but what about the dining experience? I mean, that's the main attraction, right? After all, it's in the name. Well, I can proudly report that the Nexus succeeds on that level as well.

Recliners with fold-out trays and tablets running the Nexus in-house app

Every seat in the theaters and the dining areas includes a tablet running the Nexus Dining App that you use to order food. You simply scroll through the menu, pick out the items you want, hit "Order", and a member of the staff will bring them out to you promptly.

Me during my second visit

I found the dining experience to be the most impressive part of the Nexus. Not only was the service prompt and the servers courteous, but the food was excellent and the menu was quite extensive. Now, you are going to pay a bit of a premium for the food (my personal favorite, the VooDoo Shrimp, comes in at about $10), but I found everything delicious. With a good variety of appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts (including Old Dutch ice cream!), there's something for everyone, even the pickiest of eaters. And of course, if you're not in the mood for a full meal, you can always just stick with the traditional popcorn and soda (each reasonably priced at about $3).

When describing the dining system to others, there's one question that I get a lot: Is the shuffling of servers in and out of the theater during the movie a distraction? It's a good question and an honest concern, but I'm happy to say that it's not a problem at all. The staff is very good at discretely and quickly making runs into the theater without causing a commotion. The aisles between the rows are wide enough for them to walk past without disturbing anyone, and they have a habit of ducking when serving during the movie so that they don't get in the way of the picture. Honestly, after the first few minutes of the movie, you're fixated enough that you don't really notice the staff bustling about.

Now, there is one other thing to note: The Nexus does leave the overhead lights in the theater on during the movie, though they do dim them significantly. This may seem strange to those who have only ever been to a traditional theater where all of the lights are completely extinguished for the feature presentation, but some degree of light is needed for the patrons to dine and for the staff to move about without incident. But like the previous concern, it really isn't much of an issue. Once you're 5 minutes into the movie, I guarantee that you'll stop noticing it.

Needless to say, after my first visit to the Nexus, I was hooked. I've been back several times since and have not been disappointed. Without a doubt, the Nexus has rekindled my love for the theater, and that means a lot to me.

If you're ever in the Mobile area and feel the hankering to see a movie, or even if you've never experienced a dining cinema and want to see what the fuss is about, I would highly recommend that you stop by and enjoy your own night at the Nexus.

Union Blues

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who ended union protection agreements in Wisconsin.

Earlier today, I came across a very interesting article from The Washington Post concerning the case Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on February 26. This case, and the court's ruling on it, is expected to be of landmark proportions, and easily the single biggest ruling since Justice Neil Gorsuch was appointed to the bench by President Trump.

Background

In case you're not familiar with the issue at hand, let me give you a quick primer:

In 1977, the Supreme Court ruled that any public sector employee covered by a union contract (not just union members) could be required to pay union fees, provided that the money collected would not be used for "political activities" (Abood vs Detroit Board of Education). 

In essence, this means that if you work for a government agency (such as a school district) that has a collective bargaining agreement with a labor union (such as AFSCME), then you can be legally required to pay union fees whether you're a union member or not (such arrangements are often called "protection agreements"). The only stipulation is that labor unions cannot use money collected via fees from non-members for "political activities", such as funding a politician's election campaign or running a political advertisement.

The thought at the time was that everyone who benefits from the union's collective bargaining efforts, whether union member or not, should contribute to "the pot". Otherwise "freeloaders", or those who would reap the benefits of collective bargaining without paying dues, could potentially bankrupt the labor unions. 

However, in the years since, the line between "political" and "non-political" activity has become increasingly blurred, so much so that public sector employees now argue that it is impossible to make a legal distinction between the two. Even basic union functions like collective bargaining have become highly politicized, as the results of such negotiations can affect taxes and other public policies.

Thus, if union activities such as collective bargaining could be reasonably construed as "political activities", then requiring employees to fund them violates their Right to Free Speech by compelling them to financially support a political cause as a condition of their employment, or so goes the argument put forth by the plaintiff in Janus v. AFSCME.

Impact

 

Should the Court rule against mandatory union dues, the repercussions for public sector labor unions could be devastating. In a recent survey, only 35% of the members of the AFSCME responded that they would definitely pay union dues if not required to do so by law. Labor unions are also aware that union membership plummeted in Wisconsin after Governor Scott Walker (pictured) ended mandatory public sector union fees in the state. If the same were to happen on a national scale, it could be the end of an era for public labor unions.

My Take 

 

I agree with the plaintiff in this case. Compelling employees to pay union membership dues as a condition of employment is inherently unfair. Today, the line between political and non-political activity for organized labor is essentially non-existent, and we're fooling ourselves if we pretend otherwise. Besides, members and non-members don't receive the same benefits. True, there is some overlap in regard to areas like basic compensation, but other benefits such as legal representation are unavailable to non-members; requiring them to pay the same dues without the same benefits is unfair.

Now, that's not to say that I don't understand the union's position. Freeloading isn't very fair either, but like any business, if labor unions want dues-paying members, they should have to market themselves. Imagine a scenario where you have a business that sells a product that the public is forced to buy, no matter what. How much effort are you going to put into marketing that product? How much are you going to invest in its quality? Probably very little, since people are going to be compelled to buy it in any case. This is the kind of gravy train that public sector unions have been riding for decades.

Instead of imposing mandatory fees on everyone by law, unions should be selling benefits like pensions, legal representation, training opportunities, and the like to potential members to win their membership. And while they're at it, they can leave the heavy-handed political activism aside. Don't make workers have to choose between their political beliefs and their jobs, and stick to the original mission of organized labor: Benefiting workers. If pubic sector labor unions can do this effectively, then they deserve to stick around. If not, then their time is up.