My reaction to Crimes of Command was visceral to say the least. Not just because I have served closely (as close as “on the same ship or squadron”) with several of the individuals listed in the book, but having been on both sides of a JAGMAN investigation, I look back and realize how little my experience prepared me to lead a complex collision investigation—but now I know I was not alone!
My first reaction anger, that I know so little about the topic despite a 30-year career, but also at the Navy for leaving this important analysis to the initiative of a motivated doctoral candidate and for the fact that he had such sparse records to choose from. For the Navy to turn an institutional blind eye to the main research question asked in the book, “Why does the Navy Remove Commanding Officers?” truly is disappointing. Although the standard answer is “it is only a very small percentage” that are removed, this belies the immense repercussions to the crew and the Navy of each tumultuous event, and I believe a better process to identify outliers earlier and share lessons more openly might go a long way towards the prevention of future CO firings, at least the second time around in command. But on to the book.
This book is the result of well-documented research; with literally hundreds of footnotes and 13 pages of references. The introduction is necessary for the non-Navy reader, and although it might be seen as redundant by some Navy audiences, it provides some eye-opening insights into processes, such as command selection and assignment. The 14 real-life case studies were well-told and provided not only fascinating reading but also important context and analysis, often for the first time in one place, thanks to the author’s broad research. The “after story” of many of the players was especially gratifying to read, as this part is important and too often left to the imagination.
The third phase of the book, a detailed discussion of ethics and motivation, felt long at first and this (admittedly lazy) reader had a hard time following it, but when I revisited the case studies I was able to tie the author’s points to real-life examples. In the end this section is equally important, giving the reader some points to ponder about their own career, especially if aspiring to command. The chapter on the pervasive (and pernicious) impact of the “Rickover Effect” was a complete surprise and left me wondering if Captain Junge was the first one to figure this out, or perhaps just the first to capture it. I admit as a nuke I caught myself getting defensive on some points, but the concept has merit; I would have liked to see a bit more on “what to do about it.” Especially pertinent is the precise definitions and important differentiation between culpability, accountability, and responsibility—and his point that this nuance often is lost in today’s process.
The charts and graphs were useful but sometimes a bit hard to read due to font size, and there were other places in the book that a tough editor probably would have tightened up, but overall it was an enlightening read. I found the facts and figures surrounding courts-martial and nonjudicial punishments (NJP) to be both shocking and fascinating and would have liked to have seen more analysis on this topic. Personally, I suspect the drop in NJP in recent years has to do with other policy changes that turned it from a “professional feedback” tool to a career-killer under programs such as “Perform to Serve,” but that observation probably is beyond the scope of the book.
While they are present throughout the book, the nuke in me would have liked to have seen a discreet “to-do” list in the back, because Captain Junge’s solid recommendations—to standardize the investigation process, eliminate conflicts of interest, review archaic clauses of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and consider the evidence of a “zero-defect” culture—are worthy of actual consideration by Navy leadership. The final chapter, if not the entire book, should be required reading for all Flag Officers.
If you are in command at any level, or aspire to be, you need to read—and heed—this book!
