A particularly relevant topic on the agenda ((at a National Defense University conference on 10 January 2011 that will open an intensive assessment by the military of its professional behavior.)) is how the next generation’s generals and admirals should express their best, unvarnished military advice to the nation’s civilian leadership, and what to do when they disagree with the eventual policy.
Admiral Mullen has said there are just two choices:
- an officer obeys the policy and follows it with enthusiasm or
- resigns.
Admiral Mullen in an interview with the New York Times.
10 comments:
That explains his enthusiasm for DADT!! He's enthusiatic as hell.
If you permit this admiral to define the only correct method of dissent for you, then you are really not much of a dissenter, are you?
GQ -
True enough !!
Captain Lambert,
Admiral Mullen, CJCS can say anything he wants to say because he is the senior guy in the United States Military, and there are only a few he must satisfy, POTUS, SECDEF, and maybe the assistants to these offices, but even the CJCS can be wrong. All Sailors have the right of redress (Art 138, of the UCMJ). The chairman of JCS should be the ultimate leader and with the general memo that he might send to the Officers and Enlisted men/women with flowery words of how important they are to their Ships, and to the mission of the Navy, but when the chips are down the CJCS protects himself by doing exactly what his superiors say. And in most cases today it fails to resemble true leadership. A couple of examples are the revocation of DADT, the selection of minorities for advancement, vs, the most qualified individual, (this would appear to me as forcing affirmative action on the military), women on submarines (there is no question that they can do the job, but is it a proper place to assign them?), I think not, I spent some years on submarines and feel qualified to make such a statement. I was COB on a Submarine and one of my responsibilities was to generate the watch list for the Boat. Females in general have problems that males do not have and I expect that it would be necessary to rewrite the SORM to accommodate those differences. It is a little difficult to stand OOD or Diving Officer during your difficult time of the month.
For those of you that care, I am not a disgruntled Sailor and I feel that my main objective is to speak for the enlisted community of the Navy, as I knew it. Some of the JCS members have voiced their opinions in the attempt to do right by the troops, like Gen Amos, USMC. He will no doubt be replaced because he does not kow-tow to the present administrations philosophy, and we can’t have that attitude (be it right or wrong) because everyone must comply with the following:.
•an officer obeys the policy and follows it with enthusiasm or
•resigns.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834
Then I must question why the Admiral didn't resign over his disagreement with Don't Ask Don't Tell...instead he came out publicly against military and federal policy.
Admiral, if you or your aides read this blog I would respectfully like to hear you explain how you square your public stance against DADT with your recent statements.
If this were a true statement would we have had "the revolt of the Admirals?"
If a policy decision has been made, then the time for dissent is over. The civilian leadership presumeably received the military's input and gave it its due consideration, so once the call is made all that's left is to work towards implementation.
Anonymous
January 11, 2011 12:24 PM
You are correct in your statement, but even after you have carried out orders and regulations, you still have the right to redress.
Navyman834
ADM Mullen is right on. If the Navy's policies do not jive with your values, then find another job. Complain, disagree, and debate an issue all you want but when the decision is made, shut up and follow orders.
The said...
January 13, 2011 5:55 AM
I did say you were right in some aspects of your posts, and I felt I was agreeable with my response to your posts. But as you are incorrect in both of your posts, as far as redress is concerned, I suggest you go back and reread what I submitted. I will repeat for your enlightenment; one is required to carry out orders, regulations and directives, but one also has the right of redress. Without that right nothing ever changes. You do have to follow orders but you do not have to shut up.
Navyman834
Post a Comment