Musings, leadership tidbits and quotes posted by a retired Navy Captain (really just a high performing 2nd Class Petty Officer) who hung up his uniform a bit too early. He still wears his Navy service on his sleeve. He needs to get over that. "ADVANCE WARNING - NO ORIGINAL THOUGHT!" A "self-appointed" lead EVANGELIST for the "cryptologic community". Keeping CRYPTOLOGY alive-one day and Sailor at a time. 2015 is 80th Anniversary of the Naval Security Group.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Honest Mistakes
"You must underwrite the honest mistakes of your subordinates if you wish to develop their initiative and experience."
Unfortunately a mistake no matter how small can now carry repercussions on par with a much more severe transgression. Office Hours/Captain’s Mast has now become a fatal event for many Sailors and consequently prevents Art 15 from being used as it should be … as an administrative procedure short of the severity and stigma of court martial. But the stigma that now surrounds Art 15 is such that I have seen issues that when I was enlisted would (and should) have ended up at NJP essentially swept under the rug to prevent a (semi) permanent blemish on a Sailor’s record.
I was NJP’d (twice) when I was enlisted, after the second NJP (for insubordinate conduct) less than a month later I was meritoriously promoted back to Cpl, the Maj that promoted me was the same one that conducted the NJP. The Company 1stSgt’s words when I was promoted were “you are a good Marine, you screwed up. Learn your lesson or you will be run out of the Corps”. I straightened up, got promoted a three more times, finished my degree and almost 16 years later I am a mid-grade Naval Officer. I have built upon that moment with the Maj and Company 1stSgt. Today however, I don’t think many if ANY Sailors would get that kind of a second chance.
2 comments:
I've made a few mistakes. Some are costly.
Unfortunately a mistake no matter how small can now carry repercussions on par with a much more severe transgression. Office Hours/Captain’s Mast has now become a fatal event for many Sailors and consequently prevents Art 15 from being used as it should be … as an administrative procedure short of the severity and stigma of court martial. But the stigma that now surrounds Art 15 is such that I have seen issues that when I was enlisted would (and should) have ended up at NJP essentially swept under the rug to prevent a (semi) permanent blemish on a Sailor’s record.
I was NJP’d (twice) when I was enlisted, after the second NJP (for insubordinate conduct) less than a month later I was meritoriously promoted back to Cpl, the Maj that promoted me was the same one that conducted the NJP. The Company 1stSgt’s words when I was promoted were “you are a good Marine, you screwed up. Learn your lesson or you will be run out of the Corps”. I straightened up, got promoted a three more times, finished my degree and almost 16 years later I am a mid-grade Naval Officer. I have built upon that moment with the Maj and Company 1stSgt. Today however, I don’t think many if ANY Sailors would get that kind of a second chance.
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