Bad Form

Buckethead John has the tale of a reserve Navy lieutenant who refused orders to go on an individual augment, including the reaction of another junior officer already forward on his own IA.

LT Weiner of WA has taken it upon herself to disgrace every other junior officer that has ever served in the Navy by violating some time-tested rules for JOs. She was ordered to go to Iraq as an IA, but has refused. This is not a conscientious objector issue, but rather appears that her motives are much more self-centered.

That sounds about right.

I’ve heard a lot of griping about IAs in the last few years, and there’s no mistake that some of them are pretty crappy deals. This is the first case I’ve ever heard of an officer refusing orders though, and it’s nothing less than disgraceful.

It’s true that sailors didn’t sign up to do sojer work, but the ground forces are strapped and there are at least a couple of wars on. Every IA that frees a trigger puller to pull triggers rather than ranger up a powerpoint brief gets the whole thing over with quicker. In any case, the machine will get fed and it’s not fair to the next guy not to fill your spot in the line.

Those of us who take on the privilege of service are obligated to obey all legal orders once we accept the government’s dime. Everyone has the freedom of their own conscience of course, but for those wearing uniforms, decisions about which wars ought to be fought, how and by whom are properly left to our civil masters or else everything falls apart.

There’s a world of difference between volunteering for hard service or a bad deal and doing what you’re told to do, just like there’s a reason they’re called “orders” and not “do you wannas”. The oath of office says that we’ll support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, but it doesn’t guarantee we’ll get to do that from the deck of a warship. That’s life in the fleet – sometimes things suck. Best to shut up, ruck up and get it over with. Orders are orders – misery is optional.

“Lt. Weiner’s failure to report … was counter to good order and discipline, negatively affected the command climate and represents a failure to live up to the Navy core values of honor, courage and commitment. Lt. Weiner effectively put her personal desires above the needs of the Navy team and the nation. … Lt. Weiner is most strongly recommended for separation from the Navy.”

What is it we used to say – “Not in my Navy”?