Posted on 11/26/2019 4:19:03 AM PST by servo1969
Fired Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer lashed out at President Trump in an interview with CBS News on the steps of the Pentagon Monday evening. Spencer, who mutinied against Trump over his order to not kick Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher out of the Navy SEALs, also attacked Trump in his letter acknowledging his firing this past weekend over the Gallagher case.
Spencer said of Trump, “What message does that send to the troops? That you can get away with this? We have to have good order and discipline. It is the backbone of what we do. I don’t think he really understands the full definition of a warfighter. A warfighter is a profession of arms and a profession of arms has standards, that they have to be held to and they hold themselves to.”
CBS NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Ousted Navy Secretary Richard Spencer tells @CBSNews that Pres. Trump does not understand the "full definition of a war fighter" after the president stopped the Pentagon review of SEAL Eddie Gallagher & called him a "great fighter.” pic.twitter.com/vJuh6KfB23
— Norah O'Donnell🇺🇸 (@NorahODonnell) November 25, 2019
In his letter Sunday acknowledging his firing, Spencer condescendingly wrote to Trump:
…As Secretary of the Navy, one of the most important responsibilities I have to our people is to maintain good order and discipline throughout the ranks. I regard this as deadly serious business. The lives of our Sailors, Marines and civilian teammates quite literally depend on the professional execution of our many missions, and they also depend on the ongoing faith and support of the people we serve and the allies we serve alongside.
The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries. Good order and discipline is what has enabled our victory against foreign tyranny time and again, from Captain Lawrence’s famous order “Don’t Give up the Ship,” to the discipline and determination that propelled our flag to the highest point of Iwo Jima. The Constitution, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, are the shields that set us apart, and the beacons that protect us all. Through my Title Ten Authority, I have strived to ensure our proceedings are fair, transparent and consistent, from the newest recruit to the Flag and General Officer level.
Unfortunately, it has become apparent that in this respect, I no longer share the same understanding with the Commander in Chief who appointed me, in regards to the key principle of good order and discipline. I cannot in good conscience obey an order that I believe violates the sacred oath I took in the presence of my family, my flag and my faith to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The President deserves and should expect a Secretary of the Navy who is aligned with his vision for the future of our force generation and sustainment. Therefore, with pride in the achievements we’ve shared, and everlasting faith in the continued service and fidelity of the finest Sailors, Marines and civilian teammates on earth, I hereby acknowledge my termination as United States Secretary of the Navy, to be effective immediately.
Spencer was fired after Secretary of Defense Mark Esper learned he had gone behind his back and proposed to the White House to fix Gallagher’s review so that he remained a SEAL.
CBS noted that Spencer, no longer with a government limo at his service, had to be picked up by his wife in the family car at the Pentagon.
"After leaving the Marines as a captain, (Spencer) worked on Wall Street for 15 years, holding positions at Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, A. G. Becker, Paine Webber and Merrill Lynch. Spencer served on the Defense Business Board, a Pentagon advisory panel, from 2009 to 2015 and on the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel. During his time on the Defense Business Board, he proposed shutting down domestic military commissaries in favor of negotiated military discounts at public retailers."
It's interesting that he worked for 7 Wall Street firms in 15 years. Why so many moves? How many times was he fired?
This guy Spencer is a jerk and I’m glad he’s gone. He is WRONG. Good order and discipline starts at the top. He failed his Commander in Chief by interjecting his own opinion and set a bad example as he walked out the door. Should keep his mouth shut.
Does UCMJ still apply to him now?
He was a political appointee and an entrenched swamp critter.
If I remember right they got caught wiretapping the defense.
“’Thank you for your service’ sound too contrite and without heart.”
I think you meant “trite” rather than “contrite,” but I agree with you. It sounds like “I’m sorry for your loss.”
As a Navy veteran, I side with Trump, Gallagher, the Seals and the men and women of our armed forces. I don’t side with Spencer and his PC, paper-pushing, politically-motivated buddies at the Pentagon.
Here’s how I would have handled it, had I been CPO Gallagher’s commander:
“Chief Gallagher, consider your ass chewed. Now go kill us some more terrorists. Just don’t take any trophy pictures — the folks back home wouldn’t understand.”
Considering some of the stories I heard from Vietnam vets about collecting trophies that were a lot more gruesome than a mere photo, I wouldn’t get overly worked up over Chief Gallagher’s purported offenses.
I should note that I was strictly rear echelon and all my service was stateside in peacetime. But I had one advantage - I was willing to listen to the combat arms types I worked with, guys who were tougher soldiers than I could ever hope to be.
Spencer obviously doesn’t want to listen to anyone other than himself and his fellow swamp bureaucrats. Good riddance to him.
You may be confusing his rank (0-3 captain) with the captain of a ship which are commanded by Navy officers. Also, Marine captains are only half way to full bird Colonel.
I don't get why someone recommended him to POTUS to nominate him for SECNAV when he only served as high as captain. That is a Navy Admiral or Marine General position. Someone enlighten me.
That was just about the right amount of counseling except I would have done it at beer call.
That CiC has their back?
...I hereby acknowledge my termination as United States Secretary of the Navy, to be effective immediately.
That's mighty white of you.
Hey dipstick - that same 'principle' means when your commander and chief issues an order, you salute the flag and execute it and not continue to assail an American hero.
You often post good replies, so just for your future reference: Navy enlisted pay grade is called Rate (E-1 thru E-9), not rank. Last I knew, it's the only branch to use Rate, others do use rank for the enlisted as well as the officers.
Doesn't the author have any software to check such foggy sentences? Is the author saying that Spencer was trying to keep Gallagher in the SEALs?
Guess what. The President is the Commander in Chief. He makes policy. You do not. You answer to him. He can fire your azz anytime he wants.
IIRC, he was one of a group that posed for the photo, but Chief G was the only one prosecuted for it.
“I hereby acknowledge my termination as United States Secretary of the Navy, to be effective immediately.”
Like “I’m pretending to resign because I got fired”
There were two problems that became evident for Trump when he won the Presidency:
First, he is not a politician in the traditional sense. He doesn’t have the political infrastructure and address book that other professional politicians have. As a result, he had to depend more heavily on others such key advisers to help him make those choices, and some of those key advisers had the same drawback.
Secondly, there are a huge number of positions they HAVE to fill for an incoming administration, but a large number of positions (Such as U.S. Attorneys and various ambassadors) who may be let go to make room for his own candidates. Trump made the mistake of leaving far too many in place. He naively assumed they would do his bidding as professionals.
Both of those add up to a millstone around his neck.
Strongly agree on both points.
I keep wondering who suggested to President Trump that he ask Ukraine to look into Biden's serious corruption. Was it a deep state operative who wanted Trump impeached for "bribery"? Was it a deep state operative who wanted Biden stopped so his own far-left candidate could be nominated? Or was it a patriot who wanted all corruption exposed. All three are plausible.
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