Posted on 03/05/2010 8:47:15 AM PST by cajuncow
WASHINGTON (Associated Press) -- A Navy captain was demoted because she berated and assaulted her crew, not because she led her guided missile cruiser on a drag-race with another U.S. warship in the Pacific, an investigation shows.
Capt. Holly Graf was relieved of her command of the cruiser USS Cowpens after an investigation substantiated crew allegations that she was abusive and used her position for personal gain, naval officials said Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
(Excerpt) Read more at ww2.cox.com ...
In a related article she threw a coffee cup also. A CERAMIC cup. She sounds like a real bitch. Like the Captian in Band of Brothers.
Yeah but the story said that wasn’t all that uncommon.
Our high school shop teacher smashed a wooden clipboard on a classmate’s head so hard that the metal clippy part flew off.
You must not have read some of the other articles where she threw ceramic coffee cups at her subordinates. A number of her junior officers came to her with variouis issues and she told them things "weren't her problem" or she "didn't have time." When you're a commander, everything is your problem...legally, morally and ethically, and her failure to understand that aspect of the job is in and of itself, proof enough to me that she should not have been trusted with the lives of American sons and daughters. Demanding leaders may not be liked but they're respected. This lady was neither.
Not sure if you've ever been in command of anything, but it's a sacred trust. This lady blew it.
In all fairness, I believe that the ship is named after Mc Cain’s Grandfather who was an Admiral during WWII, highly competent, and present at the Japanese Surrender. He died shortly after the war. His Son was also an Admiral.
You are absolutely right my friend. Once you screw up the career is over. She may not be demoted but she is done. Riding a desk for as long as she stays. It is a shame she had a good education and Navy is in her family. Lously manager with and attitude.
One thing the armed forces does is they get RID of the trash. Period!
What, pray-tell, is your criteria?
The ability to obliterate 2/3rds of the planet not enough?
The ability to establish air superiority over any airspace in the world not enough?
Being the “go to guys” for taking point on softening up our enemies around the world not enough?
And for those of you who think that the NAVY is being a crybaby over this, they point out that it wasn't just the stick, it was the entire lack of any “carrot”, her inability to train or inspire junior officers, and the “toxic” environment of those who served under her command that led to this.
In other words, if she was tough but fair, did everything she did, but ALSO gave positive feedback,and by her hard ass behavior inspired excellence and morale among her crew; it would have been fine.
wouldn’t drop anchor on that.
In reality, when a commander “asks” you to do something, that is the same as an order.
Interesting comments here...
http://www.susankatzkeating.com/2010/01/investigation-uncovers-truth-behind.html
I served under Captain Graf on the Cowpens and it was immediately evident that she is utterly incompetent and a raging tyrant. I personally witnessed her throw a coffee cup, toss a headset across CIC, and even tell someone she would kill them.
* * *
Apparently Graf’s wrath was not merely directed at those who got on her bad side. the officer that she choked was the biggest yes-man onboard the Cowpens.
* * *
I served under her command on the USS Winston S Churchill (DDG-81). I have personally witnessed her Bi-polar mood swings, violent outburst and malicious treatment to her crew. Sorry guys, it was not just towards other officers, she included the enlisted crew AND a British naval officer. Most of us Churchillians find ourselves reminiscing about her psychotic reign, Not only do we have the bond of commissioning, we also have her.
* * *
Items culled from a Top Ten list posted on my comments section:
#9. Grabbing a Royal Navy LT by the neck and dragging him to a bridge wing. Screaming at him “did you run my F-ing ship aground”
#8. Calling the XO the stupidest MFer she has ever seen.
#5. Throwing hand held radios at officers and crew.
#2. Fixing the deck log in Italy
#1. After a hurricane sortie, DESRON telling her, NO YOU ARE to return your ship to port immediately
Excellent post.
OK, well I was just going by this article. It doesn’t mention a coffee cup but it does mention a wad of paper.
I love happy endings.
Yes, the McCain was named after the Senator’s grandfather.
Three ribbons and esws or the officers equivalent and she was a capt?
That one might of been a morale booster.
Yeah, she sounds like a completely out of hand Officer. If the article had made mention of any of these complaints, I probably wouldn’t have posted.
Now that's funny!
Uh-huh, SURE they do. If that were true, at least half of my BDE's current leadership would be done and gone by now.
Those damn stawberries did her in.
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