tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post8237614924320521317..comments2024-01-03T05:18:54.650-05:00Comments on CDR Salamander: Captain McCain, the floor is yoursCDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-27325338911218053622011-09-14T06:08:15.472-04:002011-09-14T06:08:15.472-04:00Totally concur, I am saddened we have yet to see a...Totally concur, I am saddened we have yet to see a new revolt of the flags, the loudest noise in this mess is the hollow ring of senior leaders doing nothing.Mark Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-22382039377486969132011-09-14T06:04:40.683-04:002011-09-14T06:04:40.683-04:00I would argue none of those heroes would have want...I would argue none of those heroes would have wanted to stay. One look at the people who were pushing diversity, LCS, or minimum manning, none of which are warfighters btw, would have pushed them to the civilian world in disgust, IMHO...Mark Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-74114209706365384362011-09-13T21:56:18.581-04:002011-09-13T21:56:18.581-04:00As a JO, post Tailhook but not to far after, I had...As a JO, post Tailhook but not to far after, I had my final FITREP debrief with the Skipper (who was a weasel). He told me that that I spoke my mind too much, laughed and carried on too much but I was the best in the plane, had the leadership skills and were it a war time environment that I would be the guy he would send to get the mission done without question. But, since we were in peacetime...you get the picture.<br /><br />While not on the scale of Senator McCain, I am a legacy as well with few stars in my family and two other Aviators from back in the day. I'm just happy I don't have to look them in the face considering what has been done to both our Navy and Naval Aviation. I'd be embarrassed. It's a damn shame. Stunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-52202710807648187062011-09-13T21:53:14.303-04:002011-09-13T21:53:14.303-04:00They absolutely know it. They absolutely know it. Stunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-39874618043481145742011-09-13T21:29:40.129-04:002011-09-13T21:29:40.129-04:00A good friend of mine recently went through the De...A good friend of mine recently went through the Department Head Leadership course and one of the articles they had to discuss was the report on Capt Honors acting career. While he crossed a line and did go too far with some of the skits, he attempted to lead. I would have followed him anywhere as he inspired his crew and maintained a high morale throughout the ship. He was a leader who made a poor decision 5 years ago and was destroyed by the cult of managers above him. The manager that replaced him destroyed morale to a point where the DoD suicide prevention team (they came out after the E had 2 sucessful and 3 unsucessful attempts over 4 months) said they had never seen a unit with such poor cohesion and morale. Will the new CNO embrace leadership or management? I think we know what to expect.FDNF'ernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-32891559978739331502011-09-13T15:33:25.603-04:002011-09-13T15:33:25.603-04:00When I heard Sen. McCain was speaking at the banqu...When I heard Sen. McCain was speaking at the banquet, i was glad that I brought my suit and was able to get tickets. The speech was great and was exactly what the JOs in the room needed to hear.NAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-88694747115065005952011-09-13T15:00:29.632-04:002011-09-13T15:00:29.632-04:00Barney Greenwald: I've got a guilty conscienc...Barney Greenwald: I've got a guilty conscience. I thought the wrong man was on trial, so I torpedoed Queeg for you. I had to torpedo him. And I feel sick about it. When I was studying law, and Mr. Keefer was writing his stories, - and Willie was tearing up the playing fields of Princeton, - who was standing guard over this country of ours?<br /><br />Not us. We knew you couldn't make any money in the service. Who did the dirty work for us? Queeg did, and a lot of other guys. Tough guys, who didn't crack up like Queeg.<br /><br />You don't work with the captain because of his hairstyle, - but because he's got the job, or you're no good. <br /><br />Herman Wouk <i>The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial</i>Bubbanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-23948767795208421012011-09-13T13:03:04.345-04:002011-09-13T13:03:04.345-04:00CDR Sal
