If he is a problem â�� then we have a problem

3rd

If he is a problem – then we have a problem

January 2011

By now, everyone in the Navy community should be up to speed on what is going on with the Commanding Officer of the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65). I am not going to go into play-by-play details of the video, discuss the nature of TACAIR culture, or opine one way or the other. If you want background and opinion, I would invite you to visit Galrahn, Lex, or my homeblog for that.

No, there are much larger issues at play here – and they have everything to do with time, place, and personnel.

Before CAPT Honors was CO of ENTERPRISE, he was CO of the USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC-20) after his stint as “Big XO” of the “Big E” when these videos were taken. That was over four years ago. His prior Command tour was with VF-211. You can review his full bio here if you want.

CAPT Honors is not new to Command. He is a known quantity in style, intelligence, and temperament. One board can miss something – but multiple boards usually do not. All this is in the open – especially on a Carrier that is thick with COs from squadrons, ships and CAG/DCAG – not to mention STRIKE GROUP Staffs loaded with post-Command CDR and CAPT.

Surface and Sub Commanding Officers can hide issues if sly – in aviation, nosomuch.

As “Big XO,” his videos and the nature of his videos were not a secret. Not to his Shipmates from E-1 to O-8. Anyone who has deployed on a CV/CVN knows this.

That is the issue.

Let’s not tell each other small untruths on this. Don’t insult each other’s intelligence and don’t insult the taxpayer.

While the videos were made, the Commander of the ENTERPRISE STRIKE GROUP was Rear Admiral Ray Spicer, USN (UPDATE: other sources have it as VADM Daniel Halloway, USN. Perhaps an and/or – but not critical to the story). CAPT Honor’s Commanding officer was Rear Admiral Lawrence Rice, USN (Ret.). Again – just to be clear – nothing on these videos were unknown to the STRIKE GROUP Commander (embarked ENTERPRISE) or the Commanding Officer. I make a declaritive statement such as that because I have been deployed on Carriers and I can also declare that water is wet. If I am wrong … then … well … wow.

Moving on; after a day of churning through the news cycle – MSNBC is reporting this;

The Navy officer who aired lewd videos for crew of an aircraft carrier will be temporarily relieved of his command as early as Tuesday, Navy sources told NBC News on Monday.

Capt. Owen Honors commands the USS Enterprise and produced the videos while second in command aboard the aircraft carrier.
He is to be relieved while the Navy investigates the incident.

There can only be three answers by the Navy concerning these videos. “We” refers to the Flag Officer Community that leads our Navy – just to be clear.

1. We had no idea.
2. We knew and didn’t care.
3. We disaproved, counseled our Shipmate, corrective action taken with remediation, and we moved forward.

At the start of the weekend, the official Navy reaction was sound, logical, and pointed towards what makes sense – #3.

The Navy released a written statement late Friday in response to The Pilot’s inquiries.

“The videos created onboard USS Enterprise in 2006-2007 were not created with the intent to offend anyone,” the statement said. “The videos were intended to be humorous skits focusing the crew’s attention on specific issues such as port visits, traffic safety, water conservation, ship cleanliness, etc.”

That is why over the weekend I didn’t post on it at my homeblog at all until Sunday night. Something changed since Friday – something that violates a good truism – go with your first instincts. Navy went PAO-wobbly and this went viral.

For reasons best known to senior leadership, we now find ourselves looking at #1 or #2. As we know that #1 is an impossibility – that leads to #2.

Really? No – not in the Navy of 2010. I don’t buy #2 either. Well, wait – a 5% chance. I’ll give you 5%.

That brings us back to #3 – which is greatest problem of all if we are now going to take CAPT Honor from Command. If it were #1 we could all just facepalm and call stupid. If it were #2 or #3 then we don’t have stupid – we have malice and betrayal by an officer’s Chain of Command.

