SFC A.M. Drake 362795 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Navy's Fired Skippers Often Maintain Their Rank<br />Capt. Wayne Brown addresses the crew and guests of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer during a change-of-command ceremony July 3, 2014, on the ship's flight deck. Robert R. Sanchez/Navy<br />Dec 08, 2014<br />Stars and Stripes, by Matthew M. Burke<br /><br />In the past five years, 90 Navy skippers have been relieved of duty for indiscretions ranging from driving under the influence to having inappropriate relationships.<br />But for Navy officers, losing your job doesn’t always end your career.<br />Based on information provided by the Navy, Stars and Stripes has found that 53 percent of all officers relieved of command since 2010 still put on the uniform each day, most without loss of rank.<br />Navy Cmdr. Larry Gonzales was relieved of leadership duties aboard the USS Chafee in 2009 after he was investigated for groping a subordinate and carrying on an inappropriate relationship. In 2011, he became deputy director of research and analysis at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in Hawaii.<br />In 2011, Cmdr. Timothy Murphy was relieved from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 after police cited him for driving under the influence. He later became a program team leader at the F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler Program Office in Maryland.<br />Last year, Capt. Lance Massey II was relieved as maintenance commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing for inappropriate behavior with female staff. Though he’s no longer in command, Massey is still with the 33rd.<br />While retaining commanding officers accused of inappropriate and sometimes illegal actions might look suspicious, naval scholars suggest cases must be examined individually.<br />The evidence and how each case is adjudicated ultimately determines the fate of those relieved.<br />Admirals looking at a case of alleged wrongdoing have two options, according to Navy Capt. Michael Junge, a military professor at the U.S. Naval War College who has been studying commander reliefs for more than a decade. They can pursue military charges and proceed to a court-martial — where a conviction could result in total separation from the military — or they can relieve a commander administratively. The latter is sometimes easier, especially if the evidence is weak.<br />Officials at the Navy Personnel Command declined to comment on the individual cases, instead referring Stars and Stripes to lower commands, which largely did not respond to requests for comment.<br />Junge said administrative actions would not necessarily make it into the sailor’s file, and therefore, the sailor would not be separated from the Navy.<br />An arrest for drunken driving or groping a colleague’s wife would likely see an officer relieved of command but not forced out of the service, Junge said. It’s likely, however, they would never command again and their career would be adversely affected.<br />“In the modern Navy, an officer relieved of their command doesn’t go on to command again,” he said. But, “if it isn’t a clear criminal act, then there’s no reason to send these guys out.”<br />Junge said the number of commanding officers who misbehave makes up a very small percentage of those who serve. Like in the civilian world, he believes some crimes or incidents of wrongdoing are mistakes, where relief of command is punishment enough. In some cases, it is better to help the individual and retain their almost 20 years’ experience, knowledge and training.<br />“Just because we have a zero-tolerance policy doesn’t mean you’re automatically fired,” he said. “Firing might not be the right answer all the time.”