You make a point at the end that I have t...CDR Sal<br /><br />You make a point at the end that I have thought about quite a bit lately. I was a JO when Tailhook hit the Navy and my strongest memory is of being required to do a day long training session on sexual harassment at the command. The fact that we were a single sex command apparently did not bother anyone from altering the syllabus. Within a year I was out and from all accounts it only got worse.<br /><br />Would it have been better if I had stayed in? Could I have made a difference? I would like to think the answer is yes but having gone through similar experiences in the civilian world I have learned that there is only so much you can do when the organization decides to drive off the cliff. Pointing put the obvious rarely wins you any kudos. No one likes a Cassandra...<br /><br />But it is personally disturbing to me that the Senior Leadership in Navy are year group classmates of mine who should know better. This is NOT the Navy we joined 2 or 3 decades ago and we have ourselves to blame for what has happened. We did this to ourselves or we allowed it to happen on our watch.<br /><br />The only hope I have is that we might just turn it around. I hope it is not too late.Seannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-24081959354600013492011-09-13T11:44:30.817-04:002011-09-13T11:44:30.817-04:00Any one of the leaders from WW2, Korea, and Vietna...Any one of the leaders from WW2, Korea, and Vietnam never would have screened properly for command in today's atmosphere in this era of being a business major not a war fighter major.SouthernAPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-90510241447838625692011-09-13T10:53:06.132-04:002011-09-13T10:53:06.132-04:00How about Halsey? How about Halsey? bullnavnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-2213199946368457562011-09-13T10:39:35.866-04:002011-09-13T10:39:35.866-04:00Wearing a khaki jacket will never make Mullen into...Wearing a khaki jacket will never make Mullen into Nimitz.<br /><br />In my Naval Career I have had faith in my chain of command only twice.<br /><br />My current billet and my IA...and in half of those instances, I was working for the Army.Actus Rhesusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-78974865924311685482011-09-13T09:45:03.259-04:002011-09-13T09:45:03.259-04:00I've said it before, and I'll say it again...I've said it before, and I'll say it again: today's crop of FOGOs couldn't carry the jockstraps of our WWII FOGOs. And I think deep down, they know it.butchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-56249103883211946092011-09-13T09:43:26.023-04:002011-09-13T09:43:26.023-04:001 - Is there any way in hell Slew would have made ...1 - Is there any way in hell Slew would have made it to flag rank in today's environment?<br /><br />2 - The key difference between leaders & managers: you can't manage somebody into laying down his life.butchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-4463636416619818552011-09-13T04:17:37.375-04:002011-09-13T04:17:37.375-04:00Here is the most salient point of McCain's add...Here is the most salient point of McCain's address;<br /><br /><span>“So as we celebrate the centennial of Naval Aviation and begin to contemplate the next 100 years, I encourage all of you to look back on those who led us through our first century. I urge you to study their lives and their leadership styles. Then strive to be like them. Learn to inspire the men and women who work for you. Learn to lift them up, to give them meaningful responsibility, to allow them room to grow, and yes, even to make mistakes. Be slow to judge, and remember that many of our most gifted leaders would never have survived in a ‘one strike’ or ‘zero defect’ environment. If instead, your style is to be quick to criticize, slow to praise, and you are unwilling to forgive, I urge you to seek a different profession. And if you have not yet learned the power of redemption, I encourage you to read the biographies of Nimitz, Halsey, Boyington, Henderson, McClusky, and Waldron – just to name a few. </span>The Usual Suspectnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-60157763710320946332011-09-13T00:45:02.150-04:002011-09-13T00:45:02.150-04:00Nice speech and to the point. And he has the scar...Nice speech and to the point. And he has the scars to prove his bona fides to speak on the subject, although I am disappointed he did not mention VADM Stockdale among his examples.<br /><br />Now, what did Sen./CAPT McCain say when CAPT O.P. Honors was hounded off Enterprise to be scarificed on the altar of political correctness?<br /><br />And for that matter we can look at the many other senior officers close to the situation at the time of the alleged "offenses" and when they were "revealed" in a slimey way. Sad to say, we did not see much evidence of leadership at all, other than to race to win the approbation of the politically connected or politically correct.<br /><br />Indeed, when did we last see truly great leadership from senior naval officers in recent years. I am sure there are some, perhaps even many examples, and being far from the fleet in time and distance I am just not aware of them.<br /><br />There are many examples at the junior levels- especially in the Spec War community, but how about at the CO and above levels? <br /><br />The impact on advancing leadership, or retarding it should be a consideration when it is time to cut individuals and offices and programs when the budget axe falls. <br /><br />And finally, I thank our host for providing a great service to the Navy with his blog comments here, and especially his Full Bore Friday pieces to inspire potential leaders and honor those of the past. And, his weekly exposure of the repugnant actions of teh Diversity Bullies serves equally to throw the spotlight of shame on those impacting leadership in a negative way.Johnnoreply@blogger.com