A group of Naval Officers were given the assignment to
measure the height of a flagpole.  So they go out to the
flagpole
with ladders and tape measures, and they’re falling off the
ladders,
dropping the tape measures - the whole thing is a mess.

Finally, a Chief comes along and sees what they’re
trying to do, walks over, pulls the flagpole out of the ground,
lays it flat, measures it from end to end, gives the measurement
to
one of the Officers, and walks away without saying a word.

After the Chief  has gone, one Officers turns to another and
laughs. “Isn’t that just like a Chief?  We’re looking for the
height and he gives us the length.”