<br />One area that is often perplexing to Junge is who can fire whom. Sometimes an admiral will relieve a commanding officer but leave the commander’s immediate supervisor out of the loop. Other times, the immediate supervisor does the firing.<br />“It’s all over the place,” Junge said. “It’s hard to see who’s in charge.”<br />In 2009, 12 Navy commanders were fired, according to Navy information provided to Stars and Stripes. Personnel Command officials did not respond to requests detailing which commanders were still employed in the Navy.<br />In 2010, 17 commanders were fired, Navy officials said. As of February 2014, five of them were still in the Navy.<br />They include Cmdr. Jeff Cima, who was relieved from command of the USS Chicago for drunkenness in 2010, Navy officials said. As of February, he was working at the U.S. Mission to NATO in Brussels. Cmdr. Herman Pfaeffle was relieved of command after hitting a pier in the USS John L. Hall, but now is in Naval Operations.<br />Capt. Ronald Gero, commanding officer of the USS Ohio, was relieved by Rear Adm. James Caldwell due to a loss of confidence in Gero’s ability to command.<br />Loss of confidence is a response often used by Navy leadership to remove a commander early into a misconduct investigation, according to Navy spokesman Lt. Chika Onyekanne.<br />It is also used to remove a commander when there is not enough evidence to pursue formal charges. The information as to what the commander allegedly did is then often protected.<br />“‘Loss of confidence’ is a legitimate reason for a CO firing,” Onyekanne wrote to Stars and Stripes. “In many cases/situations the investigation of the incident, such as misconduct, is early in the process and ongoing. Relieving the CO also allows continuity of leadership at the command while decreasing and/or minimizing the possible distraction (at the command) of an ongoing investigation.”<br />Also in 2010, Cmdr. Charles Maher was relieved from the USS Memphis during the investigation of a cheating ring, Navy officials said. He was later hired at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.<br />Lt. Cmdr. James Rushton was relieved from the minesweeper the USS Chief for fraternization with the executive officer to close out 2010. Earlier this year, he was stationed at Tactical Training Group Pacific.<br />In 2011, 23 commanders were relieved of their command for cause, Navy officials said. The number who were able to stay in doubled from the previous year to 10.<br />In addition to Murphy, Cmdr. Nathan Borchers was relieved from the USS Stout for a pattern of unprofessional behavior in overseas ports, according to Navy officials. He recently held a position at the Strategic Command at Colorado Springs.<br />Capt. William Mosk was relieved from Naval Station Rota after his command lost confidence he could effectively oversee an investigation. He wound up at Commander Carrier Strike Group 9.<br />Cmdr. Dave Koss was responsible for a low-flying maneuver, Cmdr. Michael Varney mishandled classified information, Cmdr. Karl Pugh was disciplined in an alcohol-related incident and Cmdr. Laredo Bell was cited for drunken driving. All remained in the service.<br />The reasons behind the firings of Cmdr. Joseph Nosse, Lt. Cmdr. Martin Holguin and Cmdr. Jonathan Jackson were cited as loss of confidence.<br />In 2012, 26 commanders were relieved for cause, Navy officials said. Of those, 14 were allowed to remain in the service, jumping to 54 percent from 43 percent the previous year.<br />Cmdr. Diego Hernandez was relieved for mishandling classified materials, Cmdr. Derick Armstrong for sexual harassment and fraternization, and Cmdr. Michael Ward for an extramarital affair. The justifications behind many of the firings have not been released.<br />From January 2013 through February 2014, 22 commanders were relieved, 21 in 2013 alone, Navy officials said. Nearly all of them (82 percent) remain in the Navy today. 2014-12-09T18:19:41-05:00 SFC A.M. Drake 362795