It is the height of moral corruption to tell someone what they are doing is OK one day, and then the next – to protect yourself - act as if it were horrible. It is just as morally corrupt to reprimand a person, provide corrective action, accept remediation – and then at a later date punish him again for the same act only harder; submit that person to double jeopardy for your own self-preservation.

That last paragraph isn’t what is going on here, is it? If it isn’t – and it can’t be #1; then what is it?

By our actions, what are we teaching tomorrow’s leaders? Many of us saw what the bloodbath of self-preservation and bonfire of the innocents that took place after Tailhook did to trust between junior and senior officers. The culture of cynicism and mistrust that it begat continues to cloud our relationships.

Is that where we are going – really?

As the “Big E” gets ready to deploy and if she goes without CAPT Honors – good people can disagree if he is a problem or not. Either way though, we in the Navy have a larger one to deal with.

1, 2, or 3 – take your pick.

UPDATE: Via WAVY, CFFC Admiral Harvey has announced CAPT Honors’ relief,

A few minutes ago, I permanently relieved Capt. Owen Honors of his duties as commanding officer of USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) for demonstrating exceptionally poor judgment while serving as executive officer of that ship, from 2006-2007.

While Capt. Honors’ performance as commanding officer of ENTERPRISE has been without incident, his profound lack of good judgment and professionalism while previously serving as executive officer in ENTERPRISE calls into question his character and undermines his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command.After personally reviewing the videos Capt. Honors created while serving as executive officer, I have lost confidence in his ability to lead effectively, and he is being held accountable for the poor judgment and inappropriate actions repeatedly demonstrated in those videos.

It is fact that as naval officers we are held to a higher standard. Those in command must exemplify the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment which we expect our Sailors to embrace. Our leaders must be above reproach and our Sailors deserve nothing less.Capt. Dee Mewbourne will be permanently assigned as the new commanding officer of ENTERPRISE. Capt. Mewbourne most recently commanded USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and while in command he completed two successful combat deployments supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Capt. Mewbourne is currently serving as the Chief of Staff for Navy Cyber Forces – he will assume command of ENTERPRISE later this afternoon.

See above.

Posted by CDRSalamander in Uncategorized

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Redeye80

BZ CDR, well said.

“It is the height of moral corruption to tell someone what they are doing is OK one day, and then the next – to protect yourself – act as if it were horrible. It is just as morally corrupt to reprimand a person, provide corrective action, accept remediation – and then at a later date punish him again for the same act only harder; submit that person to double jeopardy for your own self-preservation.”

The perfect definition of the Flag Officer Protective Association Modus Operandi as well documented in the post-Tailhook Navy.

But at least one group is happy and those in the diversity industry knows that is all that counts. http://wapo.st/hO4xQb

Remember that warfighting stuff is secondary.
Eagle1

Tailhook deja vu all over again?

I wish the concern was as great over having suficient numbers of capable ships and aircraft as it is over stuff like this.
http://www.eaglespeak.us/ Eagle1

Sufficient.
CPT Joe

The Flags are saying, “OMG! The Republican Congress critters are gonna barbeque us again, not only for the LCS mess, but also for this airdale Tailhook II sex mess. Which way to the exits?”

There should be one additional choice for the Flags

4. We knew and approved of the tapes. They provided a good tension relief during difficult times four years ago in a different Navy. However, the climate has changed with DADT being repealed and several gender diversity programs that now make up our Navy and they preclude such humor in a Navy with much tighter sphincters.
jack osborne

well, not having, or wanting , to see the videos, I simply ask if they were as bad as anything shown over TV or Cable.

I suspect not!

