I saw it too - was walking with my chief one day (I was an LT) and saw two P02s who thought they could “sneak away” after taps had started into a nearby building and stand just past the front door yapping away. Once it was done - I looked that way shook my head and said, “Chief, you want to deal with those clowns or would you like me to do it?” He said, “LT, I’ll be damned if I’m letting them off light with your ass chewing despite how much I’ve taught you.” They started walking out I said: “Have a good rest of the evening Chief” by the time I walked by about a half hour later their own chief and command master chief were with him chewing the breeze - I can only imagine how that ended for those two petty officers - almost - almost made me feel sorry for em.
dammit - I know better - retreat not taps...
I saw it happen a lot in “A” school. Those who did it most were people who had been in a few years and thought they were “salts”. We’d usually get to school before reveille (sp?) was played so we’d be outside having a cigarette when it would start and they’d run over under the awning.
On another note, my last day in the Navy I was walking down the street and met a young Ensign on the other side of the street. I didn’t salute him so he called me over. I crossed the street and walked up to him and saluted. That kind of surprised him but he still said “Don’t you know you’re supposed to salute an officer?” I explained the regs to him about how close you’re have to be to be required to salute. Not that I minded saluting. I just believed in knowing the regulations and living by them.
Like I said, it was my last day. I also remember getting out of boot camp and all of us saluting airline pilots.