- Joined
- Jan 14, 2018
It's interesting how Trump handled the Crozier/Modly spat
![]()
'I hate seeing bad things happen': Trump approves of Navy secretary's resignation, says it's a 'really unselfish thing'
"He made a mistake, but he had a bad day," Trump said of Capt. Brett Crozier. "I hate seeing bad things happen, man made a mistake."www.businessinsider.com
Couldn't put it better myself really. Crozier screwed up by circulating the letter outside the chain of command but 'he'd had a bad day'. Trump wouldn't have fired Modly but he did commend him for his 'really unselfish act' in stepping down.
USNI article with captures of all the resignation letters
https://archive.vn/lIXd4![]()
UPDATED: Modly Resigns Amidst Carrier Roosevelt Controversy; Army Undersecretary to Serve as Acting SECNAV - USNI News
This post has been updated to include Thomas Modly’s resignation letter and reactions from members of Congress. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly has resigned from his post after a day and a half of widespread criticism surrounding the removal of the commander of an aircraft carrier that...news.usni.org
https://web.archive.org/save/https:...ignation-amidst-carrier-roosevelt-controversy
This is actually a really interesting situation - those sailors applauding Crozier seemed to imply that, horror of horrors, a mutiny wasn't out of the question. Clearly, Modly had to go. Especially after this speech.
They should do some Starship Troopers shit like have Modly's replacement bust Crozier down to private for leaking the letter and tipping the Bugs off to a possible military weakness but then putting him back in charge of the ship because he's shown he cares about his men. Which, looking at it, means they'd have to make him a Captain again.
No, a mutiny wouldn't have happened. There have been some very toxic commanders of US Navy vessels, but no mutinies. What happens is crew members start filing complaints with the Inspector General or sending complaints to their Congressperson/Senator. "Congressionals" get a lot of attention by the top brass. Investigation is held and commander is relieved of duty. Navy relieves more ship commanders than might be thought, for a number of reasons.
In the US military officers are not demoted. Acts that might warrant demotion are normally offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). If convicted, instead of demotion, an officer can be dismissed from the service, in addition to going to prison. Dismissal also means a dishonorable discharge. There could be other punishments, including a sentence of no punishment. All depends on the individual case. Oh, private isn't a Navy rank, that's a ground forces rank.
My guess - there will be an investigation into all of this. Captain Crozier will retire. No UCMJ action. But Modly needed to go. He was no leader, just a boss who was an inconsiderate asshole. One primary tenet of leadership, least as I carried it out on active duty, is treating everyone with courtesy and respect. Modly's rant and rave was the exact opposite. If you need to get on someone, you do it in private, and you sure as hell don't launch a profanity-filled rant at the crew. trying to tear down a very well-liked former skipper. Your public addresses need to be the kind that get people pumped up, not piss them off royally. Not difficult to do.
Most assholes have to work pretty hard at being assholes. So much easier, and so much less work, to treat everyone with courtesy and respect, and deal with the shitheads by exception.