# 2017 Naval Officer Firing Thread...



## Ooh-Rah (Jan 31, 2017)

Well he's not fired yet, but if history is any indicator - 

Officials: Navy cruiser ran aground near Japan


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## Devildoc (Jan 31, 2017)

The Navy is the worst trying to enforce a zero-defects policy with ship CO's.  Sure, they canned some Mark 1 Mod 0 Shitheads, but they have also cut adrift some really, really good officers.

But yeah, if history is any indicator, soon-to-be-retired Capt. Carrigan is packing his bags.


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## TLDR20 (Jan 31, 2017)

Not being in the Navy, and having no idea what it takes to con a ship, isn't it  hard to run a ship aground these days? With charts, GPS, sonar and all that?


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## amlove21 (Jan 31, 2017)

TLDR20 said:


> Not being in the Navy, and having no idea what it takes to con a ship, isn't it  hard to run a ship aground these days? With charts, GPS, sonar and all that?


My question as well.


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## Devildoc (Jan 31, 2017)

I was not haze gray and underway in the real Navy, but I would imagine for 99% of waterways, yeah, they would be easily navigable.  When I was in college I spent a summer helping a boat broker move boats up and down the intercoastal waterway on the east coast, there are some channels that change by the week because of tides and shifting sand.  The charts are not printed fast enough to accommodate the changes.  But we knew where those channels were and made corrections for them.  I would imagine with charts + GPS + sonar + known hazards, it would be pretty hard to run a Navy ship aground.


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## Gunz (Jan 31, 2017)

The story says the _Antietam_ was in "high winds." A strong enough wind on the water will push your vessel around, even a big one. Engines, rudder, bow thrusters all have to compensate. The wind could very well have been a factor.

Nevertheless, Captain Carrigan, you are welcome at the VFW anytime and we will help you drown your troubles.


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## Red Flag 1 (Jan 31, 2017)

T


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## AWP (Jan 31, 2017)

A minesweeper (USS Guardian) ran aground on a reef off of the Philippines. The CO, XO, OOD, and QM of the watch were all relieved. The charts they used to navigate were off by miles, but the Navy concluded this was a preventable incident.

The Antietam's leadership is done. That's how the Navy rolls and guilt or innocence are irrelevant.


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## Ooh-Rah (Mar 1, 2017)

AWP said:


> The Antietam's leadership is done. That's how the Navy rolls and guilt or innocence are irrelevant.



And scene. 

Cruiser skipper fired after Tokyo Bay grounding


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## Red Flag 1 (Mar 1, 2017)

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## Devildoc (Mar 1, 2017)

Ooh-Rah said:


> And scene.
> 
> Cruiser skipper fired after Tokyo Bay grounding



The Navy has always had a hard-on for zero-defects with captains....

I am surprised it took this long.


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## Devildoc (Mar 2, 2017)

Slightly related, Scott Waddle, the former captain of the USS Greenville (which did an emergency blow and hit the Japanese trawler Ehime Maru in 2001), used to live locally, did a lecture circuit about his incident as well as the zero-defect philosophy of the Navy.  I understand he still does lectures, and his talk is worth it.


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## Ooh-Rah (Mar 2, 2017)

Devildoc said:


> Slightly related, Scott Waddle, the former captain of the USS Greenville (which did an emergency blow and hit the Japanese trawler Ehime Maru in 2001), used to live locally, did a lecture circuit about his incident as well as the zero-defect philosophy of the Navy.  I understand he still does lectures, and his talk is worth it.



I remember that.  Would be a pretty interesting talk to listen to.


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## Gunz (Mar 2, 2017)

_He_ lost his ship on a three-hour tour and didn't get fired...


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## Ooh-Rah (Mar 2, 2017)

"Hey little buddy, I think it's time you have the girls wash your special sock again!"


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## Marauder06 (Mar 4, 2017)

Devildoc said:


> Slightly related, Scott Waddle, the former captain of the USS Greenville (which did an emergency blow and hit the Japanese trawler Ehime Maru in 2001), used to live locally, did a lecture circuit about his incident as well as the zero-defect philosophy of the Navy.  I understand he still does lectures, and his talk is worth it.


