Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
I`m curious - I have no military experience and know pretty much nothing about how discipline is carried out.
Let us assume that someone is excellent and nearly flawless in taking care of their responsibilities... But a terrible person with an awful personality. At what point does their personality and related actions overtake their great record in performance?
I am wondering if perhaps the reassignment instead of dismissal is based on something like this? Clearly they were doing something right to have been continually promoted into positions of authority... And the article you linked to points out that it wasn`t a case of being godfathered in.
Have their been other similar cases? If so, what sort of action was taken then?
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Unfortunately, promotion through the ranks has as much to do with politics as it does with performance. In the case of higher-level officers, politics is actually more important than performance. The military "chain of command" is strictly adhered to, complaints from those below go up the command to Captain Graf, and are passed along only if she agrees to it. Communication from higher ranks also follows its way down the chain of command, and the word of a ship's captain is considered to be trustworthy, as well as usually being the only which really counts.
I'm glad the Navy reads the blogs of the sailors who serve, this is a good way of evaluating the performance of officers, as well as life in the Navy in general.
Captain Graf may have done well in her evaluations, and completed her tasks as required, but the military demands that these tasks be performed in a "military manner". Officers are required to show respect to all personnel, regardless of rank. Disrespect is not tolerated; good morale is essential to having a effective crew/command.
Captain Graf will now be assigned to a desk somewhere, where she will be in no position to give so simple a command as to bring her a cup of coffee. She'll work at this desk until retirement. This may not be a dismissal, but for Naval officers, reassignment from Ship's Captain to paper shuffler, it's equal to walking the plank.
I spent several years in the Army, and though things like this occur, it is very uncommon. Senior Army officers work in close proximity to their peers, and their performance can be supervised at nearly all times. Such is not the case for Ship's Captains, who are generally the most senior ranking members on their ship.
Goodbye Captain Graf, and don't let the door hit you on the way out. You will now get an opportunity to polish your typing skills, and the Navy now has a poster child for how not to command a ship.