Command Master Chief David Stitt was relieved by Capt. William Hart, the TR’s commanding officer, as the result of false statements Stitt made to an investigating officer and Hart during the course of an investigation, AIRLANT said in a statement. Hart decided that Stitt could no longer serve as Command Master Chief. ((In standard Navy practice, his biography has been removed from the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) website,))
2. CO USS OHIO (BLUE) reportedly fired for "inappropriate behavior" ** (full report not yet available). Fifteenth Commanding Officer to be fired in 2010. On Friday, Navy Captain Ronald Murray Gero was fired from command of the guided missile submarine Ohio, after an investigation into “improper personal behavior,” Navy Submarine Group 9 said. ((In standard Navy practice, his biography has been removed from the USS OHIO website,))
3. Executive officer of destroyer Mahan relieved
The executive officer of USS Mahan was relieved late Friday afternoon for striking a subordinate officer while the ship was underway. Commander Charles Mansfield, was due to take command of the Mahan following his tour as executive officer.
Mansfield was relieved by the commander of Destroyer Squadron 22, Captain Jeffrey Wolstenholme, during a captain’s mast administrative hearing in Norfolk on charges of conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman, and assault. Urban said Mansfield was also awarded a punitive letter of reprimand, a certain career-ender. ((In standard Navy practice, his biography has been removed from the USS Mahan website,))
12 comments:
Glad to see so many held to a high standard, but saddened by the inability of so many to meet expectations.
I distinctly remember an IWO, while serving as XO, who punched a member of his wardroom in the face. Because there was no accountability in the form of any documentation, he was PCS'd early, subsequently promoted and is now serving on the OPNAV staff. Let's hope we don't look the other way and afford him the honor of command. He will certainly fail.
With the recent public firing of the Command Master Chief of CVN 71. Am curious why are they publicizing his firing? And what of the other Command Master Chiefs that were politely encouraged to retire for alleged worst offensives then what the official press release states for CMC David Stitts?
Command Master Chiefs are selected to be Command Master Chiefs based on demonstrated sustain superior performance, and most notably, a strong endorsement from their commanding officer based solely from a standing Command Master Chief.
Do the research MCPON and you will find commonalities relating to endorsements and the CMC’s selected and fired?
Sad
One of these days some higher ranking "officer" is going to punch out some JO who is going to retaliate-hope its an ex-grunt or marine. Then when they scrape the guy off the deck it will get interesting. I have known of at least one ex-SEAL going surface for med. reasons.
I took it once. I wish I had not.
Master Chief Stitt was raised in Clinton, Tenn., and graduated from Anderson County High School in 1988. Following completion of the nuclear power training program, he reported to USS Virginia (CGN 38) for duty from October 1990 to October 1993. During this tour, he qualified as an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and advanced to petty officer second class.
Following his tour on USS Virginia, Master Chief Stitt reported to Bettis Atomic Power Laboratories in Pittsburgh, Penn., for assignment to Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier Design School. He then reported for duty to USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) from October 1993 to January 1999, where he was advanced to Chief Petty Officer.
Master Chief Stitt reported next to Nuclear Regional Maintenance Department (NRMD) Norfolk from January 1999 to October 2000, where he served as a Nuclear Repair Coordinator and was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Following the NRMD tour, Master Chief Stitt reported to USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) from November 2000 to November 2003 where he served as Machinery Division LCPO and Reactor Training Division Officer. Here he qualified as an Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist and advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer.
Master Chief Stitt reported to USS Enterprise (CVN 65) for duty from November 2003 to October 2005. He served as the Machinery Division LCPO. Upon completion of this tour, Master Chief Stitt reported to USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and served as the Reactor Department Master Chief from October 2005 to January 2007.
Master Chief Stitt completed the Senior Enlisted Academy and was selected for the Command Master Chief program, reporting aboard USS Normandy (CG 60) in January 2007 where he served until December 2008. Master Chief Stitt reported aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in December 2008 and assumed duties as the Command Master Chief.
Master Chief Stitt’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (seven awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), and the Navy Good Conduct Medal (six awards).
No more good conduct medals for this Master Chief.
I blame Bush! :)
I know CDR Mansfield; I worked for him, stood watch with him, and knew him, though not well outside of his job. I was not in CIC when the incident occured. The TAO and Department Head that he 'punched' is a known low performer. He is tactically and managerially inept, and worse yet, does not seem aware of his own failings nor does he seem capable of learning from his mistakes. These shortcomings were well identified and documented before CDR Mansfield came onboard, and if I had a vote with the CO/CDRE/SURFLANT, I would've voted that the DH be relieved for general incompetance.
