for Logan
Nothing, retired from the Navy soon forty years, I know nothing, but I do remember two things. If your ship runs aground or is in a collision you are relieved, dismissed, toast, rip off your stripes and close the door on your way out.
The second thing is that unlike water, bad news flows in all directions, uphill, downhill, and spreads out. Just so with the news last night of the firing of Navy three-star Vice Admiral Aucoin, Commander, Seventh Fleet.
And between the three-star and the Navy commanders who skippered USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain stand two-star Rear Admiral Charles Williams, who is Commander, Task Force 70 and Commander Carrier Strike Group 5; and Navy Captain Jeffrey A. Bennett II, squadron commodore who is Commander Destroyer Squadron 15. Navy’s “loss of confidence” surely will include them, and could go both up to include four-stars and out to include other officers with various responsibilities including maintenance, training, drills, inspection, certification, … .
Rumor this morning is that McCain suffered a steering loss, which could spread the firings wider or could mitigate: conceivably I suppose, if McCain bridge watch gave all the right orders but the ship did not respond and did all the right things such as including collision alarm, that could be mitigating for the OOD team but disastrous for someone in engineering, damage control, and maybe for someone at the Ship Repair Facility in Yokosuka. It will be interesting to watch, and the loss of life turns it all into irreparable tragedy as families are shattered and their pride in their young sailor turns into loss of confidence in the Navy and inconsolable grief.
And between the three-star and the Navy commanders who skippered USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain stand two-star Rear Admiral Charles Williams, who is Commander, Task Force 70 and Commander Carrier Strike Group 5; and Navy Captain Jeffrey A. Bennett II, squadron commodore who is Commander Destroyer Squadron 15. Navy’s “loss of confidence” surely will include them, and could go both up to include four-stars and out to include other officers with various responsibilities including maintenance, training, drills, inspection, certification, … .
Rumor this morning is that McCain suffered a steering loss, which could spread the firings wider or could mitigate: conceivably I suppose, if McCain bridge watch gave all the right orders but the ship did not respond and did all the right things such as including collision alarm, that could be mitigating for the OOD team but disastrous for someone in engineering, damage control, and maybe for someone at the Ship Repair Facility in Yokosuka. It will be interesting to watch, and the loss of life turns it all into irreparable tragedy as families are shattered and their pride in their young sailor turns into loss of confidence in the Navy and inconsolable grief.
Many are called but few are chosen, and those who had their professional chance but for whom it is too late will cry if only and should have done, while someone else learns something about next time.
In mind this morning.
DThos+
ICSN now IC3 Logan Palmer
ICSN now IC3 Logan Palmer