Monday, March 19, 2012

Neither intelligent nor energetic nor moral


"I have known people in leadership positions who were neither intelligence nor energetic nor moral. They create as much havoc among our own forces as an enemy. In most cases they were quickly found out and summarily removed, but their mere existence represented a failure of leadership on the part of their seniors, the ones responsible for or who tolerated their appointment."

Admiral James L. Holloway III, USN (Ret)
Chief of Naval Operations (1974-1978)

2 comments:

Steel City said...

Here is the former CNO's quote rewritten for applicability today.

"In a few of the most obvious cases that didn't involve hand-picked or celebrity assignments, they were quickly found out and summarily removed. More frequently though they not only were permitted to remain in command but even given a 2nd/3rd chance at command to further poison the careers and lives of the sailors that served under them. Although their mere existence represented a failure of leadership on the part of their seniors, never once was a senior held responsible for promoting or tolerating their appointment."

Anonymous said...

Captain Lambert,

It matters not whether the CNO statement of the time was correct or the updated statement by Steel City is correct, the words blame the superiors of unworthy individuals actions that were not corrected by superiors, It would appear to me that the CNO who was the superior Navy person at the time just put himself on report. And Steel City headed the Executive Officers Preliminary Investigation but made no proper recommendation that would correct the problems.

Very Respectfully,
Navyman834