Here's another candidate for reassignment due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.
Posted on 02/26/2014 2:54:52 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
The commander of the U.S. Navy ship that ran aground while deployed near the Olympics has been relieved of his command.
Navy officials in Europe issued a statement Tuesday saying Cmdr. Dennis Volpe was reassigned to another job due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.
(Excerpt) Read more at idahostatejournal.com ...
SOP for quite a long time, I do believe.
The Navy takes a dim view of a commander who runs his ship aground.
Particularly with modern technology, there isn’t much excuse.
The Navy takes a dim view of a commander who runs his ship aground.
Particularly with modern technology, there isn’t much excuse.
From my own experience at sea many years ago, I can say that that modern technology is actually a detriment in the littoral or brown water environment. Too many “sailors and officers” today don’t know how to ‘read’ the waters and determine where the rocks and shoals might be.
It can be taught through experience, but most ‘blue water’ sailors don’t get that much experience in the brown water environment.
In other news, water is wet, the sun rises in the East and President Obama is a socialist.
Gotta love tradition. Finely a CO sacked for something other than playing footsy with a female jg or some Chief’s wife.
With zero experience of my own, I will defer to your expertise.
I was assuming that depth-finders and such would make running aground a little less likely.
I though the only relieved officers of their command for “perpetuating a culture of intolerance”, and not “celebrating our diversity” hard enough.
Soon enough there will be no pesky ships to run aground, anyways. You have any idea how many packages of skittles and cans of watermelon iced tea you can provide for with EBT cards... Instead of deploying a ship?
Here's another candidate for reassignment due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.
“Particularly with modern technology, there isn’t much excuse.”
The reports that I read suggested it was a “soft gounding”, specifically that the ships screw (propeller) sustained some damage as a result of hitting a mud bottom near the harbor.
The channel may not have been dredged. No mention was made of a harbor pilot being on board. Sonar/depth finders ‘like’ a hard bottom for an echo return. A good depth reading is not always possible with mud.
I dunno, tough call. I suspect that the Navy — because it has so many commanders and so few ships — will cashier this CO and stick another command-qualified officer in his place becasue it’s the easiest thing for the institution.
BTW, the “Perry-class” frigates are being retired. This ship was probably going into reserve soon and then either to the breakers or for sale to a foreign governmnent. No bearing on what should be done to the CO, but Obama send one of our least capable ship over to stand by in case of emergency. Shows you the mentality that the Navy Brass is dealing with in the White House.
Most Depth Finders ‘see’ what’s below you, not what’s in front of you by 100 to 500 feet.
The ship I was on also had a sonar dome that extended eight to ten feet or so below the keel. Most of the Officers tended to forget it was there I noticed. The Chief Quartermaster didn’t though!
Whenever we were in shallow waters the Chief Bosun also had men taking soundings with the ‘lead’. “It’s for training.” He always said but with the guys there and the extra lookouts our vessel did pretty good. Even though we did hit a ‘deadhead’, a submerged log , from a timber operation once.
Much better to run aground while mooring than at thirty knots.
It looks as though he inhaled. Greatly.
That's what really saved his bacon. If he had been of higher grade, he'd have been busted out.
I believe someone, somewhere, recognized that Nimitz was a fair ship commander but possessed the potential for extraordinary leadership at the flag level.
Or his uncle just might have been a retired Senator.
Either or both.
Barack Obama Quote: "I inhaled frequently. That was the point."
Click For Obama "I inhaled frequently" Video
Only thing that saved Ens. Nimitz during the Court Marshal, was that he showed the Navy provide chart was inaccurate and did not show the shoal that he grounded on.
If only a showing that the 0bama long form birth certificate provided by the White House is inaccurate and does not show his true birthplace was sufficient to deliver us from the shoals of the current Administration. At least the jury at Nimitz's court marshal were men enough to examine the evidence and act on the truth.
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