But political correctness is political correctness, and must be considered, I guess.
Rich

If your argument holds true what actions were actally taken to educate and or penilize the Capt. prior to being advanced in the ranks? I haven’t heard that anything was done. Your assumption that it was delt with was not substantiated in your post. Have there been criminal charges brought? Has the Statute of Limitations expired if criminal charges were not brought; and if so what was the outcome? What scientific basis are you quoting when you claim that option #2 is only a 5% chance? As a person holding the highest rank on a Naval Vessal don’t you thing they should be held to the highest standard? Is a message of ignorance (at the very least) or Hate (at the worst)an appropriate message for a person of the highest authority on a Naval ship to send to their subordnates? Keep in mind Double Jepordy ONLY exists if criminal charges have mbeen brought to resolution.

I ask these questions honestly as I havn’t seen or heard that this was ever resolved either in a criminal case or not. I’m not saying you’re wrong, or that you shouldn’t be able to believe whatever you want, I only seek the information you base your opinion on. There is definately a problem, so let’s identify it. Is the problem the tapes, is it a scared administration worried now that they attempted to sweep something under the rug and are trying the cover their behinds, or is it both? Sir Capt. did something way out of line and actionable (breaking US Law), there is now an “assuption” that is was not appropiately dealt with. I think the public has a right to know how it was dealt with. And how all of our service men and women can expect to be treated in in future in our armed forces as we progress to a post DADT military.
Thanks and I look forward to your answer to these questions..
USNVO

Great analysis. BZ! I would add another option since I believe CPT Joe’s option is in reality a version of 3.

4. We disaproved, counseled our Shipmate, improper corrective action was taken, and we moved forward.

For illustration of what my option 4. is (I realize it is an extreme example and is intentionally so): Say an individual changes the man overboard roster sheet deleting SN Jones from the roster. Then same individual pushes SN Jones over the side on a dark night and fails to report man overboard. An appropriate response would not be to provide remedial training in man overboard procedures and counsel the individual over the importance of having an accurate roster. If it was later found out by someone, say CFFC, that something along the lines outlined above had occured, they would not be in any way out of line to order an investigation and take appropriate action if the allegations were found to be true. Since as I understand it, Fleet Forces Command is initiating the investigation, I can believe Option 1 is an option for CFFC and their action is not “malice and betrayal by an officer’s Chain of Command”.

But then we have another problem which is far bigger than the alleged offense. Senior personel who do not have the ability to recognize or willingness to enforce standards, or worse, the ability to recognize standards but selective enforcement of those standards.

So if (I have no opinion and can truthfully say I have neither seen the videos or know anything more than what is in the newspaper) the answer is, in fact, number 4, that the remedial action deemed appropriate was in fact not appropriate, and the offense was so bad as to warrant removal from command 4 years after the fact, then the only option that would make sense, after the fact, is to take appropriate action against all personnel senior to the individual in the chain of command who were aware of the transgression and agreed with the remedial action at the time.

In this case, at the very minimum, it should include appropriate action against the CSG Commander and the, then, CO of the ENTERPRISE. And it should be done in the same public format that any relief from command is done in.

If the transgression clearly warrants removal from command, how big of a transgression is it to be unaware of the magnitude of the transgression or to know how bad it is and take insufficient action at the time?
SCOTTtheBADGER

I suspect that a post over at Commander Salamander’s is correct, at least in part. That a male must be sacrificed, to even the score after the firing of Captain McGraf. The videos were silly, and not exactly Monty Python quality, but surely no worse than The Simpsons, SNL, or Family Guy. This is an exercize by the Progressives, and thier protected classes to make us know that they are the Pigs of the USN, and therefore are more equal than the rest of us. What have we come to, when people believe that they have the right to not be offended, to the point that people feel they cannot do or say anything? What have we come to? Can it be that we have lost, and America is over, and with it, freedom is doomed to death? Because assureadly, the people that are after Captain Honor, will not be happy, until they are the final arbitors over what people can say, do, or think.
http://www.navycaptain-therealnavy.blogspot.com Mike Lambert

Commander Salamander,
The Navy is somewhat schizophrenic on behavior issues. I think the answer is all three at the same time:

1. We had no idea.
2. We knew and didn’t care.
3. We disapproved, counseled our Shipmate, corrective action taken with remediation, and we moved forward.

