Four readers penned letters to the editor for the March 9 issue of Navy Times. Have thoughts you'd like to share on Navy Times articles or letters? Send them to navylet@navytimes.com. Include your name, address, phone number and rank. Submissions may be published in print and online.
LEADERSHIP LACKING
What has happened to leadership and moral courage in the Navy?
In the Feb. 16 issue, we read "GDMA probe jams up dozens of Navy flag moves." Dozens of flag officers under federal investigation for potential wrongdoing in the Glenn Defense Marine Asia case? This is quickly becoming a sinkhole, a case that has played out over a score of years, maybe more, possibly involving commanding or other very senior officers of our mightiest ships, some of whom may have gone on to major Navy or joint command assignments.
Details of this case strike me as horrific during peacetime but, in a wartime setting, passing on such information as was alleged to have happened here could be considered treasonous. If there are convictions, such behavior should be subject to the strongest penalties.
Captains and admirals possibly on the take? I hope not, but welcome to the new reality of today. As a former commanding officer, I find even the hint of inappropriate behavior involving the number of individuals mentioned in the article almost beyond the pale. Assuming that many of those under federal investigation may be Naval Academy graduates, I ask, whatever happened to the academy's honor code that you swore to uphold?
This article, and others over the past year, almost suggests that certain jobs came with participation expected, or at least offered, and perhaps a perk — a virtual "pass down" offered — with different levels of "consideration" provided. It is also possible that some of the dozens under scrutiny may have declined such offers, but failed to report them. That, too, is an honor code violation. How pathetic.
Were I SECNAV or SECDEF, any admiral or captain found guilty of participating in this gambit would, at the least, have his retirement grade downgraded to LCDR or below, his retirement pay would match his new pay grade, and his honorable discharge would be reclassified to "general". One hopes there will be no convictions after a thorough investigatory process because no more misbehavior will be found.
Then there is the Feb. 23 article, "A career in jeopardy: Destroyer XO, lauded by his crew, fights to save his reputation." Cmdr. Ed Handley, according to a plethora of comments from his ship's crew and others, upheld the highest traditions of the Navy.
In large part due to his hands-on leadership, and despite the ship being deployed for 70 percent of the year in 2014, the ship scored higher than the fleet average in 19 of 20 warfare areas, yet Cmdr. Handley has been torpedoed en route to commanding officer leadership school. He has been held responsible for two incidents more than a month beyond his XO assignment aboard the destroyer James E. Williams.
Capt. Stephen Coughlin, then COMDESRON 2, recommended him for command, saying "Ed Handley is the best XO in DESRON 2." That just about says it all.
He held to tough, top of the line standards through a rigorous Board of Inspection and Survey and an exercise in Europe in the last six months before leaving on another deployment.
Shame on Capt. Fred Pyle, new CO at DESRON 2, and Rear Adm. Andrew Lewis for retrofitting a guilty verdict to an outstanding XO. I view their behavior akin to separating the wheat from the chaff, and discarding the wheat.
I would be delighted to have Cmdr. Handley's talents on any ship or shore command I would have.
Capt. Craig Kopstain
Mount Prospect, Ill.
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NIX 'BOOTS ON THE GROUND'
The media often reverts to shorthand when reporting continuous news stories. Many of these shorthand expressions are detached and impersonal.
The current and primary offender of this practice is the expression, "boots on the ground." This phrase has become ubiquitous, repeated by not only every media outlet, but political leaders and unfortunately even some of our military, who should know better.
Those in uniform are insulted by equating them to footwear versus living, human warriors. Boots don't die, suffer traumatic injuries or leave their families behind; men and women fighting for our freedoms do all that.
Our men and women of character, all volunteers, comprising less than 1 percent of our population, have committed their lives to this nation and its protection without qualification or thought of personal gain.
They are not abstract, disposable pieces of leather or military equipment that can be so cavalierly dismissed, such as saying, "Send in another 1,000 boots on the ground!" They are, as they have been in every generation that has answered the call, the best and brightest, and yes, the most selfless in their commitment to duty, honor and country.
Call them what they are, and do it with dignity, respect and appreciation for their service in harm's way. They are "American ground troops" — not boots. They are men and women of the United States Army and Marine Corps. They are America's finest, and should be so acknowledged, as should all those who serve on the ground, in the air and on the sea!
Air Force Col. Richard D. Iversen (ret.)
Anacortes, Wash.
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BOOST THE PAY RAISE
The Pentagon's minimal pay raise of 1.3 percent for members of all five services is just a slap in the face — again.
The pay and benefit package should be the same percentage pay raise as all the politicians and civil service personal get each year for doing their job for the taxpayers of this country.
All the service members never know when they will be deployed to protect this country or any other country in the world. These service members serve 24 hours a day for your protection.
Coast Guard BMCM Larry F. Haydon (ret.)
Creston, Wash.
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VETTING NATURALIZED CITIZENS
I am incensed over the manner in which military officials are vetting naturalized citizens into our military.
Over the years we have seen many incidents of Islamic members of the military going awry, in the U.S. and abroad. Haven't we learned anything from this? If nothing else, it can lead to breaches of security and provide vital information to the enemy, affecting many American lives.
I understand we need them as translators and intel officers, but there has to be a better way. As a former military investigator,
I know it can be extremely difficult to know the true allegiance of a foreign-born individual from an Islamic state. Anyone can come up with realistic looking documents, especially in this age of technology.
I feel it's not worth the risks, and the results can be catastrophic.
MA1 Sonny Tannenbaum (ret.)
Staten Island, N.Y.
