By What is the United States Navy to do with its own version of Captain Bligh?
The civilian attorney for a cruiser skipper fired for cruelty and mistreatment of her crew told a board of inquiry in his opening statement Tuesday that his client had been the victim of a sexist and vengeful wardroom of incompetent officers and an inspector general’s investigation with a foregone conclusion.
Charles Gittins told a panel of three rear admirals at the Washington Navy Yard that Capt. Holly Graf inherited the “worst ship on the waterfront” and a wardroom that was “largely incompetent.” He said that under her command, the cruiser Cowpens was transformed into one of the best ships in the Pacific Fleet. He argued that Graf’s leadership style was stern, but that it was poorly received by men.
“She was direct and harsh towards men, and they weren’t used to it,” he said.
The panel will hear the case and recommend whether to allow Graf to continue her service; it could also make a recommendation whether she should be allowed to retire at her current paygrade. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will have the final say in the decision.
Graf was relieved of command after she was found to have berated, belittled and assaulted her subordinates, failed to qualify her junior officers and refused to speak to people she was mad at for days to weeks at a time, according to a Navy inspector general’s report.- Navy Times
Time Magazine had a long feature on Captain Graf earlier this year. The article while flawed(Mark Thompson ignorance about the military is apparent on more than one occasion) portrays Graf as out of control. The accounts of a Chaplain and a retired commander who served with Graf were pretty damning.
After reading several articles on Captain Graf, if I was on the board of inquiry I’d vote for keelhauling early retirement for Graf. She is a disgrace to the Navy.
3:38 am on December 1st, 2010 1
Bligh was an arrogant so-and-so but an outstanding seaman. Comparing Graf with him demeans him…
3:57 am on December 1st, 2010 2
Lesbians
4:09 am on December 1st, 2010 3
http://www.militarycorruption.com/hollygraf5.htm
4:09 am on December 1st, 2010 4
http://www.susankatzkeating.com/2010/01/captain-h…
4:10 am on December 1st, 2010 5
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world/holly-g…
4:32 am on December 1st, 2010 6
When your career is on the line, blame your XO!
8:30 am on December 1st, 2010 7
You'd better believe the PC police will be out in full force for this one.
8:49 am on December 1st, 2010 8
Maybe she will chain herself to the White House fence (in uniform) in order to get reinstated.
10:20 am on December 1st, 2010 9
"…she was found to have berated, belittled and assaulted her subordinates, failed to qualify her junior officers and refused to speak to people she was mad at for days to weeks at a time…"
Sounds a bit like my wife at a certain time of month.
10:55 am on December 1st, 2010 10
If she really assaulted her subordinates, that's beyond the pale. And it's like totally politically incorrect, so buck her.
12:36 pm on December 1st, 2010 11
Thought I would note Graf has just the right attorney. Gittens represented Commander Scott Waddle during the USS Greeneville/Ehime Maru disaster. Anyone who can get a sub skipper off the hook for sinking a Japanese civilian ship 56 years after the end of World War II has got to be worth his salt
!
12:53 pm on December 1st, 2010 12
Holly Graf was said to be slime
who wouldn't speak for weeks at a time.
This was a wonderful start,
to blend duty and art.
She was a captain as well as a mime.
1:55 pm on December 1st, 2010 13
I doubt the PC police will back her up after smushing a whale and throwing binders at people.
Beyond that, she would be perfect as a Korean teacher. Her behaviour (choking people, throwing cups, screaming) reminds me of Korean teachers here all the time. Gyeonggi POE should send her an contract!
8:39 pm on December 1st, 2010 14
CH is quite the limerick meister however I prefer haiku.
Captain Holly Graf
end result of politics
goal of feminists
Not as amusing perhaps…
1:20 am on December 2nd, 2010 15
angry cuunt dyyke biitch
stereotype reinforced
men nod heads and smile
3:16 am on December 2nd, 2010 16
@setnaffa, #1:
I agree. Having said that, after reading the Time article, Holly Graf evokes Lcdr. Philip Francis Queeg of "Caine Mutiny" fame.
3:58 am on December 2nd, 2010 17
15 ChickenHead, Yes I was thinking all of that as I smiled and knowingly nodded my head.
I have know the Army sisters of this type before. More than a few of them. Sadly for me.
There was one that I found a defence for. I forget what it's called: the dried squid. She couldn't stand the smell of it. So I walked around with a bag of it in my cargo pocket. Whenever I saw her coming my way, I'd pull a piece out and start chewing. She would do a 180 and leave me in peace.
Ignorant, angry, good for nothing female in uniform. But there were one or two during my TWENTY FRIGGING YEARS that were worth their paycheck.
4:21 am on December 2nd, 2010 18
haiku is correct
in a place of good thinkers
sometimes less is more
5:50 am on December 2nd, 2010 19
Gittens has a perfect defense he is probably saving to the end – Just say she is Gay and they cannot give her the boot.
5:51 am on December 2nd, 2010 20
Many formats now
I use the five seven five
more traditional?
1:50 pm on December 2nd, 2010 21
In deep kimchi
Incompetent skipper
Blame the subordinates
10:21 pm on December 2nd, 2010 22
#22 Corn nuts, the loudest snack devised by man. Potato chips give you one or two good crunches but Corn nuts sound like you are walking through gravel for 15-20 seconds. Then you pop another handfull in your mouth. Big bag, inexpensive, okay on calories but high on sodium. A very effective weapon for snack allowable environments.
3:42 am on December 3rd, 2010 23
“There was one that I found a defence for. I forget what it’s called: the dried squid. She couldn’t stand the smell of it. So I walked around with a bag of it in my cargo pocket. Whenever I saw her coming my way, I’d pull a piece out and start chewing. She would do a 180 and leave me in peace.”
8:23 am on December 3rd, 2010 24
22…Teadrinker, I love the smell of dried squid in the morning. Smells like — Peace.
11:04 am on December 3rd, 2010 25
A bad wardroom wouldn't justify cruelty and mistreatment of subordinates. But I wonder, did she really inherit a bad wardroom? Are there any facts supporting or refuting that claim?
3:59 pm on December 3rd, 2010 26
25#
In all likelihood, the alibi, err- excuse, is complete and utter nonsense.
4:04 pm on December 3rd, 2010 27
From wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardroom
The wardroom is the mess-cabin of naval commissioned officers above the rank of sub-lieutenant. The term the wardroom is also used to refer to (metonymically) those individuals with the right to occupy that wardroom, meaning "the officers of the wardroom".[1] Since 1948, ward-rooms have been used by warrant officers as well as commissioned officers.[2] The junior officers' equivalent is the gunroom.
It provides a place of recreation as well as being a dining room. Usually, a galley or scullery adjoins the wardroom. Service is provided by stewards. There is usually a bar, where drinks can be purchased. Ships can be either "wet" or "dry": the former allowing the consumption of alcohol at sea, while the latter only allows alcohol when alongside at port, if at all.
Wardrooms have rules governing etiquette. Traditionally considered taboo are three topics: politics, religion, and sex (earlier guidebooks referred to the latter as ladies). On large ships in peacetime, talking about professional business is frowned upon. It is also considered inappropriate to perform work or to meet with subordinates in a wardroom.
The ship's executive officer is usually the mess president. The commanding officer is normally not a member of the wardroom, but is normally invited to join the members for special occasions.
There's the problem right there, letting women into the wardroom in the first place.
2:47 am on December 4th, 2010 28
Leon LaPorte 27, what’s a sub-lieutenant? Somebody like Tom?