Tag: United States Navy

Oh My — Don’t Get Fired By The Navy

I have worked with many people who suddenly decided to spend more time with their family or pursue other career opportunities. I never worked for the United States Navy. Holy crap!

I’m going to copy their entire press release on the former commander of the USS San Juan. This is the most brutal dressing down I’ve ever seen.

USS-San-Juan

I have worked with many people who suddenly decided to spend more time with their family or pursue other career opportunities. I never worked for the United States Navy. Holy crap!

I’m going to copy their entire press release on the former commander of the USS San Juan. This is the most brutal dressing down I’ve ever seen.

From Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) — The commanding officer of Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS San Juan (SSN 751) was relieved of duty June 4 by the commander of Submarine Development Squadron 12 at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn.

Cmdr. Joseph Biondi was relieved of command by Capt. Vernon Parks due to a loss of confidence in his ability to serve effectively as commanding officer.

Biondi’s relief was related to shortfalls in professional performance, leading to leadership’s loss of confidence in his ability to serve in a position of command authority.

The Navy holds those in positions of command to very high standards and holds them accountable when those standards are not met.

Biondi, who assumed command April 27, 2012, has been administratively reassigned to the staff of Commander, Submarine Group 2.

Cmdr. Sam Geiger, deputy commander at Submarine Squadron 4, has assumed command of San Juan until a permanent replacement is named. Geiger completed a three-year tour as commanding officer of USS Toledo (SSN 769) May 16.

For more news from Commander Submarine Group 2, visit www.navy.mil/local/Subgru2/.

Wow!

Our Nation’s Hate

As far as I can tell the “facts” in the email are absolutely made up. There is not a shred of truth to it. But, to the sender it doesn’t make any difference because it’s just ammunition in an ideological war.

obama-poll.jpg

Nearly three million people have voted in the MSNBC poll at the top of this entry. It’s non-scientific in its methodology, but it’s incredibly telling nonetheless. Our country has no center in political opinion. The vast majority of the votes are for the two extremes.

We are a nation divided. I love Obama. I hate Obama. There, literally, is no middle ground.

It’s sad because we’ve come to the point where people are so stridently driven by dogma, they’d rather see their ideas used than see success. That is why to many Rush Limbaugh’s January 21 pronouncement is so upsetting and to others so enabling.

So I shamelessly say, no, I want him to fail, if his agenda is a far- left collectivism, some people say socialism, as a conservative heartfelt, deeply, why would I want socialism to succeed?

I have often said I’d use the Psychic Friends Network to forecast the weather if it worked. Rush’s words are the antithesis of that thought.

This morning I got an email from someone I don’t recognize.

News Alert:

The US Navy has stated that the Navy seals could have acted faster and rescued the captain of the Maersk Alabama last week, but had to wait until the White House could confirm that none of the pirates were related to Obama.

That quote comes from a forwarded email nestled within the one sent to me. The sender, the unknown Andre Lefebvre, adds:

That S.O.B. will destroy this country.

You just watch.

One morning, very soon, everybody, in the U. S., will wake-up and find out that they have lost all of their rights and it will be too late to do anything about it.

As far as I can tell the “facts” in the email are absolutely made up. There is not a shred of truth to it. But, to the sender it doesn’t make any difference because it’s just ammunition in an ideological war.

The exact actions the president takes on any given day are much less important to this person than the overall political bent. And, I suspect, he’d say what he said even knowing it was false because it might injure his enemy–Obama.

This country needs to be righted economically. Then we have a whole lot of healing to do. The vitriol and hate from right-to-left and back again isn’t healthy.

Thanks to my friend Woody who sent along the MSNBC poll not realizing it would produce this.

Inferiority Is Complex

Often when I watch the evening news on Channel 8, meteorologist Geoff Fox chirps, “Here’s a look at New London.” What we see is a view of the Groton waterfront with the Groton monument looming in the background. Yet the caption reads “New London.” Is that fair?

submarine.jpgThere’s a column from Carol Kimball in this morning’s “The Day” in Southeastern Connecticut. Carol is lamenting the raw deal given to Groton, the town that shares the lower Thames River with New London.

Though normally mentioned first when both names are said together (Groton/New London), mostly Groton gets the short shrift. The home page for the US Navy’s Submarine Base New London says “Welcome to New London.” It’s actually in Groton.

Groton covers more area than New London – 45.2 square miles to New London’s measly 10.76. Groton’s population surpassed New London’s in 1964, and it still leads, 41,336 to 26,174. Yet somehow New London gets all the glory.

Often when I watch the evening news on Channel 8, meteorologist Geoff Fox chirps, “Here’s a look at New London.” What we see is a view of the Groton waterfront with the Groton monument looming in the background. Yet the caption reads “New London.” Is that fair?

Damn you Weatherboy!

Here’s my response, just emailed to The Day’s office… in New London (it is formerly The New London Day).

Dear Carol –

Good grief – I have impugned Groton! As your story points out, if I were hoping to be pummeled for my omission, I’d be much better off picking the town with fewer people to do the pummeling… and, of course, I have not.

The real reason for the New London mention is, it’s the site of our camera. It is tradition to identify cameras by their location, not the location they’re shooting. That’s why we fight the urge to claim we have a camera on the Moon.

Please take heart with the fact that Connecticut’s summertime high temperatures are lowest on the Southeast Shoreline. Yes, it’s true. So, no matter what others may claim, on most days you’re the coolest people in Connecticut!

You probably already knew that.

All the best,

Geoff Fox

I’m trying not to be Benedict Arnold to a town that was once actually attacked by Benedict Arnold.