CDR Mansfield is no angel, either. Incredibly sharp, but not very good at the follow through, prone to a temper, and not particularly effective as an XO. His reaction to the incompetance of one of his watchstanders was still outside the bounds of protocal. But it was actually pretty understandable. There are better XOs in the US Navy, and certainly better officers, but to see him railroaded, and more truly to the point, needlessly and publicly humiliated, is really, truly saddening. He has served his country honorably for over 20 years now; the slap in the face as he walked out the door was both uncalled for and unnecessary.
CMDCM Stitt, although working hard on most occasions, always new how to make himself look great regardless of the circumstances. I believe in this case, the reason it is more public is 1). he is a CMC of a nuclear aircraft carrier. 2). he gave false statements at first instead of using a little integrity and standing up like a man for what he did. Although it may have seemed like lesser charges than some CMC's have had in the past, if you can't tell the truth, how can you be trusted to be a Navy Chief? Having served with him, he was hard charging. However, his motives and procedures used to get where he is weren't always admirable.
I knew the Stitt’s personally outside the Navy. I am curious whether or not the crime fits the punishment so to speak. What lies were egregious enough to remit termination and did it result in discharge or a nudge to retire? Since I am ignorant of the Navy's general policies in these instances, hopefully someone can enlighten me. I have heard the Navy is its own political jungle and no longer about being the best sailor and then earning rank and respect.
As a retired Master Chief Petty Officer, I am on the one hand saddened that so many of our top enlisted are demonstrating such poor examples of leadership and morals to their crew. I am shocked that there is so many who are not providing morally strong leadership. However, I am pleased that today's Navy is not permitting these things to continue when bad character and leadership has been exposed. I can cite you many cases where commanding officers and staff officers permitted such poor leadership that it endangered the lives of young men and women under their guidance and direction and caused multiple conduct problems within the command. Yet, they were not disciplined and left many times with a high level medal! Never were they reduced in rank or made to even retire. That was sad, sad. One such case, took several months to turn the situation around after the senior chief petty officer left the command, as the problems came to my attention. The problems this senior chief caused by lack of leadership led to many international problems to the effect that the Ambassador of the United States in that country had to intervene with the State Department and then the State Dept. with the Pentagon. I just happened to be the first senior one to be ordered into that mess to change the culture on base with new attitudes and respect. In one case it required Article 15 but in most cases the men said now that we know there is a standard we will abide by it. It was so bad that one young sailor cut his wrist and was out in the cold when he was discovered. The attitude of some of the men was so bad that they said, "He is weak and deserved to die." It was so bad that the men had to be begged out of bed because they were too sleepy and nursing a hang over following Thursday nights to make it to work. Yet, their E-8 permitted this before my tenure in the position. Again, I am hertened that the Navy is now not permitting these incidents to be swept under the rug. Just because they have rose to E-8 or E-9 does not entitle them to do as they wish and to forget why they were promoted to these high enlisted positions. And yes I knew of one commanding officer who was so drunk at a going away party that he ran right into a brick wall injuring himself to the extend they had to extend his orders to permit him to heal. Then, he went on his way as if noting had happened. I know of another one where an O-3, was drunk and ran a stop sign and slammed into the side of another officer's car, cutting off the leg of the daughter of a LCDR. And what did our commanding officer (a Captain) do about it. Nothing! In fact, he did not even mention it in the O-3's Officer Performance Evaluation! He rated him superior across the board. I know because I typed all officer performance appraisals during that time. That is fraud and a classic example of that O-6 skirking his responsibilities. Again, I am so pleased that the Navy is apparently doing a better job now and not shirking their responsibilities. Bad apples, even if they have promoted up to higher rank/rates need to be weeded out. Our men and women deserve impeccable leadership. If one's character is above reproach, it is not hard to give their crew superior leadership. Integrity demands it.
I remember Stitt, he was part of a CPO Mess on Ronald Reagan Precom unit that basically ran amok. There were CPO's involved in all manner of fraternization with lower enlisted and these guys simply swept it under the rug. I remember warning a few of them, whom I have seen over the years hence to have been busted for.. Yeah, fraternization. The Officers were no better, everyone knew and no one did anything about it. Karma is a hard mistress.
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