balance of days the individual has accumulated, and disciplinary  action  will  cause  conditions  to  deteriorate expiration of active obligated service (EAOS) of the individual. PREDEPLOYMENT,    POSTDEPLOYMENT, AND   HOLIDAY   LEAVE   AND   LIBERTY.   — Predeployment,  postdeployment,  and  holiday  leave  and liberty are granted to the maximum number of personnel authorized by fleet regulations. The leave is annual type. Liberty  and  duty  section  assignments  for  other personnel must comply with maintenance standards and good housekeeping and guard force requirements. EMERGENCY  LEAVE.  —Emergency  leave  is granted   when   the   existence   of   an   emergency   is determined. Verification may be by letter, telegram, or telephone call to the member’s command attesting to the existence  of  an  emergency  situation.  Another emergency situation is the death or dying of a member in  the  immediate  family  of  the  service  member  or  the spouse. Emergency leave may also be granted when the presence  of  the  service  member  would  help  solve serious  family  problems. GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE Maintaining   an   atmosphere   of   good   order   is essentially  a  matter  of  how  your  people  perceive  their surroundings. If they are happy, lead with authority, are recognized for their achievements, and are treated fairly, they will respond by performing their assigned duties to the best of their ability. You may recall from your days as a recruit or young petty officer that the seniors you were most willing to follow were those who were the most  consistent  in  their  decisions  and  treatment  of subordinates. Insubordination has no respect for rank; if tolerated, it will infect a military unit and destroy all existing discipline.  If  you  sanction  sloppy  work  habits  and military  appearance,  all  uniformity  and  the  quality  of oneness will decay. You undoubtly recall the line from the chief petty officer’s creed that says, “The exalted position you have now received, and I use the word exalted  advisedly,  exists  because  of  the  attitude, example and the performance of the chiefs before you. It shall exist only so long as you and your compatriots maintain  these  standards.”  Once  you  have  shown  the standards of conduct and performance you expect from the men and women in your charge, most will obey and follow  your  example.  We  will  always  have  the  10 percent, the “hard cases” and “sea lawyers,” who require your personal attention. Those members must be dealt with systematically on a case by case basis. Postponing until severe measures become necessary. Awards Senior  petty  officers  have  a  basic  responsibility  to encourage  subordinates  in  their  efforts  to  support command objectives. You can do that by recognizing the initiative  and  exemplary  performance  of  subordinates and  commending  them  publicly  when  appropriate.  Such recognition  may  include  the  following: Awarding   letters   of   appreciation   or commendation or recommending such letters for signature of higher authority Initiating  recommendations  for  personal  awards Assigning preferred duties Initiating   recommendations   for   special recognition, such as sailor of the month, quarter, and year Making  recommendations  for  reenlistment  and assignment   to   training,   education,   or advancement   programs Documenting  exceptional  personal  performance in  enlisted  evaluations Positive  reinforcement  and  praise  of  an  individual’s outstanding  performance  boosts  the  morale  of  everyone in  the  unit,  not  just  in  your  division.  Awards  are presented   to   deserving   individuals   publicly   as recognition for their achievements and as an incentive to others. MERITORIOUS MAST. —The term mast refers to the assembling of the crew for various purposes. Mast gets its name from the old sailing days when the setting for executing naval justice was the weather deck near the ship’s mainmast. The captain holds meritorious mast to award official recognition for jobs well done. Enlisted  members  who  perform  beyond  their  usual requirements  of  duty,  or  display  exceptional  judgment or initiative qualify for meritorious mast. Be sure to display their names and a brief explanation of the reason for their commendation on command bulletin boards. LETTER  OF  APPRECIATION.  —A letter of appreciation (LOA) is one way you can directly express your appreciation to your subordinates. It is also a method of showing other commands appreciation for their noteworthy service or help. An LOA does not gain points toward your final advancement multiple but is an excellent way to express your thanks for a job well done. 3-9