Ensign Seeks Release from Subs on Religious Grounds
November 5th, 2010 | Naval Academy Navy nuclear weapons Officers Submarines | Posted by Sam Fellman
Would you push the button and launch a nuclear missile, if ordered to?
By the time Ensign Michael Izbicki was asked this question in a routine psychological screening at nuclear power school, he had had a religious awakening. He had read the book, Choosing Against War: A Christian View, and had embraced pacifistic Quaker beliefs after periods of intense study and reflection.
Izbicki — a 24-year-old Naval Academy graduate, who holds a master’s degree in computer science from John Hopkins University — answered no, he wouldn’t push the red button.
The Navy, however, rejected two of his requests for an honorable discourage as a conscientious objector. Izbicki, having passed nuke school, is now training to be a submariner at Naval Submarine School in Groton, Conn., while appealing not to be a submariner.
He lives in St. Francis House, a pacifist Christian community in New London, Conn. He rejected promotion to lieutenant junior grade “to reduce his connection to the Navy as much as possible,” and is willing to pay the Navy back for his eduction, according to a suit filed on his behalf.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a petition in federal court seeking Izbicki’s honorable discharge on Wednesday, a development first reported by The Hartford Courant.
You really ‘like’ me (social media edition)
October 28th, 2010 | Facebook Navy Officers The deckplates | Posted by Dave Brown
Petty officers are likable folks. You name it, they’ve got it: Bravery, work ethic, patriotism — even lovely singing voices. Now there’s even a Facebook page to prove it. As of this writing, the group dedicated to “liking” petty officers has north of 14,000 “likers,” with the goal of hitting a cool million.
As for the similarly goaled naval officer group? Only 999,993 to go!
Bahrain networks CO fired over ‘inappropriate relationship’
August 21st, 2010 | Officers | Posted by Phil Ewing
The headquarters of Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain. // Navy
The officer responsible for the Navy’s computer networks across the Middle East was fired on Saturday after an investigation discovered she was carrying on “inappropriate relationships” with other people in her command, the service announced.
Cmdr. Mary Ann Giese, of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Bahrain, was relieved of command by Rear Adm. Edward Deets, head of Naval Network Warfare Command, after “a preliminary investigation into allegations that she had been involved in inappropriate relationships with other Navy personnel,” according to a statement from 10th Fleet. “The investigation results call into question Giese’s ability to continue to effectively lead in her command.”
The executive officer of NCTS Bahrain, Lt. Cmdr. Donald E. Hocutt, has temporarily taken command until the Navy names a permanent replacement. The office is the hub of the Navy’s information network in the Middle East, said 10th Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Steve Mavica — it oversees e-mail, secure and non-secure networks, and almost every other information link for Navy units in Central Command. Giese’s relief was not expected to have any effect on the Navy’s computer networks.
Giese, who took command in January 2009, has been temporarily reassigned to the staff of Naval Support Activity Bahrain “pending transfer from Bahrain,” the Navy announcement said.
She is a 1992 graduate of the Naval Academy, according to her official biography, and her career has included posts throughout the Navy’s lesser-known world of information network support: Giese’s tours have included time as the fleet telecommunications operations center watch officer for the Pacific Region Network Operations Center; service on the staff of Carrier Strike Group 12; and as a battle watch captain for Naval Network Warfare Command.
Giese is the 13th skipper fired so far in 2010 and the third since since Aug. 12. Fifteen commanding officers were fired in all of 2009, according to Navy and Navy Times records. Since 2000, 145 Navy skippers have been relieved for cause — or, from 2000 through last year, an average of 13.2 firings per year. The highest annual total over that time span, 26 firings, was recorded in 2003.
As hard core as they come
June 17th, 2010 | leadership Morale NECC Officers | Posted by Lance Bacon
Meet Lt. John Pucillo. This EOD leader lost his left leg above the knee when an IED exploded outside his vehicle in May 2006, in Baghdad. But he didn’t let that hold him back.
Pucillo endured nine grueling months of rehab at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, then returned to active EOD service. He made the U.S. Paralympics Sailing National Team and earned his master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, R.I.
Now, the Bronze Star recipient has added another decoration to crown his fruit salad: Jump wings.
Now, Navy PAOs can take their game to the next level
May 26th, 2010 | Officers | Posted by Phil Ewing
Outstanding Navy public affairs officers such as Lt. Lara Bollinger -- seen here teaching photojournalism principles to students in the Philippines in 2009 -- now can get a new professional credential. // Lt j.g. Theresa Donnelly / Navy
These poor public affairs officers. Reporters are always calling them up on the phone and being all, like, “hey, answer my questions and deal with my crabby attitude, and be quick about it!” Their bosses are always all, “hey, don’t let those scum-suckers in the press write anything bad about me or the admiral!” It’s a job with its share of challenges.
Here’s something that might make it easier — a new credential for PAOs across the force that “will help these communicators further their professional development, while demonstrating their mastery of public relations knowledge, skills and abilities,” according to this announcement. PAOs must submit a “portfolio” and take some computer-based training — just like A School! — among other steps to get the new high-level accreditation.