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Navy's Fired Skippers Often Maintain Their Rank<br />Capt. Wayne Brown addresses the crew and guests of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer during a change-of-command ceremony July 3, 2014, on the ship's flight deck. Robert R. Sanchez/Navy<br />Dec 08, 2014<br />Stars and Stripes, by Matthew M. Burke<br /><br />In the past five years, 90 Navy skippers have been relieved of duty for indiscretions ranging from driving under the influence to having inappropriate relationships.<br />But for Navy officers, losing your job doesn’t always end your career.<br />Based on information provided by the Navy, Stars and Stripes has found that 53 percent of all officers relieved of command since 2010 still put on the uniform each day, most without loss of rank.<br />Navy Cmdr. Larry Gonzales was relieved of leadership duties aboard the USS Chafee in 2009 after he was investigated for groping a subordinate and carrying on an inappropriate relationship. In 2011, he became deputy director of research and analysis at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in Hawaii.<br />In 2011, Cmdr. Timothy Murphy was relieved from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 after police cited him for driving under the influence. He later became a program team leader at the F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler Program Office in Maryland.<br />Last year, Capt. Lance Massey II was relieved as maintenance commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing for inappropriate behavior with female staff. Though he’s no longer in command, Massey is still with the 33rd.<br />While retaining commanding officers accused of inappropriate and sometimes illegal actions might look suspicious, naval scholars suggest cases must be examined individually.<br />The evidence and how each case is adjudicated ultimately determines the fate of those relieved.<br />Admirals looking at a case of alleged wrongdoing have two options, according to Navy Capt. Michael Junge, a military professor at the U.S. Naval War College who has been studying commander reliefs for more than a decade. They can pursue military charges and proceed to a court-martial — where a conviction could result in total separation from the military — or they can relieve a commander administratively. The latter is sometimes easier, especially if the evidence is weak.<br />Officials at the Navy Personnel Command declined to comment on the individual cases, instead referring Stars and Stripes to lower commands, which largely did not respond to requests for comment.<br />Junge said administrative actions would not necessarily make it into the sailor’s file, and therefore, the sailor would not be separated from the Navy.<br />An arrest for drunken driving or groping a colleague’s wife would likely see an officer relieved of command but not forced out of the service, Junge said. It’s likely, however, they would never command again and their career would be adversely affected.<br />“In the modern Navy, an officer relieved of their command doesn’t go on to command again,” he said. But, “if it isn’t a clear criminal act, then there’s no reason to send these guys out.”<br />Junge said the number of commanding officers who misbehave makes up a very small percentage of those who serve. Like in the civilian world, he believes some crimes or incidents of wrongdoing are mistakes, where relief of command is punishment enough. In some cases, it is better to help the individual and retain their almost 20 years’ experience, knowledge and training.<br />“Just because we have a zero-tolerance policy doesn’t mean you’re automatically fired,” he said. “Firing might not be the right answer all the time.”<br />One area that is often perplexing to Junge is who can fire whom. Sometimes an admiral will relieve a commanding officer but leave the commander’s immediate supervisor out of the loop. Other times, the immediate supervisor does the firing.<br />“It’s all over the place,” Junge said. “It’s hard to see who’s in charge.”<br />In 2009, 12 Navy commanders were fired, according to Navy information provided to Stars and Stripes. Personnel Command officials did not respond to requests detailing which commanders were still employed in the Navy.<br />In 2010, 17 commanders were fired, Navy officials said. As of February 2014, five of them were still in the Navy.<br />They include Cmdr. Jeff Cima, who was relieved from command of the USS Chicago for drunkenness in 2010, Navy officials said. As of February, he was working at the U.S. Mission to NATO in Brussels. Cmdr. Herman Pfaeffle was relieved of command after hitting a pier in the USS John L. Hall, but now is in Naval Operations.<br />Capt. Ronald Gero, commanding officer of the USS Ohio, was relieved by Rear Adm. James Caldwell due to a loss of confidence in Gero’s ability to command.<br />Loss of confidence is a response often used by Navy leadership to remove a commander early into a misconduct investigation, according to Navy spokesman Lt. Chika Onyekanne.<br />It is also used to remove a commander when there is not enough evidence to pursue formal charges. The information as to what the commander allegedly did is then often protected.<br />“‘Loss of confidence’ is a legitimate reason for a CO firing,” Onyekanne wrote to Stars and Stripes. “In many cases/situations the investigation of the incident, such as misconduct, is early in the process and ongoing. Relieving the CO also allows continuity of leadership at the command while decreasing and/or minimizing the possible distraction (at the command) of an ongoing investigation.”<br />Also in 2010, Cmdr. Charles Maher was relieved from the USS Memphis during the investigation of a cheating ring, Navy officials said. He was later hired at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.<br />Lt. Cmdr. James Rushton was relieved from the minesweeper the USS Chief for fraternization with the executive officer to close out 2010. Earlier this year, he was stationed at Tactical Training Group Pacific.<br />In 2011, 23 commanders were relieved of their command for cause, Navy officials said. The number who were able to stay in doubled from the previous year to 10.<br />In addition to Murphy, Cmdr. Nathan Borchers was relieved from the USS Stout for a pattern of unprofessional behavior in overseas ports, according to Navy officials. He recently held a position at the Strategic Command at Colorado Springs.<br />Capt. William Mosk was relieved from Naval Station Rota after his command lost confidence he could effectively oversee an investigation. He wound up at Commander Carrier Strike Group 9.<br />Cmdr. Dave Koss was responsible for a low-flying maneuver, Cmdr. Michael Varney mishandled classified information, Cmdr. Karl Pugh was disciplined in an alcohol-related incident and Cmdr. Laredo Bell was cited for drunken driving. All remained in the service.<br />The reasons behind the firings of Cmdr. Joseph Nosse, Lt. Cmdr. Martin Holguin and Cmdr. Jonathan Jackson were cited as loss of confidence.<br />In 2012, 26 commanders were relieved for cause, Navy officials said. Of those, 14 were allowed to remain in the service, jumping to 54 percent from 43 percent the previous year.<br />Cmdr. Diego Hernandez was relieved for mishandling classified materials, Cmdr. Derick Armstrong for sexual harassment and fraternization, and Cmdr. Michael Ward for an extramarital affair. The justifications behind many of the firings have not been released.<br />From January 2013 through February 2014, 22 commanders were relieved, 21 in 2013 alone, Navy officials said. Nearly all of them (82 percent) remain in the Navy today.

