JFK skipper relieved

Defense News Daily ^ | 8/27/04

[pabianice]

The Navy relieved the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy on Friday, saying it had lost confidence in his ability to command.

CAPT Stephen G. Squires, who took command of the warship April 8, will become the 11th commanding officer fired this year (and the 28th in the past 19 months), and the first carrier skipper to be relieved since September 2002. The Navy recently launched a high-level inquest into the raft of CO firings.

Squires’ sacking followed a review of an investigation examining the July 22 collision between the carrier and a civilian boat in the Persian Gulf.

Kennedy struck the boat, called a dhow, as it was conducting night flight operations. Dhows are regional watercraft which vary in size and are used for fishing, trade and recreation. Officials would not provide specific details of the crash, citing the ongoing investigation. Kennedy was conducting aircraft recovery operations when the dhow was spotted. The captain chose to complete the recovery and then make a hard turn to avoid the dhow. Even though the turn was so sharp that it moved aircraft on the flight deck, the collision was not avoided.

CAPT John W. Miller, the former commanding officer of the recently decommissioned carrier USS Constellation, will replace Squires as JFK’s interim skipper. Squires will be temporarily reassigned to duties with Commander, Carrier Group 6, in Mayport, Fla., officials said.

[pabianice]

CAPT Squires

[hflynn]

I hate to ask but did they find steel balls in his hands?

[NonValueAdded]

discussed previously ... see USS John F. Kennedy Commanding Officer Relieved

[Slump Tester]

It took them long enough.

[rm3friskerFTN]

"The captain chose to complete the recovery and then make a hard turn to avoid the dhow. Even though the turn was so sharp that it moved aircraft on the flight deck, the collision was not avoided."

I think there is more concern about his endangering the aircraft, plane handlers, and other associated government property

There may be people on board who are upset with having their lives endangered ... "the turn was so sharp that it moved aircraft on the flight deck" ... by an unnecessary hot-dog stunt

Reminds me of those idiots who swerve across five lanes of high-speed commuter traffic in order to not miss their exits

[Bahbah]

"The Navy relieved the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy on Friday....The Navy recently launched a high-level inquest into the raft of CO firings."

I thought this was kind of humorous. It makes it sound like the Navy doesn't know why it is doing what it is doing.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I'm not familiar with the details, but in general I find it refreshing that the military is one of the few places left in society, certainly in government, where people are still held responsible.

When's the last time you ever heard, for example, of the head of a welfare agency being removed for anything short of a felony?

[taxesareforever]

The captain chose to complete the recovery and then make a hard turn to avoid the dhow.

OH NO! A captain trying to complete a mission. At this rate we will have a bunch of willy nillys running our ships. First they dumb down the kids in school and now they dumb down the military officers. McHales Navy here we come.

[Boundless]

> The Navy recently launched a high-level inquest
> into the raft of CO firings.

So what's going on here?

Clearing out Clinton-era political promotions?