The new 1-star list is out. Some truly class folks on there too.
Wonder why it took so long to release?
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Lex,
I know you have said you were a better aviator than officer but the Navy and the Armed Services a less due to the fact that you are not on that list, for whatever reasons and circumstances. From one who knows.
Best,
Dust
Well said Dust.
I have not had the pleasure of meeting Lex, though in the years that I have read his writings I’ve come to think very highly of him and wish our Country had the advantage of his services in a very Senior Leadership position.
think we all can look back thru our careers and wonder why exceptional LEADERS were not selected for flag. I think the emphasized word is key, today we’re more interested in managers than those that can get men-and women-to follow them no questions asked when the bullets fly. IMHO
Knew two men well, who seemed to “have it all,” that being leadership, success, the “right” ticket punches (none completed early) and intelligence. Neither made it.
Still, I was blessed to have such fine men in my list of those who would provide wise counsel.
Would have been a good thing if the Navy, in their infinite wisdom, had decided to retain and promote a warrior-poet to flag rank. It is the Navy’s loss.
WTF?
“Navy Capt. James A. Murdoch has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Murdoch is currently serving as major program manager for littoral combat ships, Program Executive Office Ships, Washington, D.C. ”
Maybe he is doing a great job turning stupid ideas from above into actual ships, but in my far from the waterfront opinion everyone tainted by association with that entire program should be standing at the wrong end of the long green table answering questions. Not getting promoted.
In fact, the whole NAVSEA management team should be fired.
Also, do we REALLY need TWO new Public Affairs flag officers?
What is the flag to ship ratio these days? pretty close to 1:1 I believe. My preference would be to increase the number of ships (not with LCS, either) or if that is not possible, then cut the number of flags on active duty.
I guess (actually I know), it’s all about who’s bread you have been buttering…
Well, by my count there were 7 “executive assistants,” 3 “special assistants,” and one “military assistant” listed on there, in addition to 3 chiefs of staff. Y’know, close to the flagpole an’ all…
MajHarvey/
You aren’t insinuating that those guys weren’t exactly pulled out of their pup-tents in the field to attend the ceremony, are you? I’m shocked! Can’t believe you’d….
Maj H
In aviation, the staff job is often a parking place for hard chargers waiting for the list to come out. I know of 2 Carrier CO’s and 2 Air Wing Commanders on there. 3 of the 4 are awesome guys
So they are hitting 75%?
Higher than I’ve seen, but still 25% off the mark… one of the CVW Commanders I see was UNIVERSALLY HATED as both DCAG and CAG. I mean loathed. Maybe he’s the one you are referring to…
I was also glad NOT to see a couple of names…
Can’t blame the man for following orders when told to report for duty at a place he doesn’t want to go.
In fact it’s an excellent gauge of his willingness to perform the job of Pentagon paperpusher without too much complaining.
Anyone checked out the political affilliations of those on the list?
Maybe what took so long is culling those who do not have “the right attitude” towards the current administration, like what was done with the GM dealers?
John
Reminds me of a joke told to me by the VADM at NavSea some years ago.
When the Naval officer asked his son what he wanted to be when he grew up, the son answered – a Navy program manager or a weatherman, Daddy.
Why those two son?
Because those are the only occupations where you can be wrong 80% of the time and still keep your job!
Warrior, poet and priest…though I’ll be goll-darned if I can figure a priest in the Leximon…(-*
Greetings:
Off topic: Have you heard anything about attendees at the US Naval Academy being prohibited from wearing their dress swords at the Graduation ceremonies?
Yes, it’s true. Obama is speaking…although this once, I’ll give him a pass.
This has the hallmarks of Secret Service hysteria. They have a long history of being overzealous, overbearing, and obnoxious. Also insulting.
Talk to the Capitol Police about them and you’ll get an earful.
Non-story – dress swords aren’t worn to graduation anyways.
Why not? Seems like they’d be a fitting piece of kit for officers to be wearing at a service academy grad…
Well, for one thing, newly minted Marine lieutenants don’t get their swords until they report to The Basic School after graduation – you have to go and get “fitted” for them, and the only places that do that (that I know of) are at Quantico.
How precise is the fitting? S-M-L sort of thing, or more individual?
For David, the fitting is much more individual.
It is so that when standing at attention, the tip of the sword blade is level with your eyes.
Uniform is service dress white or service equivalent. Which doesn’t include swords.
Good to know. Will stop talking out of own ass.
I was told the ban on swords had been an Academy policy since 9-11.
From the civilian arena, a leader and representative that I think illustrates what this country needs is Alan Simpson, former Senator from Wyoming. Great interview on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8wED2j8byo
I disagreed with Mr. Simpson in some areas, though I knew that he said what he meant, and meant what he said. Too bad he lost to Trent.
He was in politics, though did not think of himself as a “Politician”, unlike too many in both civilian and military Senior Leadership positions.
Alan did not succumb to the Washington “reward” of power and money. Unlike Reid, Kennedy, Dodd, Frank, Murtha, Pelosi, ad nauseum…. the good ones do not.
Yeah, Ron, Alan Simpson was/is one of the truly “normal” good guy politicians around–and a helluva sense of dry humor. Too bad there aren’t more like him around.
As a newly commissioned Ensign I know I rushed out to buy my sword….when I was an 05 selected for command and realized that for the first time in my navy career I needed to own a really long dull knife for ceremonial purposes. Do you have any idea how much those things cost?!
Yes. Way too damn much; have seen other Canadian officers buying new.
Guessing that there’s not overmuch recycling – swords, once bought, tend to stay in the family?
Well, they never seem to be in the on base Navy Thrift Shop so yeah, I’m guessing they get thrown out when the owner dies along with the plaques, framed photos and all the rest. C’est domage.
My father bought me my sword when I was commissioned. He wanted to give me his, but the Naval swords are “sized” based on the height of the wearer. Dad is about 5’5″ and I’m just around 6’0″.
Also, most of the onces I’ve seen are engraved with the officer’s name, so passing it along doesn’t always work.
If you examine this particular list closely, you kind of wonder what forces were at work in the board. Some really good guys who should have been there were left on the floor.
I’m sure it started with strategic initiatives.
Diversity (Gender, Race, background).
Everything else, secondary.
You may very well be close to the truth……………
At least two names from one of my old squadrons; interesting to note that from my four years there (long story, not germain) three have “fleeted up” to Flag. Must have been the “pity promotions.”
There are always really good guys left on the floor at these things. The pyramid gets a wee bit narrow at the top. There’s also some guys you wouldn’t follow anywhere that get in. Such is life.
I agree. However the trend I’m talking about is that traditional “flag maker” jobs are not making folks flags anymore. If anything the trend is starting to be the opposite-guys are going to hard jobs and their reward for a job well done is…nothing.
I’m not talking about the major command at seas billets-those are entry ticket to get in the door. Its the things they do after that-that used to be considered way stations on the way to flag-and now it would appear that is no longer the case.
Not necessarily right or wrong, but it is interesting how the dynamics are changing.
I worked for two on that list. One is truly great. Pete Gumataotao.
I’d have dove on a grenade for that guy.
Made me do a Kava Ceremony in American Samoa during their Centenial celebration that we hosted! He’s a sailors Sailor.
As an Ensign, I used to think “God, look! An admiral!”
As an O-5/6 the verbiage was the same, but the sentiment has changed some…
…inflection — it’s all in the inflection
- SJS