My first exposure to the Navy, as an Air Force sergeant, was when I got to work for CAPT Green at NORAD/USNORTHCOM when he found out about the cancer, he was ADM Keating’s XO. It was a tough diagnosis, but he was gonna beat that thing! Late one night after the dams broke in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and seeing Hurricane Rita baring down, the President was on the way, we got out the bottle of tequila (a gift from the GoM) off the ADM’s hutch and the whole crew had a toast. –He always knew just how to calm the masses to get the most effective work done. We rode the waves and did our jobs well.

God heals in many ways…thank you for giving the good captain a new body and robe of white! I’ll see you again, sir. Much Love!

CAPT Green was a great man and I have many fond memories – of teaching, tutoring and casual conversations. He overcame a great deal of adversity to succeed at NNPS. The PXO students attend after squadron command, around the 20 years of service point. The bulk of the students are Navy Ensigns, fresh out of college, nearly all in their early 20s. Despite the differences, all are held to the same rigorous academic standard. Due to his prior enlistment, CAPT Green was several years older than his peers – and much further removed from his undergraduate studies.

As a result, his children were also older – I recall his daughter was a senior in high school during his six months in Orlando; a very difficult time to be separated from his family.

One story he told I’ll never forget. We were talking about inspections, unrealistic (inflated) standards and shared common feelings about the “dog and pony show” nature of many inspections. I’ll relay the story as I recall, I’m a submarine officer, not an aviator, so I do not know the specific terms.

He was in squadron command and had a routine scheduled inspection. Rather than jump through hoops in preparation (replace all binders with new shiny ones, concentrate all efforts on the “checklist”, etc) he conducted business as usual, as his personal high standards. The result? He received a below average or perhaps even failing grade on the inspection.

In speaking with his superior (I presume it would have been the Wing Commander) he told him that the inspection team could come back, at any time unannounced, and they would find his day-to-day level of readiness and standards at the same high level.

He did receive a subsequent inspection, he did NOT change anything or get ready for it, and this time he passed because they used a realistic standard, as opposed to the “dog and pony show” standard used on the previous visit.

CAPT Green earned a great deal of respect from me for his willingness to stand up and do what’s right, despite the possible personal or career consequences.

I send my deepest belated regrets to his family and friends for your loss.

Bob King
subbob@gmail.com