This has been an especially difficult issue for me. I've been on three carrier deployments, and to Guam numerous times. I know what it must feel like for those on the ship who are getting most of their information second hand.
I found out my second deployment was going to be extended when I watched it on CNN while eating on the mess decks.
The Captain obviously wanted to make it clear to the sailors that they were not being abandoned or forgotten about, in order for them to maintain the morale and belief in their leaders required to push through an event like this.
It seems to me that he must have tried to say the things in that letter to his chain of command, but obviously did not get the response he thought was necessary. In my experience the response you can expect that whenever the Navy experiences something new is to wait and see, "we are working on it."
He knew it meant his career. He knew it was against protocol, and potentially violating operational security. The fact that he did it anyways says to me that he made a choice to do what he thought was right.
I'll make it clear, for those who may not understand: HE NEEDED TO BE RELIEVED OF COMMAND. He broke the rules, and must pay the consequences. Every service member can understand that. Just because you feel like you are doing the morally right thing, does not exempt you from being held accountable.
The problem is that Big Navy's response to the misconduct on the part of the Captain was dealt with swiftly and decisively. When compared to their response and seeming lack of interest in the situation up to that point, it sends a bad message to the crew. Then to cap it off, the idiot flies half way around the world to give them all what is basically perceived as an out of touch ass chewing.
I am simply not happy with the way this was handled, and embarrassed to be a part of the community being portrayed as incompetent.
The media is not our friend. However, if you keep people in the dark about what is being done on their behalf, and expect quiet subservience in the midst of world wide panic, they will cling to anything that looks like a helping hand.
The system where the media gets the information so far in advance of the sailors that they have time to spin it, and feed it to them before the chain of command is able to put out their own narrative has got to end. Transparency, as the SECNAV said is how businesses in the Navy should be done.
I totally agree with you.Listening to Potus say yesterday that he is gonna look into it made me think that it was not only the captain that fucked up.I was military spouse for 20 yrs and have seen my share of chain of command not responding to issues which made people desperate.So maybe he did go through the chain of command but they didn't give a damn or offered some bullshit excuse,believe me I 've seen it all.And with the media in the US creating mass histeria how we are all gonna die from the China virus and how bad the Orange Man is ,he may have freaked out.I am in no way excusing his behavior but I am giving him benefit of the doubt only because Geotus did.On the other hand ,my son is currently in the Navy and he said it is full of weak soy sailors and general faggotry ,so who knows.
It is definitely full of cowards at the moment. The only people you can count on to step up and do what is required without a direct order from above, are those with one foot out the door, not worried about their next promotion.
Sad to say that only soon to be retirees are the only ones capable of sticking their necks out to make decisions and truly lead sailors.
This has been an especially difficult issue for me. I've been on three carrier deployments, and to Guam numerous times. I know what it must feel like for those on the ship who are getting most of their information second hand.
I found out my second deployment was going to be extended when I watched it on CNN while eating on the mess decks.
The Captain obviously wanted to make it clear to the sailors that they were not being abandoned or forgotten about, in order for them to maintain the morale and belief in their leaders required to push through an event like this.
It seems to me that he must have tried to say the things in that letter to his chain of command, but obviously did not get the response he thought was necessary. In my experience the response you can expect that whenever the Navy experiences something new is to wait and see, "we are working on it."
He knew it meant his career. He knew it was against protocol, and potentially violating operational security. The fact that he did it anyways says to me that he made a choice to do what he thought was right.
I'll make it clear, for those who may not understand: HE NEEDED TO BE RELIEVED OF COMMAND. He broke the rules, and must pay the consequences. Every service member can understand that. Just because you feel like you are doing the morally right thing, does not exempt you from being held accountable.
The problem is that Big Navy's response to the misconduct on the part of the Captain was dealt with swiftly and decisively. When compared to their response and seeming lack of interest in the situation up to that point, it sends a bad message to the crew. Then to cap it off, the idiot flies half way around the world to give them all what is basically perceived as an out of touch ass chewing.
I am simply not happy with the way this was handled, and embarrassed to be a part of the community being portrayed as incompetent.
The media is not our friend. However, if you keep people in the dark about what is being done on their behalf, and expect quiet subservience in the midst of world wide panic, they will cling to anything that looks like a helping hand.
The system where the media gets the information so far in advance of the sailors that they have time to spin it, and feed it to them before the chain of command is able to put out their own narrative has got to end. Transparency, as the SECNAV said is how businesses in the Navy should be done.
Fuck the media, inform the troops first.
I totally agree with you.Listening to Potus say yesterday that he is gonna look into it made me think that it was not only the captain that fucked up.I was military spouse for 20 yrs and have seen my share of chain of command not responding to issues which made people desperate.So maybe he did go through the chain of command but they didn't give a damn or offered some bullshit excuse,believe me I 've seen it all.And with the media in the US creating mass histeria how we are all gonna die from the China virus and how bad the Orange Man is ,he may have freaked out.I am in no way excusing his behavior but I am giving him benefit of the doubt only because Geotus did.On the other hand ,my son is currently in the Navy and he said it is full of weak soy sailors and general faggotry ,so who knows.
It is definitely full of cowards at the moment. The only people you can count on to step up and do what is required without a direct order from above, are those with one foot out the door, not worried about their next promotion.
Sad to say that only soon to be retirees are the only ones capable of sticking their necks out to make decisions and truly lead sailors.
That is why we have Marines