Carrier's top officers relieved of duties (on USS George Washington)

UPI.com ^ | 31 Jul 08

[xzins]

SAN DIEGO, July 31 (UPI) -- A $70 million fire on the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington left its top two officers stripped of their duties, officials said Wednesday.

Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet, directed the skipper, Capt. David C. Cykhoff, and his executive officer, Capt. David M. Dober, be relieved of their command, Navy Times reported.

Dykhoff was fired for "loss of confidence in his ability to command and his failure to meet mission requirements and readiness standards," Navy officials said in a statement. Dober was ousted for "substandard performance."

Two months ago, while the George Washington was at sea, a fire burned through 80 spaces aboard the ship. An investigation revealed the fire was started when unauthorized smoking ignited improperly stowed flammables nearby, the Times said.

Now docked in San Diego, the carrier is to leave for Japan Aug. 21.

[WayneS]

That’s the breaks of Naval Air...

...someone else finish it.

[Red Badger]

Not just Naval Air, but any time you have a big loss on your ship, it’s your fault.......

[Pistolshot]

The captain is ultimately responsible for anything that happens on his ship. His primary duty is to protect it and his crew.

Unfortunately, some dumb@ss on a lower deck can be the cause of him to lose his command.

[Rummyfan]

Career over for the two captains. I’m sure that’s not the way they wanted to finish but if nothing else they can retire.

[PurpleMan]

Make them pay back the $70M it’s gonna cost to repair it.

[xzins]

Unauthorized smoking on their ship meant someone didn’t take them seriously enough.

In a different climate, perhaps a heavy dose of fear would’ve prevented those smokers from ever even thinking about lighting up.

[CholeraJoe]

It’s just like being head of a corporation. If the stock tanks, the CEO, COO and CFO take it in the shorts.

It’s not like they’ll be left with nothing. They still retire as an O-6.

[WayneS]

I was thinking more along the lines of...

“...better known as air brakes!”.

Just an old joke. I thought maybe someone else knew it.

[Little Ray]

Yeah, but after commanding a CVN, they were on their way to Admiral...
Oh well. Your ship, your responsibility.

[xzins]

See #7

At one level it’s bad luck. The military doesn’t want battlefield commanders who have bad luck.

At another level, commanders make their own luck.

[CholeraJoe]

Chaplain, you should know that leadership by fear breeds resentment. Leadership by motivation brings respect.;-)

Doc

[Tennessee_Bob]

Amen to that, Doc. I had a First Sergeant that I would have followed to Hell if he’d asked me to - he led by motivation. We had a Major that tried to lead by fear, and we had a party when they forced him to retire.

[gridlock]

So, what kind of leadership leads to smoking in unauthorized spaces?

The Navy should try to avoid that kind, since it tends to start fires.

[xzins]

Hey, Doc, are you picking on the chaplain?!!

Actually, leadership that works is what counts. If they keep the smokers from violating policy via respect, then more power to them. If by means of fear, then they’re in a long line of military leaders who’ve found that fear worked for them.

Wonder what’d happen if they relieved commanders because of rosy richard rates after port calls?

[Free Descendant]

Make them pay back the $70M it’s gonna cost to repair it.

And then keelhaul 'em! :P

[CholeraJoe]

what kind of leadership leads to smoking in unauthorized spaces?

Piss poor. (I never can remember. Is that supposed to be hyphenated?)

[A.A. Cunningham]

USS George Washington Investigation Complete, Senior Leadership Relieved
Story Number: NNS080730-13
Release Date: 7/30/2008 4:58:00 PM

From Commander Naval Air Forces Public Affairs

NAVAL STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Adm. Robert F. Willard, issued a final endorsement to the investigation of a fire that occurred aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) on May 22. As directed by Adm. Willard, Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific, Vice Adm. Thomas J. Kilcline, Jr., relieved the Commanding Officer of USS George Washington (CVN 73), Capt. David C. Dykhoff, today due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command and his failure to meet mission requirements and readiness standards.

As directed, Kilcline also relieved the George Washington Executive Officer, Capt. David M. Dober, for substandard performance.

Capt. J.R. Haley, previously assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff to Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, has taken command of Washington. Haley commanded the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) from June 2005 to January 2008.

Capt. Karl O. Thomas, who has been serving as Executive Officer of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) since July 2007, has been reassigned as George Washington's executive officer.

The Chief of Naval Operations directed the Manual of Judge Advocate General investigation headed by the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The investigation determined that the likely cause of the fire was unauthorized smoking that ignited flammable liquids and other combustible material improperly stored in an adjacent space. The fire and the subsequent magnitude of the fire were the result of a series of human acts that could have been prevented. Specifically, the storage of 90 gallons of refrigerant compressor oil in an unauthorized space contributed to the intensity of the fire.

The fire, which occurred in an unmanned Auxiliary Boiler Exhaust and Supply space, took approximately 12 hours to extinguish due to the location and geometry of adjacent spaces and ventilation systems that created a chimney effect. Thirty-seven Sailors were treated for minor injuries incurred during fire fighting efforts, with one Sailor requiring treatment for first and second degree burns. Approximately 80 out of over 3,800 total spaces aboard the carrier were damaged by the fire.

The estimated cost of repairs to George Washington as a direct result of the shipboard fire is approximately $70 million. This includes cost for material and labor cost from the public and private sector ship repair activities.

Repairs to George Washington are nearly complete and she will depart San Diego, Calif., on Aug. 21, with an arrival in Yokosuka, Japan expected in late September. George Washington's turnover with the U.S. Navy's last conventionally-powered aircraft carrier, USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), will begin upon Kitty Hawk's arrival in San Diego on Aug. 7.

Captain Dave Dykhoff

Captain David Dober

[Ronin]

While smoking played a role in this, the bigger issue, IMHO, is all that oil stored improperly and dangerously. That’s probably what got their butts fired.

I spent some time on a ship myself and I know damn well that the Captain can’t be everywhere or watch everything, but it all comes down to him anyhow — even more so on the XO because it is HIS job to lean on the Department heads to make sure that they are leaning on the Division officers to make sure that you do not have umpteen whatever gallons of hazardous oil improperly stored where a pimple-faced squidly having a nicotine fit can somehow set it off.

I don’t have much sympathy for these Captains. If they’re smart they will shut up and retire because there are probably a couple of admirals who are thinking court martial here.

[PapaBear3625]

So, what kind of leadership leads to smoking in unauthorized spaces?

Exactly. Very likely, this wasn't the first time people were smoking where they weren't supposed to. And the space where the fire started was probably not the only space where combustibles were improperly stored. It all points to a lax attitude at the top, and a lack of inspecting.