Originally Posted by Seahawk
I have "cruised" on a number of Navy ships, was ships company during what is called a "disassociated sea tour". I did get to fly during that tour so that was a bonus.
Ships CO's walk a very fine line between absolute responsibility (and authority - Captain's Mast still exists) for his or her crew and ship to being at the mercy of the "chain" of command, often a very capricious and addled chain.
I also qualified at Officer of the Deck Underway (OOD) and had my own watch section. "Driving" the ship, especially with an embarked Flag Staff, is often a cluster foxtrot of comic proportions. It is what ships company, and the CO, deal with everyday.
I had the Chief of Staff, an O-6 with zero sense of humor, for an embarked Admiral call me on the bridge: "The Flag is eating, find a better heading for seas..."
Me (LT me): "Sir, we have an underway replenishment tomorrow at 0630 and I need to maintain course for the rendezvous..."
Him: "How is that my problem...you will figure it the F out or you won't...give me a better ride, now, LT..."
I (we) figured it the f out. My CO was asleep and the Junior Officer of the Deck, a Warrant Officer from the Brown Water Navy in Vietnam, my friend, made sure. God Bless Danny B, a Rappahannock Tribe member. Best guy I met in the Navy.
I have seen it work and watched the slow decimation of morale based on CO and Staff actions. I also worked for a guy that became VCNO, a 4 Star. He and I became friends and he was very giving in how to manage information and embarked staffs, the "big picture".
All that said, it has become apparent to me that the CO of the TR knew what he was doing and the inevitable fallout from his actions.
The TR was not his first command at sea. He knew.
It is also increasingly apparent that the Acting Navy Sec was/is a buffoon.
Should that get the CO of the TR his job back? No.
Edit: Here is a little tale from the way back machine.
Admiral Spruance, if you don't know about him, read about him, amazing dude, ran a ship aground in Pearly Harbor. No way he survives that little dust up in today's Navy, but he did then.
The rest is in all the books.
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