So I’ll willingly admit to being a bit of a Young Turk on some naval issues, but I think there are a few concerning trends in opinions regarding the relief of TR’s CO. Thread incoming.

First, a lot of retired folks are swinging that (ret.) around like it’s a command pennant. You’re a civilian now, welcome to thunderdome.

Your service is appreciated and it gives you valuable perspective, but your former career isn’t justification to be a dick. You were probably wrong a lot in uniform too.

Second, and I’m guilty here, passions are running high for a lot of folks. It’s important to recognize there are sides of this story we haven’t heard and information that hasn’t come to light yet.

Third, I think there’s a fairly clear divide between current/former CO’s and current/former JO’s. Someone that’s worn a command pin certainly has a better understanding of that burden, and many have shared stories illustrating the weight of accountability that rests on a CO.

I’m also seeing those same people citing that experience as the thing that gives them clarity that others lack here. We get it, it’s hard, there are big decisions, and sometimes it’s the best of two bad choices.

What I’m not seeing (with rare exceptions) are current/former CO’s engaging with any of this, aside from taking the time to scoff at people that don’t understand why CAPT Crozier was so obviously wrong.

If we assume most JO’s aren’t dumb, and a lot of them are questioning Crozier’s relief, maybe there are some underlying issues here worth addressing?

Is there a perceived culture of retaliation in our navy? (I’d argue yes).

Is the chain of command often unresponsive, or insufficiently agile to react appropriately? (It’s not unknown).

Do we see people get buried or nuked from orbit for sharing actual problems instead of hiding them in bad spreadsheets and meaningless buzzwords? (Yes. Literally all the time.)

Have civil-military relations deteriorated to the point at which it’s only too easy to see this as a political act? (Well we’ve seen one SECNAV immolated, heard the reasoning behind POTUS’ fondness for Acting, and seen SECDEF’s instruction on COVID prevention, soooo...)

If you want to cite your experience, that’s awesome and most of us appreciate the opportunity to learn.

But if you’re an asshole about it, all you’re doing is showing us you were the type of CO none of us would have wanted to work for when you were still around.