6 Navy Commanders Sacked in 6 Weeks
For the sixth time in as many weeks, the lead officer of a Navy ship has been suddenly relieved of command, DANGER ROOM pal Andy Scutro reports for Navy Times.Cmdr. E.J. McClure, captain of the destroyer Arleigh Burke... had a “loss of confidence in her ability to command” following the May 15 “soft grounding” of the Burke off Norfolk as the ship was heading back into port. No one was injured in the incident, but damage to the ship is still being assessed, according to the official.
So why are all these Navy Commanders getting the sack? Let's check with the Navy Times:
Prowler CO relieved after 9 days in command
Cmdr. Christopher Rankin, was relieved of command of Electronic Attack Squadron 140 on Monday by Capt. Scott Stearney, who leads Carrier Air Wing 7. Rankin was relieved “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.”
CO of cutter Alex Haley relieved of duty
The commander of the 282-foot medium endurance cutter Alex Haley was relieved of his duties April 30 for “loss of confidence,” a Coast Guard spokesman from Pacific Area Command in Alameda, Calif., said Monday.
Cmdr. Karl Gabrielsen was relieved temporarily by PacArea commander Vice Adm. Charles Wurster because the flag officer has lost confidence “in [Gabrielsen’s] ability to command,” Public Affairs Chief Keith Alholm said.
Sub CO is latest in series of skipper firings
SAN DIEGO — The skipper of the fast-attack submarine Helena was relieved of command Wednesday for “loss of confidence,” a Navy spokeswoman said, the most recent firing in what has become a rash of commanding officer-level dismissals for “administrative” reasons.
Someone who speaks Navy: does "loss of confidence" mean they're gay, they're Democrats, or both?
4 comments:
..hmm,
I don't speak Navy, but I think "loss of confidence" only means that the person will no longer be promoted.
It's a strategy to politely avoid the Peter Principal in the upper echelons.
In Kodiak, rumors about the Coastie are as common as X-Tra Tuff boots, but the Public Affairs guy won't say much and says not much will ever be said.
later,
B. Carhartt
perhaps they seemed unwilling to get behind the coup when bush invokes his 'continuity of government' directive.
Umm...It's been some years since I left the Navy, but I don't think things have changed so much that the Navy is the same thing as the Coast Guard.
"Loss of confidence" means exactly that, a loss of confidence in the ability of the Commanding Officer in question to effectively lead and manage the officers and crew assigned to his/her ship. Period. If a ship runs aground (or simply touches bottom, as in the case of the USS Arleigh Burke), then the CO must be immediately relieved for he/she allowed the ship to be steered into a hazardous situation (complete accountability). In some situations, such as the case with the USCGC Alex Haley, the CO may have opted to involve himself in a relationship of a questionable nature (probably an adulterous one). Again, the CO should exemplify behavior that is above reproach, setting an example for his/her crew to aspire to. Long story short, don't ascribe political motivations to a relief...the process allows for the orderly removal of senior officers whose behavioral patterns threaten good order and discipline. It's a shame that the same principles cannot be applied throughout the civilian sector (in both the corporate and governmental spheres).
Post a Comment