And, because the answer is all three, we find ourselves where we are today – DAZED and CONFUSED.
Sam Kotlin

Honors’ conduct as XO has harmed my navy. For that, no forgiveness. And if someone earlier gave him a bye, none for that fool either.
sid

I’ll ponder the same here too.

1. Why didn’t he use his Goat Locker to put this word out?

2. Why didn’t his Goat Locker -or at leas the CMC- go to the XO and say there is a better way to do this?

3. What E-2 wants to see the XO talking about choking chickens?
http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com CDR Salamander

Mike & Sid speak with big medicine.
Navy Suppo

Sid nails it…the exact same content coming from the goat locker is a complete non-issue or never gets 24-7 press coverage 4 years later.
Byron

And the Direktorate scores another one: CAPT. Honor will be relieved.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/03/national/main7210129.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody
Grandpa Bluewater

The first head above the city gate. How very traditional.

Soon enough the carts will be on a regular run to the guillotine.

Then the Committee of Public Safety will start eating each other.

Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Aren’t the Byzantine palace wars of decline interesting? This is just the beginning. Meanwhile, back at the fleet, warfighting capability leaches slowly away…
Michael Antoniewicz II

‘The MSM Strikes Back’, aka it was a slow News Weekend and we needed something to harp on, and hey, it’s the Military! Two birds with one stone!!
IntelPogue

Well said Cdr S… it makes me sick to know that this is the Navy I am a part of today. Wouldn’t it be great if ADM Harvey (or the like) came out and screamed, “This isn’t the Boyscouts, this isn’t the Fellowship of Christian Atheletes, this is the United States Navy!!! Get over it!!!” If only.
JHud

Leadership is about performance and achieving success, right? How well did the Big ‘E’ perform during this time? How was morale? How did the crew perform on tasks and inspections? Was there an increase or decrease in crew behavior issues as compared to other carriers? Call me crazy, but there might be a positive link between high morale and high performance. I’m sure we have the data. BTW and FWIW, CAPT Honors has several FB pages popping up in support with thousands of members already. I found one anti-Honors group with less than 200 people. I searched, but I couldn’t find any support groups for CAPT Graf.
Cheers,
JHud
sid

“Aren’t the Byzantine palace wars of decline interesting? This is just the beginning. Meanwhile, back at the fleet, warfighting capability leaches slowly away…”

No worries…

It can be outsourced.

Remember, the job of the navy is NOT to fight Grandpa.

“The purpose of the Navy,” Vice Admiral John Bird, commander of the Seventh Fleet, tells me, “is not to fight.” The mere presence of the Navy should suffice, he argues, to dissuade any attack or attempt to destabilize the region.

Whats that about resting on your laurels?
http://fredfryinternational.blogspot.com/ Fred Fry

This is just the latest in a long line of idiotic over-reaction by people who have no idea what is going on, stick their head someplace and are shocked to see what they do.

This reminds me of the day the PC police ran around the USMMA demanding that all pinups and all photos of girlfriends be removed from sign, even from a midshipman’s desk because Midshipman living spaces were deemed to be part of Dept. of Transportation Workspaces and as such there could not be any possibility of offending a wayward person who might accidentally find themselves in the living spaces and walk past the wrong door and be offended by a photo of someone’s girlfriend.

Unfortunately, the only way I can think of cooling off these PC warriors is to put their homes through a similar inspection. And maybe then, only then might these people get a sliver of an idea that serving is liking being at work 24/7. And when they comment that nobody would volunteer to be under such scrutiny, that they be kindly reminded that Activity Duty personnel do.

I thought the video I saw was funny. If there was something wrong with his videos, this would have come out the day they were aired. And despite there being the disclaimer that the Captain and Admiral knew nothing of the content in advance, they certainly knew afterwords and if there was nothing done, aren’t they guilty too? No, I am not looking for more heads to stick on a pike. But maybe they should speak up that it was their responsibility to take action, if action was needed, and they did not see a need. By my reasoning then, the person on the hot seat should not be the current target but his then superiors.