That's interesting, I'd kind of like to hear him talk. But I don't think his canning was a result of the "zero defect" Navy.  He made a series of mistakes that led to people getting killed.  IMO he deserved to get fired.


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## Devildoc (Mar 5, 2017)

Marauder06 said:


> That's interesting, is kind to hear him talk. But I don't think his canning was a result of the "zero defect" Navy.  He made a series of mistakes that led to people getting killed.  IMO he deserved to get fired.



Agreed, and he would agree with that assessment as well.  But along with his talk about the incident with his boat he also spoke about the zero-defect leadership in the Navy.  Two separate topics, and I may not have been clear about that.


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## Gunz (Mar 6, 2017)

Devildoc said:


> Agreed, and he would agree with that assessment as well.  But along with his talk about the incident with his boat he also spoke about the zero-defect leadership in the Navy.  Two separate topics, and I may not have been clear about that.



I also remember that incident quite well and I'm willing to bet, given his circumstances and  motives--which I would think hold some measure of guilt and bitterness--that those topics are more closely related in his own mind than he would lead his audience to believe.


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## AWP (May 9, 2017)

This thread was too quiet for too long, enter the USS Lake Champlain.

US Navy warship collides with South Korean fishing vessel off peninsula



> A U.S. Navy warship from the Carl Vinson Strike Group collided with a South Korean fishing vessel in the Sea of Japan Tuesday, a U.S. defense official told Fox News.
> 
> There were no injures aboard USS Lake Champlain, a guided-missile cruiser, the official said.


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## Topkick (May 9, 2017)

It was good to hear that the vessels could continue on with no injuries this time! I remember that USS Champlain incident. I remember thinking that 0ver 70 percent of the world is covered with ocean...just so happens that when a Submarine resurfaces, its hits another boat.


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## Topkick (May 9, 2017)

I just read on Scott Waddles website that he charges 10- 15 k to speak. That's what I call turning a tragedy into something positive!


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## Gunz (May 9, 2017)

Topkick said:


> I just read on Scott Waddles website that he charges 10- 15 k to speak. That's what I call turning a tragedy into something positive!



10-15K??? Jesus, I'll charge half that and talk about _my _fuck ups.


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## ThunderHorse (Jun 16, 2017)

THis appears to be the next one: US Navy warship collides with cargo ship off coast of Japan


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## Teufel (Jun 16, 2017)

Topkick said:


> I just read on Scott Waddles website that he charges 10- 15 k to speak. That's what I call turning a tragedy into something positive!


Dang, I've been asked to speak several times and the most I've ever gotten is a coffee mug!


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 16, 2017)

US navy destroyer Fitzgerald collides with merchant ship off coast of Japan

A US navy destroyer has suffered some flooding and damage after colliding with a merchant vessel south-west of Yokosuka, Japan.

One sailor was being airlifted to hospital but it was not known if any other members of the crew of were injured, the US navy said on Friday.

In a statement, the navy said the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant vessel 56 nautical miles south-west of Yokosuka and the extent of injuries to US personnel “is being determined”.

“Currently working with the Japanese coast guard to conduct a medevac via helicopter for one sailor,” it said.

The ships collided at approximately 2:30am local time on Saturday. The USS Fitzgerald suffered damage on her starboard side above and below the waterline.

Two cutters and a helicopter from the Japanese coast guard were on scene and providing assistance, the statement said.

“The USS Fitzgerald is under her own power, although her propulsion is limited.”



Edit:  To remove humor after the announcement of missing sailors


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## ThunderHorse (Jun 16, 2017)

Uh, shit: U.S. sailors missing, injured after Navy destroyer Fitzgerald collides with merchant ship


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 16, 2017)

Well fuck, this just stopped being funny.

US Navy destroyer takes on water after collision - CNNPolitics.com


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## Devildoc (Jun 17, 2017)

They airlifted the captain with a head injury (stable) and a few of the crew are missing (check the engine room.  Sorry, had to go there).  Joking aside, prayers to the victims and families.  This is very bad.


