Navy Pilots Who Rescued Victims Are Reprimanded

NY Times ^ | 9/6

[Uncle Joe Cannon]

PENSACOLA, Fla.,Sept.6-Two Navy helicopter pilots and their crews returned from New Orleans on Aug. 30 expecting to be greeted as lifesavers after ferrying more than 100 hurricane victims to safety.

Instead, their superiors chided the pilots, Lt. David Shand and Lt. Matt Udkow, at a meeting the next morning for rescuing civilians when their assignment that day had been to deliver food and water to military installations along the Gulf Coast.

"I felt it was a great day because we resupplied the people we needed to and we rescued people, too," Lieutenant Udkow said. But the air operations commander at Pensacola Naval Air Station "reminded us that the logistical mission needed to be our area of focus."

The episode illustrates how the rescue effort in the days immediately after Hurricane Katrina had to compete with the military's other, more mundane logistical needs.

Only in recent days, after the federal response to the disaster has come to be seen as inadequate, have large numbers of troops and dozens of helicopters, trucks and other equipment been poured into to the effort. Early on, the military rescue operations were smaller, often depending on the initiative of individuals like Lieutenants Shand and Udkow.

The two lieutenants were each piloting a Navy H-3 helicopter - a type often used in rescue operations as well as transport and other missions - on that Tuesday afternoon, delivering emergency food, water and other supplies to Stennis Space Center, a federal facility near the Mississippi coast. The storm had cut off electricity and water to the center, and the two helicopters were supposed to drop their loads and return to Pensacola, their home base, said Cmdr. Michael Holdener, Pensacola's air operations chief.

"Their orders were to go and deliver water and parts and to come back," Commander Holdener said.

[Echo Talon]

Right. They took some initiative, but it's also probably necessary for them to get chewed out. I think everything is in balance here.

Yep, all is good.

[righttackle44]

"This is the kind of initiative we should expect to see. Too many people are whining that FEMA or some other bureaucrat didn't give them permission. Fine, so go and take matters into your own hands."

Except in many instances, taking matters into one's own hands instead of following orders can get people killed.

[Howlin]

I'm getting sick of people running to the press to whine.

[Wooly]

I know that many of you think that their Commanding Officer is a heartless jerk, but think about this for a minute.
At the time this happened, there were between 200 and 300 helicopters flying over the town. In the case of rescue they would have been assigned an area of responsibility. In the case of relief supplies they would be given a route and altitude to fly to the drop location. Now the people on the copters assigned to rescue would be looking around for survivors as much or more that looking for other aircraft.
The fact that these pilots chose to descend to pick up people could have led to an air to air collision resulting not only in loss of life, but also valuable emergency equipment.
As it was always hammered into your head during Military training, freelancing will get you and others killed.

[PA Engineer]

Only in recent days, after the federal response to the disaster has come to be seen as inadequate, have large numbers of troops and dozens of helicopters, trucks and other equipment been poured into to the effort. Early on, the military rescue operations were smaller, often depending on the initiative of individuals like Lieutenants Shand and Udkow.

I wouldn't let my dog even urinate on the rotten stinking corpse of a Time's employee.

[Scribbz]

I do have to agree.

It would be nice to not hear about it.

imho

[OKIEDOC]

Sounds like more exploiting by the New York Slimes.

[lepton]

They might have had another mission planned for these pilots after delivering the supplies that was equally as important.

Like food and water to soldiers on the ground supporting the operations?

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

If you can break orders, do good, and get a slap on the wrist, then break orders. If they will put you in prison for it then you follow orders.

I broke orders a few times when it was appropriate.

[Echo Talon]

OK, what if they went down to "rescue" some people and the people they were trying to rescue killed them and the helicopter crashed? The reason the commander didn't want them to pick up the people is because he knew they were trouble. And another "team" was on the way to take care of them.
That didn't happen but if it did, we would be like... Hmmm why didn't they just their job and follow orders.

[Echo Talon]

I'm getting sick of people running to the press to whine.

Ditto. Don't know why this got any coverage.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

"you'll be flying rubber dogsh!+ out of Hong Kong...."

[Echo Talon]

Sounds like a couple of pilots that are glory hounds, and a logistical mission doesn't fit the bill for their bar room bragging sessions.

[sockmonkey]

I'm getting sick of people running to the press to whine.

That's what I took away from the article, too. My Dad did 20+ years in the Navy, and he would've never went whining to the press or any other civilian about a naval matter.

[lepton]

Instead, their superiors chided the pilots, Lt. David Shand and Lt. Matt Udkow, at a meeting the next morning for rescuing civilians when their assignment that day had been to deliver food and water to military installations along the Gulf Coast.

You know...keeping their fellow servicemen able to function. A dip or two along the way, fine...but it had to have taken quite a while out of delivering emergency supplies to pick up a hundred people.

[clee1]

That is the big problem with upper-level military commanders: at a certain point, becoming an admiral/general and/or getting promoted is more important than doing what is right.

However, an officer has all the authority he/she is willing to use - but God help them if they screw up.

[Jeff Gordon]

The Commanding Officer was doing his duty as he should.

I don't buy the idea that the rescue pilots were putting other aircraft in danger. It is simply enough to say that the rescue pilots evaded a lawfull order.

OTOH, I commend the rescue pilots. As someone else said, it is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. The rescue pilots may get a stick in their record but they are probably sleeping well at night.

[Treader]

Some folks just naturally have a taste for turd. Hillary leads the way.

[cmotormac44]

how the hell did this tale get to the NYT?---did the pilots 'blow their own horn' or 'shoot their mouths off' to the MSM?--if so, they are wrong and should be disciplined unless these pickups were on way back from their last dropoff--if they went out of position to play hero it is not the way the Navy does business--I wonder if all the Freepers patting them on the back ever served in the military and learned to follow orders when given to them-

[opbuzz]

You're correct.

There were undoubtably other missions waiting for them.

I've seen this happen before, where a commander decides to help someone (like a BN) when their support is already on the way. However his help has now screwed the pooch for the folks that originally needed HIS support,and screwed the mission for the incoming birds.

Trucking companies don't even act like this.