So, anyone up to inspect some offices on Congressional Hill?
sid

One thing that all have kinda forgotten about is the timeframe when these videos were made…

This was during the period that NUMA NUMA youtube was the fad, so its understandable why he thought this was an acceptable venue, and that the act was “ok”.

So…The REAL story is the “Rest of The Story”.

Why is this suddenly so important…NOW?

And, if his bosses were aware of these videos and put a stop to it…why is there not a full clearing of how it was handled?

Lastly…to Galrahns’s excellent point about the USN’s fumbling of this latest infoskirmish….

Why not get get some prominent mention of how tough life is in a navy stretched to its limits keeping geriatric ships alive…

Why notr get that PBS series about the carrier on deployment back in the media’s face?
http://USNIBlog Bill Phelps

The CVN 65 will possibly be deployed on a war patrol given the strains in the NW Pacific. An experienced CO is requied and the current CO should not be relieved. But, CAPT Honors will probably be relieved if wiser heads do not prevail. I predict the Navy will soon have a designator for those who are not 100% heterosexual and initiate an EEO/AA program for them as if they were a protected minority. I retired from another Federal agency some time ago and that agency had a defacto EEO/AA policy for those not 100% heterosexual. I worked a form of contracting (patent licensing/cooperative agreements/grants)and it got to the point where I had to ask my superiors the sexual preference of those with whom we desired to enter into a contractual relationship. The question was not answered.
Lawrence D. Farrington

Here’s my take on this miscarriage of justice:

It’s a sad day when the ‘Defense Dept’ abruptly halts the career of a great warrior and leader over some breach of today’s excessively ‘politically correct’ code of conduct. I hope the captain will step up and take on those who would hypocritically and maliciously attempt to weaken our country’s defense by emasculating our sorely needed leaders in our first line of defense.

The alleged ‘offense’ happened 5 or 6 years ago and is only now surfacing. Today’s ‘standards’ are being applied to old behavioral norms. This smacks of ‘ex post facto’ to me—today’s norms and ‘laws’ being applied to yesterday’s behavior. Something here stinks.

To those who are concerned over such minutia as ‘feelings’, ‘understanding,’ ‘sensitivity’, ‘kinder/gentler’, ‘diversity concerned’ and other such manifestations of weakness, hand-wringing, and whining have no place in today’s and tomorrow’s warrior community. So, you people who imagine you are offended by these comments, learn to suck it up and get on board with a nation at war or get out of the way.

Farrington
Pingback: If he is a problem – then we have a problem « Don’t Tread On Me
Smiley1081

“Men sleep peacefully in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

A lot of people in the West is forgetting that.

Take care…
Pingback: Captain Video Is History - Swampland - TIME.com
AFCM(AW/SW)

January 3 at 4:48pm
29 years and 6 months ago I joined the most powerful, the most feared and the most respected organization in the WORLD known as the United States Navy.
Soon, another example of the wussification of America will make the headlines of our media. Yet another Career Sailor will lose his job in a very public way.
We Americans have lost the willingness to laugh at ourselves and laugh at others for fear of embarrassing or hurting someone’s feelings. If you are offended by the content of this video, I ask you to look yourself in the mirror and say OUT LOUD what was offensive to YOU. Not what others may be offended by but what offended you personally.See More
http://fredfryinternational.blogspot.com/ Fred Fry

ACE OF SPADES Blog has the killer comment on this issue:

‘Obama calls the Eagles to congratulate them on giving dog killer Michael Vick a second chance but now his Navy commanders are going to trash the career of a decorated hero over some videos?

