Navy fires another commanding officer, the 18th this year

Stras & Stripes ^ | September 7, 2011 | Matthew M. Burke

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

The Navy has fired another commanding officer, the 18th this year, surpassing last year’s mark of 17 with slightly less than four months left to go.

Cmdr. Mark Olson of USS The Sullivans was relieved of his command due to a loss of confidence in his abilities following an Admiral’s Mast on Wednesday, according to a Navy news release.

Vice Adm. Daniel Holloway, commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, made the decision after close examination of an incident that occurred Aug. 17 during a gunnery exercise in the Cherry Point Operating Area range, the release said.

Navy officials said inert rounds landed close to a civilian fishing vessel, which was mistaken for a towed target the ship was instructed to engage. The vessel and crew of the fishing vessel were unharmed.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Something is badly wrong with the Navy...

[MSF BU]

Surely the new emphasis on embracing the Sodomy will help though?

[Brilliant]

Gotta make room for Obama’s cronies.

[bigheadfred]

I hear tell there are Iranian subs, not to mention pirates, in the Red Sea. Otta give them a mission. Something “real” to do.

[RichInOC]

You don’t embrace the Sodomy. The Sodomy embraces you.

[Dick Bachert]

Sad that it was The Sullivans. For those who don't know the story: As the America I served in uniform for 4 years in the early Vietnam era sinks closer to abandoning the ideals, values and freedoms we all take for granted and for which so many have struggled and died defending here and abroad, I'm reminded that we're in this mess because so many have never learned or just forgotten that freedom is anything but free. It is HARD – and too often DEADLY -- WORK.

As I searched for a photo in my computer library recently, an image jumped off the screen at me and brought to mind a personal incident highlighting our current problem and, not incidentally, reminding us that July 4th is not just about hot dogs and beer. We should pay homage to men such as these each and every day.

I awoke one morning during a 2005 cruise as we pulled into Nassau and looked out the porthole to see two US Arleigh Burke class destroyers next to us. After breakfast, I strolled out onto deck 7 and got goose bumps when I noticed the shamrock on the stack of one of them. Thinking I knew what boat she was, I walked aft to catch a view of the transom of that boat. I was right. It was the USS “THE SULLIVANS!" The goose bumps intensified as I recalled the story of the five Sullivan brothers who INSISTED that they be allowed to serve together and, persisting in the face of a naval regulation prohibiting it, were assigned to the USS Juneau when she was sunk on November 13, 1942 at Guadalcanal. 4 boys died instantly and the 5th son died at sea either from his injuries, a shark attack or exposure.

THEIR MOTHER RECEIVED ALL 5 TELEGRAMS FROM THE NAVY ON THE SAME DAY!!!!

I related the story to several of those on deck with me who were also checking out the destroyers. I was greeted with BLANK STARES of disinterest. I wanted to grab one guy by the stacking swivel, hoist him off the deck and scream that it was men and ships such as that which make it possible for A**HOLES like him to enjoy a peaceful cruise around the Caribbean. Not wishing to spend the rest of the voyage in the brig, I contented myself with muttering "a**hole" as he wandered off in search of another buffet.

And in a sign of the times, both ships had armed sentries posted fore and aft in Nassau, an ostensibly friendly and safe port. But then, Aden was also considered safe at the time the USS Cole (also a Burke class destroyer) was attacked. And I believe that, unlike the guards on the Cole -- and the Marine sentries in Beirut years earlier -- THESE guys were locked and loaded with orders to fire for effect!

[GonzoGOP]

When you see this many captains on active duty getting pulled you know that there is a purge going on. The big question is who is purging who. Is Obama purging the conservatives, or are the old line professionals purging the political appointees now that they are no longer terrified of Obama.

[Tucker39]

If you noticed the publication that this article came from; the Navy or SOMEONE can’t spell, either.

Stras & Stripes

[aposiopetic]

Thanks for that post.

[Outlaw Woman]

*Headline only*

This is simply ‘weeding out’ those who have a backbone and probably are adamantly against the homosexual agenda. (IMHO)

[VikingMom]

Thank you for your service and also for your amazing tribute. The Sullivans were my grandmother's cousins so the story has special significance to my family!

[twister881]

The U.S. Navy has become a disgrace — get rid of the warriors who are bold, but sometimes make mistakes, and replace them with timid, humorless, cover-your-rear bureaucrats. When war at sea with the Red Chicoms starts, we're going to get our @$$e$ shot off.

[cva66snipe]

Something is badly wrong with the Navy...

It's been on the downturn since Gulf War One. Pay no attention to the sitting BIPARTISAN BUFFONS in congress and POTUS ignoring the fact during the past 20 plus years. If anybody wants to do the looking our entire military since 1989 has deliberately been placed on a downturn course. The GOP being the DEMs enablers even as far as Clinton's cuts. For 6 solid years the GOP two house majority did nothing to counter cuts under Clinton.

For six years a two house GOP majority under GW Bush as well did nothing to fix anything. Neither party gives a Tinker D about our military and the numbers show it as well as the policies.

[fwdude]

I’m betting there will be an “affirmative action” push to have these men replace with homos. You can bet on it.

[VanShuyten]

He did TWO bad things here. First, he fired on a civilian ship. Second, he fired on a ship that he thought was the target and DIDN’T hit it.

[USNBandit]

I would submit an answer for people to chew on. If you look at the year group for the CO of this ship, probably 92-94 and the average SWO has a commitment of 5 years. That would have allowed his peers the first chance to get out in 97-99 timeframe, when the economy was doing quite well. As a result a lot of talent left and a lot of morons were able to "float to the top", as it were.

The same thing happened in Tac Air several years ago. Because the commitments are longer the year groups are different, but we saw a lot of COs in the fighter community getting canned for cause, and they were some real freaks. A lot of their talented peers had jumped to the airlines when they were hiring in the mid to late 90's. The two Whidbey COs getting the axe for DUI is an statistical anomaly for two in one year, but that and fraternization are the most common cause .

[G Larry]

Too much social engineering and CYA paperwork to pay attention to discipline and mission.

[cva66snipe]

He did TWO bad things here. First, he fired on a civilian ship. Second, he fired on a ship that he thought was the target and DIDN’T hit it.

That's true. The big question is how could he have gotten to rank of Commander? This was not an Ensign Parker mistake.

[WoofDog123]

I wondered the same thing when I saw the numbers for this year and last. that said, I don’t know what is the historical norm for ad captains getting pulled.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Many years ago I was in a luncheon group that met monthly to talk about world events and to hear special speakers. Among our attendees were Arleigh Burke, Ben Morrell, Dan Galley, once John McCain JR (Senator’s father, then CINCOMPAC), once Middendorf, possible Radford, and others.
Another acquaintance was Capt. Harris, intelligence office for the USS Pueblo.

Where have our leaders gone?