The high expectation of a Naval Officer is no more apparent than in the
standard to which we hold those who occupy our pinnacle positions in the Navy,
our Commanding Officers. The perception
of poor judgment, lack of ethical conduct, or disregard for fair and equitable
treatment of those in the Commanding Officer’s charge can lead to immediate
relief. A larger consequence of the
failure in legal and moral decision making is the erosion in that special trust
and confidence in our military officers.
This is possibly the most damaging consequence of immoral or unjust
military leadership. Ultimately, a Naval
Officer must make decisions that stand up to both legal and moral scrutiny.
Lieutenant James L. Hammersla III
Legislative Fellow to the 113th Congress
Quick!! Knock on wood or another CO is about to be fired.
ReplyDeleteLieutenant James L. Hammersla III
ReplyDeleteThese are indeed words for a Naval Officer to live by and 50 or more years ago these words would have applied fully to nearly all Naval Officers, the Navy has to select what is considered an appropriate individual to be trained as a Naval Officer, and just look at the past education and indoctrination of these selectees today. Few are prepared to become Military Officers. The public school system administrators are in general liberal minded, to the point that they come in conflict with any military thought or organization, and what therefore can they place in the minds of their students that might prepare those students for a life in the military, nothing in my opinion, and they have made the maximum effort to place the military in a bad light. The teachers are union controlled, and of the same mindset as the school administrators so this multiplies the opposition toward any military consideration.
This could be part of the reason that a number of Commanding Officers have been relieved of Command in recent years, their early life time where there was a lack of proper discipline, the moral degradation of tv content over the years, which was the major entertainment device to nearly everyone, the persistent removal of religion from anything public. These were some of the factors that molded men and women into what their attitudes and conduct would become. When the Navy tries to make leaders and trusted Naval Officers from some of these selectees it is as I have always heard, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834