Hurt feelings and political correctness trump decades of honorable service and readiness for war.’
Dudes99

Meet the next CO of USS Enterprise:

CAPT Dee L. Mewbourne, USN
Chief of Staff
Navy Cyber Forces

I don’t beleive CAPT Honors will be back, sad……
Tom

All’s I can say is that I’m glad I retired and no longer have to serve under such gutless “leadership” as those currently running the show. Tail firmly between legs, full steam ahead for political correctness, the heck with the Fleet.

In the good old days, the old Jim Webb would be penning another “Silence of the Admirals” article for Proceedings.
virgil xenophon

Well I’m ex-Air Force and we have our own”suck fator” cross (e) to bear, but I wonder if the weasel big kids at Flag Plot and in the JCS are reading these comments here and on the other mil blogs and wondering about the fact they are losing the hearts & minds of their best, most experienced warfighters and distinguished alums whose support they are otherwise continually courting. Sadly, they probably don’t care. Truth to tell, the AfPk thing is viewed as a small-potatoes non-threatening thing in terms of America’s very existence and seen as not worth their careers by the careerist big kids. And the oxygen that feeds the flames of worship at the alter of multi-culti PC comes from the same source that during the entire cold war USAFE never hardened their hangers nor camouflaged their bases in either on either the Continent or in the UK until half-heartedly very late at the end; the belief that a major war would/will never break out between the major powers as everyone has too much to lose. Seen in this light who indeed would risk their careers standing up to powerful politically protected pressure groups and the zeitgeist of the times for something so unlikely to ever be seriously needed like combat effectiveness. Did not the Super of the Naval academy say that “Diversity” NOT merit, learned skills or combat effectiveness is the #1 priority at the Naval Academy. Did not the Chief of Staff of the Army publicly state that it would be tragic if the murder of 13 of the troops under his command by a Muslim fanatic in the name of Islam caused harmed the Army’s Diversity program? The PC multi-culty word is out. The big kid weasels have whetted their fingers and tested the cultural winds. Foolishly thinking there lacks a true existential threat to the nation, ANYBODY and EVERYBODY from the unprotected classes (read: White hetero males exclusively) will unhesitatingly be thrown under the PC bus. Lets look at the odds from the big kids pov: Chances of a major war next month?: 100% There are no “honors” to be garnered in the Palace Politics PC wars defending Capt Honors–only a very predictable down-side. “Risk my childrens college education fund and my retirement pay? And those camp-fires burning in the distance? They are a very long way away, are they not? Besides, I’ll be retired and on the greens at Sarasota before anything comes of that..”
virgil xenophon

** should read: ..”chances of a major war next month? 100%..”
virgil xenophon

Very sorry, again: ” …major war? Less than Zero. Chances of having their careers ruined backing Capt Homors? One Hundred per-cent.”
Pingback: Northfolk, we have a problem
http://habap.wordpress.com Dave Navarre

Depressing. The snippets of the videos appear a little raunchy, but certainly no raunchier than movies that would have been shown on Enterprise (with sailors who have memorized the time stops for each “interesting” moment) and here was an XO who was trying to be funny and relate to his sailors. Will the next officer burned by these people be burned for something that happened 20 years ago? Or by what they said to a buddy after a few too many beers on their first liberty? Or by something they posted on Facebook before they enrolled in the Naval Academy?
FDNF’er

I mentioned this at CDR Salamander’s, but I think it is worth repeating…
A friend of mine was a supply officer on the Enterprise on the 06-07 cruise. One of her responsibilities was to escort the VIPs when they came on board. The CNO was one of her DVs and he settled in one night with the wardroom to watch XO’s movie night. My friend volunteered to play a role in one of the skits that CAPT Honors put together. The CNO watched the entire movie night – XO’s intro and movie. He laughed at the skit and stayed for the entire movie.
This Admiral is either the current CNO or his boss. If we want to expose the Navy’s dirty laundry to the world, then we should let people realize that this “problem” goes directly to the top. Why did the CNO allow this 4-5 years ago and only comment on it now? Has the CNO’s standards changed since then? Shouldn’t the CNO be held to the same standard as his subordinates (if not a higher standard)?
Paul

How did the video suddenly come to light?

