Navy fires another skipper

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Monday, December 21, 2009 - 4:18 PM Share

The commander of the USS Buffalo, a nuclear submarine based in Guam, was relieved. No allegations of hanky panky, just apparent failures to meet required operating standards. He only took command in August. As a friend of mine comments, "The tradition continues."

(HT to HC)

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JPWREL

5:00 PM ET

December 21, 2009

Good for the Navy! If the U.

Good for the Navy! If the U. S. banking sector took as much interest in competent behavior we might not be in the economic fix we are in today. Also, in Navy Times we see that the Navy is cracking down on the behaviors of senior Chiefs. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy issued a clear warning today to all senior enlisted to shape up their on and off duty behavior. The Navy right now has more Chiefs that it needs so here is an opportunity to separate those that can’t take a hint. This in my view is further proof that the Navy/USMC continues to be the most professional of all the services.

RUBBER DUCKY

6:45 PM ET

December 21, 2009

Que pasa?

Here's an opportunity for someone to commit journalism and report what actually happened. The information trail on these 'lost confidence in ability to command' situations often stops cold at the official press statement. Some journalists dig for the real story (Tom on the first GREENEVILLE story, Chris Drew often in the NYT, etc.) but usually nothing really insightful gets published. Maybe we're seeing the effect of press cutbacks and maybe just laziness and inability to report arcane military subjects. But here... que pasa?

(This is pretty early in a command tour for a skipper to do the sword trick. Outside guess: he screwed up the water-boiling part of the job; either really dropped an ORSE or dumped resin in the harbor or something else egregious in the nuclear-power end of the boat. But just a guess...)

TOM RICKS

10:10 PM ET

December 21, 2009

Well, RD

I don't have time to chase it, but if you hear anything more, please do let us know!
Thanks,
Tom

PRAHAPARTIZAN

4:41 AM ET

December 23, 2009

What decision inputs?

Rubber Ducky, just how much actual cruise command time could this skipper have had, with his appointment only in August? I would imagine that he might have had his ship out operationally at best three times. That's a very small number on which to base a trend line.

Also, you comments on what might have prompted the Navy to terminate the command so abruptly would give lie to the Navy's assertion that they still had confidence in the Buffalo. Any failure of the type you mention should certainly demand an investigation for the training regime the ship's complement has received under its previous captains as well.