2014-12-09T18:19:41-05:00 2014-12-09T18:19:41-05:00 SGT Kyle Taylor 363089

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Not a whole lot of responses coming in on this one. I am going to have to say I think there is for sure.

2014-12-09T21:06:21-05:00 2014-12-09T21:06:21-05:00 SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member 363104

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Let's face it, if an enlisted member committed some of these offenses they would be bounced out of the military. The Military spends a huge amount of money to educate officers and no matter what your personal opinion is of them, they are humans just like enlisted are. Just because an officer makes a mistake doesn't mean the Military is going to necessarily send them on their way. Sometimes they get shuffled off to different duties to reflect on why they became officers in the first place and that often fixes the problem. I had a base Commander that had a DUI early in his career, but he made O-6 and will probably pin on a star or two. Just because he made a mistake, doesn't mean he's a bad officer and for those of you that feel you may be above reproach, just remember that the next time you make a mistake.....

2014-12-09T21:17:00-05:00 2014-12-09T21:17:00-05:00 Cpl Phil Hsueh 524653

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I think it's wrong, if you mess up, and mess up big time that should be it, especially if it's something that would get an enlisted person kicked out. Sure, the military has spent a lot of time and money on training officers but just because they rate a salute and are called m'am or sir shouldn't mean that they don't have to follow the rules. It sets a bad example, is bad for morale and only helps to further the cultural divide between officers and enlisted. Yes, officers and enlisted shouldn't be all buddy and pals but at the same time there should be a rapport and a certain amount of mutual respect but it would be very hard to develop that respect that if one or the other felt that the rules didn't apply to the other side or applied differently.

2015-03-11T14:54:43-04:00 2015-03-11T14:54:43-04:00 SSG John Erny 610317

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Have you as an enlisted person ever been in an officers club, it is like the Taj Mahal on the inside. I got to go to the one on Ft. Devins just after they closed the base, they kept it opened because the base was still being used by guard and reserve soldiers. They let every one in at that point.

2015-04-22T17:11:13-04:00 2015-04-22T17:11:13-04:00 CSM Michael Lynch 610347

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Wow if that isn't a double standard I don't know what is, I'm stupefied how that could even happen. At a loss for words, my head is trying to wrap around some of those that not only ends an enlisted mans career but takes rank and money as well, not to mention time in the slammer. I have seen Officers lose rank for some instances, it can be taken depending on when the incident occurred and be forced out, but the can go from BG busted down to COL because that was the last rank the performed in "honorably". <br /><br />Some of these cases listed in the post make you think, what did they do for punishment to their enlisted members that violated the same rules they did over the years. Wow

2015-04-22T17:25:19-04:00 2015-04-22T17:25:19-04:00 SGT Richard H. 610380

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Here's my take on whether rank has it's privilege:<br /><br />My whole life, both in the Military and beyond, I've always looked at the guy above me and thought "Man, that guy has it good. I'm going to bust ass and get that job" and that's exactly what I did. Every time I got that job, without exception, once I got there I found out that guy didn't have it so easy. There's a reason why it pays more!