Take it from us hacks: Improving the fleet’s human PAOs is highly preferable to the alternative:
Seven in Seven
May 7th, 2010 | Carriers Congress Foreign navies leadership Life at Sea Maritime operations Naval Academy Navy NECC Officers Sea Air Space SEALs Ships Submarines The Middle East Washington | Posted by Lance Bacon
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead meets sailors and their families at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tenn. Roughead was in Millington to get a first-hand look at damage sustained from flooding. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ronda Spaulding)
Defense Secretary Robert Gates dropped the bomb of the week. In his first invitation to the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space symposium, Gates suggested a need for cutting carriers, sinking SSBN(X) and eliminating Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles. You can read Gates’ speech here, and find out how this affects you in Monday’s edition of Navy Times.
Speaking of amphibious operations, the personnel bubbas in Millington are starting to dry out. Two days of rain dumped more than 14 inches in the area. A levee couldn’t hold the water back and the base was flooded. This delayed one promotion board and threw many administrative matters into chaos, but the crew weathered the storm in true Navy fashion.
Here’s seven stories in seven minutes from the past seven days that you may not have seen, but are worthy of notice:
Seven in Seven
April 30th, 2010 | Aviation Coast Guard Congress Environment Foreign navies Maritime operations Morale Navy Officers Personnel Pirates Royal Navy Ships Submarines The Pacific Washington | Posted by Lance Bacon
Photo by MCSN Joshua Martin
The Navy nabbed a lot of headlines again this week. Leading the way is news that subs are now officially open to women. In other career news, the active duty master chiefs list was released. The Coast Guard is holding its ground in the oil spill – and against critics. and the Army cancelled the Non-Line of Sight Launch System, which will likely have significant ramifications for the Littoral Combat Ship.
Here’s seven stories in seven minutes from the past seven days that you may not have seen, but are worthy of notice:
North Korea’s meritorious promotion program?
April 26th, 2010 | Foreign navies North Korea Officers The Pacific | Posted by Lance Bacon
Kim Myong-guk was promoted to general in 1994, but was demoted in January (picture at right). Now, he's a four-star again, and South Korea is suspicious ...
In January, former North Korean four-star Kim Myong Guk was seen wearing only three stars on his collar. Most analysts believed he had been held accountable for North Korea’s loss to South Korea in a naval skirmish off the west coast in November.
But North Korean television footage and photographs released over the weekend find the 70-year-old fielding that fourth star once more.
The JoongAng Daily, a daily paper printed in Seoul, reported Monday that the demotion-to-promotion turnaround was related to the March 26 sinking of a South Korean naval ship near the western sea border with the North.
“It is extremely rare for a general who wasn’t included in the major promotion to move up a rank in a separate move,” a South Korean government official was quoted as saying.
Kim was not among generals in major promotions of generals conducted twice earlier this month.
The South Korean government has not officially accused North Korea of sinking the 1,200-ton Cheonan, but a North Korean torpedo attack — possibly a three-person “human torpedo” — has been suspected as the cause.
The Admiral to the end
April 22nd, 2010 | Historical leadership Navy Officers | Posted by Lance Bacon
In the April 26 edition of Time Magazine, ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer answers 10 questions from readers regarding her decades as a journalist.
Rome Ibera, of Dumont, N.J., asked “What has been your most difficult interview so far?”
Sawyer answered:
Admiral Hyman Rickover. He was in his 80s at the time. He’s the father of the nuclear Navy, and he famously tried to destabilize you when you were in his presence. I introduced [the segment] by saying how brilliant he was, and he said, ‘It’s not that I’m so smart. It’s that you’re so dumb.’ And that’s how we began.”
Indeed, Rickover remained “the kindly old gentleman” to the end.
A day aboard Truman — the Skipper
March 30th, 2010 | Aviation Carriers Chow leadership Life at Sea Maritime operations Navy Officers | Posted by Lance Bacon
Scoop Deck blogger Lance M. Bacon just completed a 24-hour embark aboard the carrier Harry S Truman. This is the play-by-play.
0600
Reveille, reveille! All hands heave out and trice up. Reveille!
Truman’s 65-ton rudders are cutting through some choppier waters. It makes for a gentle rocking motion that invites one to remain in the rack. But Scoop Deck has claimed one of the 18,150 meals that will be prepared aboard Truman today, and we plan to enjoy it on the enlisted mess decks. There’s no way we’re going to miss that.
Capt. Joe Clarkson has been at Truman’s helm since February 2009. He has has more than 3,000 hours in the A-7E Corsair, the Hornet and the Super Hornet. (Photo by Lance M. Bacon)
0730
Imagine being an NFL coach who has a team at the top of its game. It clinches a playoff spot early, only to be told to pause for six months. Then, when play resumes, the team has lost 25 percent of its All-Pro starters.
Capt. Joe Clarkson, Truman’s skipper, knows all too well how that feels.