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## Red Flag 1 (Jun 17, 2017)

Ooh-Rah said:


> Well fuck, this just stopped being funny.
> 
> US Navy destroyer takes on water after collision - CNNPolitics.com



Concur, amigo. Prayers out.


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## ThunderHorse (Jun 18, 2017)

RIP: USS Fitzgerald Collision Update (10:33am JST June 18, 2017) > Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet > Display


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## Devildoc (Jun 18, 2017)

That's awful.  RIP, shipmates.


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## Marauder06 (Oct 12, 2017)

Didn't get relieved, but maybe should have:

‘I now hate my ship’: Surveys reveal disastrous morale on cruiser Shiloh



> “It’s only a matter of time before something horrible happens,” one shipmate warned.
> 
> “Our sailors do not trust the CO,” another noted.
> 
> ...


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## Devildoc (Oct 12, 2017)

Marauder06 said:


> Didn't get relieved, but maybe should have:
> 
> ‘I now hate my ship’: Surveys reveal disastrous morale on cruiser Shiloh



I think some COs should read _It's Your Ship:  Management Techniques from Best Damn Ship in the Navy_.  The _Shiloh_ is notorious in the Navy for bad juju/morale.


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## ThunderHorse (Oct 12, 2017)

Wow...I was on the Shiloh about ten or eleven years ago.  Small world.

I posted this in the McCain thread.


ThunderHorse said:


> The Navy has fired the command team: Navy fires John S. McCain leadership, calls fatal August collision ‘preventable’


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## ThunderHorse (Feb 15, 2018)

Didn't look like we had a 2018 thread yet: Seabee command triad fired after XO found strolling naked in woods


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## Ooh-Rah (Feb 15, 2018)

ThunderHorse said:


> Didn't look like we had a 2018 thread yet: Seabee command triad fired after XO found strolling naked in woods



Da Fuk?

Lt. Cmdr. Jason M. Gabbard, the unit’s XO, was relieved after being discovered in the woods wearing only his boots following a command gathering for chiefs and officers, Navy officials said.


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## Devildoc (Feb 15, 2018)

It must have been one hell of a party....

It's also a real shame:  the XO went to nuke school before going to the Academy; the CO and CMC had received Bronze Stars.  All three are smart fellas.


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## Ooh-Rah (Feb 15, 2018)

Devildoc said:


> It must have been one hell of a party....
> 
> It's also a real shame:  the XO went to nuke school before going to the Academy; the CO and CMC had received Bronze Stars.  All three are smart fellas.



And tried to cover for each other versus diming out their mate.  What a terrible situation altogether, too much booze and three careers destroyed.


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## Devildoc (Feb 15, 2018)

Ooh-Rah said:


> And tried to cover for each other versus diming out their mate.  What a terrible situation altogether, too much booze and three careers destroyed.



Honestly, it's a leadership conundrum.  You are told since day 1 in boot camp/OCS (and I imagine the Academy) to keep the faith, the Bond of Brotherhood, yadda yadda yadda... no wonder they circled the wagon.  I wouldn't want to throw MY buddies under the bus, either.  Even if they had come clean, their careers would be over.  Agree, a terrible sitch.


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## AWP (Feb 15, 2018)

Devildoc said:


> Honestly, it's a leadership conundrum.  You are told since day 1 in boot camp/OCS (and I imagine the Academy) to keep the faith, the Bond of Brotherhood, yadda yadda yadda... no wonder they circled the wagon.  I wouldn't want to throw MY buddies under the bus, either.  Even if they had come clean, their careers would be over.  Agree, a terrible sitch.



Officers will also dime out each other in a heartbeat if it benefits them. I saw too much of that when I was in and still see it as a contractor.


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## Devildoc (Feb 16, 2018)

AWP said:


> Officers will also dime out each other in a heartbeat if it benefits them. I saw too much of that when I was in and still see it as a contractor.



Yeah, I've seen it too, just commenting on the paradox that you are taught to protect your people as well as dime them out.  Damn if you do damn if you don't.


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## DA SWO (Feb 16, 2018)

AWP said:


> Officers will also dime out each other in a heartbeat if it benefits them. I saw too much of that when I was in and still see it as a contractor.


Which is why the Command Team covering up is actually a breath of fresh air.


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