Who posted it? Who released it?

Who’s agenda is it promoting? Someone cut it loose with a specific mission targeting him as a person. Disgruntled subordinate perhaps?

At what point do we decide that stuff that we may have did a few years ago may have been perhaps ill-advised, or perhaps even not best judgment but certainly not crucifying someone over?

Don’t look at my college yearbook– I’d never get a job. Sad part of it is every candid in there was from ONE night (but it was a good one, or so I was told– the details are a bit fuzzy…)
Matt Yankee

I was at the Alamo yesterday…

Captain Honors should draw a line in the sand in the culture war and defend himself and the soul of the Navy to the bitter end.

Officers who find themselves in this type of position should resign and then fight…walking away and letting them move on to the next sacrificial lamb is exactly what they want. Shine the light of truth and watch them scatter.
Navy Wife

My husband is a Naval Officer who was in flight school when the Tailhook scandal broke. When we watched the video, my husband said the biggest problem that he saw immediately was that the XO thought it was a bright idea to put two subordinate female sailors together in a shower and refer to them as “chicks”.

As a teacher who has also managed people in the corporate world, my jaw was on the ground and my overwhelming thought was “WHAT WAS THIS GUY THINKING???” over…and over…and over… Later, I wondered — who was in charge of this guy and why didn’t someone — anyone — shut this down immediately and with an equally long and detailed video retraction.

I imagine that there are a lot of spouses wondering what in the hell goes on while those ships are at sea and THAT is a problem. Well, the whole civilian population watching the nightly news is also wondering. Not to mention PARENTS who trust the Navy to take care of their children when they enlist. I can just hear it, “I encouraged my daughter to enlist in the Navy to gain skills and earn money for college and she’s one of the XO’s “chicks in the shower”???

This thing is like an onion of ugliness w/ layer upon layer, but I just keep coming back to the image of the stereotypical pre-tailhook jet jock that lives in some kind of narcissistic bubble thinking he’s the coolest kid and above all the rules; because, what I saw, wasn’t even FUNNY. And, personally, I enjoy funny and inappropriate humor as much as anybody — I just don’t want the stars of Jackass or Borat as my boss or my husband’s, and I sure as heck wouldn’t tolerate them as my subordinates. Leave the hiring of comedians to the USO.
Byron

Ma’am, children do not join the Navy; adults do
Redeye80

To Navy Wife:

It wasn’t meant for you and as Byron stated, adults join the military not children. We are a nation at war with gutless leaders in charge.

Let’s continue to investigate the former CNO to confirm his viewing of the questionable videos. While we are at let’s fire all those who went to Tailhook as well. Or even laughed at a joke in squadron spaces. Ask your husband if he every heard a joke that was little risque? Did he do anything about? May he should be fired as well!
Jack Tar

Some years ago, when he was First Lord of the Admiralty, an oversensitive type complained to Winston Churchill that an instance of minor misconduct undermined the traditions of the Royal Navy. Churchill, sizing up the reporter and the picayune nature of the complaint, reportedly bellowed that the traditions of the Royal Navy included “rum, sodomy, and the lash!”
On the whole, I think Capt. Honors was trying to maintain the morale of the 5000 or so under his command, who were charged with flawlessly performing many hazardous duties daily during deployments lasting many months.
If the current Navy leadership had any sense or honor, they would tell those who are now complaining of Capt. Honors conduct that, “While we do not approve of CDR Honors’ actions, we want to party with him and his crew.”
SwitchBlade

I spent 24 years in the Navy and I know that the videos were inappropriate. Yes, it’s PC; yes, it’s 4 years late; and apparently the aviators were in charge instead of adults – imagine that on a carrier!

“Surface and Sub Commanding Officers can hide issues if sly – in aviation, nosomuch.” Really? Even if this is true, it is exhibit one for why it was bad judgment. And it did take 4 years to make it to the public.

