Saturday, December 4, 2010

The Troll Under the Bridge, cont.

Navy Times is reporting that CAPT Graf's continuation board recommended that she be forcibly retired with a general discharge.

I read through some of the comments that CAPT Graf was favored because her sister is an admiral. I don't know anything about that.

But a long time ago, I knew one admiral who was so dumb that he should have been watered twice a week and the only reason anyone could figure out that he had gotten so far was that his father and his uncle were both admirals. Maybe a cousin and a brother as well, I've forgotten. There were weekly stories going around the waterfront about what stupid thing that admiral had said or asked in the weekly staff meeting.

So yes, nepotism did exist in the Navy and it probably still does. Idiot offspring who are legacy admissions isn't confined to douchebag sons at Ivy-league universities.

(Original post.)

10 comments:

Unknown said...

you are invited to follow my blog

Comrade Misfit said...

Thanks, but no.

Anonymous said...

John McCain finished almost last in his class at the Naval Academy, yet still became a naval aviator, and from what I can glean from the historical record, continually "failed upwards" during his Navy career. His father and grandfather were both four-star Naval admirals.

Anonymous said...

You're surprised by this? The USN hasn't had a serious opponent since Yamamoto Isoruku. In such an environment the bozos who look good (or know someone) flourish.

Comrade Misfit said...

William, not really, since I referenced "the Arnheiter Affair" in an earlier post.

Glenn Mark Cassel said...

In a way, it is like the CPO Selection Boards when I was in. It went from the job you did to the associates, bachelors degrees, coaching soccer, little league and that other stuff.
I was beat out in 1988 by a guy who had a two year degree for AMHC. I had more sea time and as a supervisor and had the best "I" level hydraulic/pneumatic shop in Pac Fleet the year before. And he got it.
Quit caring after that.
And I personally have seen the results of the Tailhook fallout in my own career.

Comrade Misfit said...

ORPO1, I saw that change, as well. At one meeting of department heads with the XO and the Captain, the Captain asked "What do you do for your community?"

The Ops Boss who was, as he put it, "three years and a pregnancy" from retiring, said: "I go to sea to defend their fat asses."

Glenn Mark Cassel said...

I was a "guest" at a PDB in about 84. I was in VA-128 at Whidbey as an instructor. I had been investigating the Army Warrant Officer Maintenance Program. I guess the FRAMP Officer and the XO were not to excited about it.
This was as an AMH1! The rules were that a PDB was for E4 and below.
It became an effort to stay in beyond that. But with a family and Boeing not hiring and hitting the twelve year mark at the end of that shore tour, I ended up staying in. Retired as a 12 year in grade First Class in 93.

Comrade Misfit said...

"PDB"? If I ever knew what that was, I've forgotten.

Glenn Mark Cassel said...

Professional Development Board