But what is more interesting is what I took from many of these comments that it’s no worse than “fill-in-the-blank”. So, that is how we judge the acceptability of our Captains now? They just have to have the judgment of a writer on the Simpson’s. Will Ferrel is our ideal XO type for training and motivation the crew?

And, Sorry Byron, Navy Wife has it right – you may not have a wife, but even you are some mother’s child.

What will never be known is how many of the crew WERE offended by these videos and avoided the much cherished XO time because of his inappropriate and sophomoric skits.
UltimaRatioReg

“Leave the hiring of comedians to the USO.” Sure thing. If we can keep the gutless, pandering politicians in Congress and out of the uniform of United States Navy Admirals.

SwitchBlade, lighten up. He had a very successful record of supporting combat operations for two tours. If that isn’t enough to set your mind at ease about his judgment for a dopey and off-color video FOUR YEARS AGO, what is?

“An’ it all went into the laundry,
But it never came out in the wash.
We were sugared about by the old men
(Panicky, perishin’ old men)
That ‘amper an’ ‘inder an’ scold men
For fear o’ Stellenbosch!”
Dudes99

How hard it must have been for “adm” Harvey to do this thinking back on the things he has done in his own career, SAD. Everyone has a past and to overly discipline this CAPT due to this is BS. I have heard alot this week about respect or rather how could you respect someone that did this, hell because of that I do not even know the guy and he has mine.

CNO/CFFC and anyone that is a shellback/bluenose and have participated in said events need to render their resignations if this is what qualifies for a releivable event.

UGH!!!
Jay

If I heard correctly on tonight’s news – ADM Harvey mentioned relieving CAPT Honors would not be the final action. While some of the folks who served with and under CAPT Honors (and other interested observers) claim that he is a scapegoat here, and he does appear to have had a stellar record and career, when I watched those videos – I wondered why an XO (any XO, not just a CAPT) would have routinely made a fool out of himself. I understand blowing off steam once in a while (occasional skit nights, etc.), but I am at a loss to come up with a good reason for this. I don’t recall any of the XOs I served under, or have served with (or that I have observed) needing or trying to be funny to connect with the junior sailors, for morale or training purposes.

This is a damn shame, for the Navy, and for CAPT Honors.

Would I have made the same videos? Nope. I wonder how many XOs and COs (current and former), especially on our larger ships/major commands, thought the same thing after reviewing the videos.
Pingback: Videogate: Navy Captain is First “Victim” of Gay Military Agenda
jwithington

A little confused about your thoughts on this one CDR. There was considerable outrage over the Severn Sitrep (http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2010/09/severn-sitrep.html), which featured 2 midshipmen talking and flashing a stomach at the camera. Now there’s a call to arms when the creator of a MUCH raunchier, cruder video gets in trouble?

Why do these series of videos, created and distributed by a Navy Captain, pale in comparison to a 3 min rambling of 2 bored midshipmen.
Jay

ENS W – the force is strong in you, Young Jedi…

As to the “video gate…Gay Military Agenda” post, what rubbish. Dollars to donuts, this was a navy hotline call. Timing of same does appear late.
http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com CDR Salamander

JW,
Place, position, context, and target audience. Apples and potatoes.

You can also add that this video was not made for public consumption. It was made for shipmates within the skin of the ship.

Also, I would direct you to the official USN reaction last Friday;
__________
”
“The videos created onboard USS Enterprise in 2006-2007 were not created with the intent to offend anyone,” the statement said. “The videos were intended to be humorous skits focusing the crew’s attention on specific issues such as port visits, traffic safety, water conservation, ship cleanliness, etc.”
”
___________
In any event – this story is way past CAPT Honors. Re-read the post above.

If he is a problem – then we have a problem

Recent Posts

Pages

Guest Bloggers

Links

Recent Comments

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

video title