2015-04-22T17:43:09-04:00 2015-04-22T17:43:09-04:00 SSgt Private RallyPoint Member 628456

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I definitely feel that rank matters, though do not feel that it always should. I have a good story about this that fits along nicely.<br /><br />Deployed to Talil, Iraq, the base commander was an O6 who was strict about the no sexual contact part of G01B. Every week emails came out about people doing stupid stuff and getting in trouble detailing what they did and what their punishment was. The most common one was getting caught having sex, which always resulted in an Article 15 and being sent home to start the separation process, regardless of rank. Then one day a photo was found on a SrA's phone that she had taken while having sex with the O6. What happened to the O6? He was relieved of his command, and placed 2nd in command under another O6. That was it. Yet even after this, Article 15's and separation were imposed on anyone else who were caught committing the same offense.

2015-04-29T11:55:39-04:00 2015-04-29T11:55:39-04:00 MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca 629099

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I think the privilege only comes into being at the E-9 (CSM)/O-7 grades because there seems to be a paradigm shift at the &quot;coronation&quot; ceremony. I made it to major and the only &quot;privilege&quot; I can recall was being called sir.

2015-04-29T14:42:33-04:00 2015-04-29T14:42:33-04:00 PO1 Glenn Boucher 753359

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Of course it does and anyone who thinks otherwise is just fooling themselves.<br />Than being said, I do understand that anyone can be caught up in a situation that is illegal or inappropriate. I saw a lot of enlisted sailors get busted for DUI, they spent part of a night in jail waiting on bail, went to court and paid the fines, it happens when you make bad judgments and if you learn from it you can move on, its when you get caught again or repeatedly for DUI then there is a problem and I feel it would be time to separate them person from the service.<br />Lapses in judgment happen, were human, its when you repeatedly have lapses in judgment that makes you unfit to serve.<br />I do not know about the other services but in the Navy Chiefs are appointed by Congress as the selection list is approved by Congress so in essence it does take an act of Congress to reduce an E-7 and above to a lower rank.<br />If you wear a uniform then you are held to a higher standard, its our choice to sign on the dotted line and live by the rules.

2015-06-17T15:00:56-04:00 2015-06-17T15:00:56-04:00 LCDR Private RallyPoint Member 882008

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I have to agree with Major Petrarca on this one-If there's shennanigans, it's well above field and company grade. I've seen lots of folks, of all ranks, get some long ropes to hang themselves...and seen pretty stellar sailors get the noose for no better reason than their commands were too scared to fight for them at the adjudication.

2015-08-11T16:15:43-04:00 2015-08-11T16:15:43-04:00 Capt Jeff S. 7013673

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Of course, rank has it privileges because it also has increased responsibility. When I was a junior enlisted, I could get away with saying, &quot;I don&#39;t know.&quot; You can&#39;t get away with that as a SNCO or officer. You&#39;re supposed to know, and if you don&#39;t know, you&#39;re supposed to search out the answer and not expect anyone to spoon-feed you. People expect you to have the answers and experience to know what to do in virtually every situation. That&#39;s where leadership comes in. <br /><br />When you&#39;re a non-rate, there aren&#39;t too many expectations placed on you. If you just keep your nose clean and do what you&#39;re told to the best of your ability, the rest takes care of itself and you will begin to rise through the ranks. The cream always floats to the top. Sometimes you have to be patient and persistent; it may take a while and there may be setbacks along the way, but you have to learn to deal with them gracefully and not let that deter you. Remember to always be professional -- even when others steamroll you or block you. Your time will come, so use the downtime to prepare yourself for bigger and better things.<br /><br />I remember as a non-rate having good ideas only to be told to shut up and stay in my pay grade by SNCOs who later took credit for my ideas and presented them as if they were their own. I never saw much use for politics and was more interested in actual results. I really didn&#39;t care who got the credit and knew enough to not make a big deal of it. <br /><br />As a troop, you don&#39;t always have the big picture. Sometimes you think you know something but you&#39;re not seeing the bigger picture and while your solution may be a good one for your situation, it opens up a can of worms higher up the food chain that people don&#39;t want to have to deal with. Your boss is going to pick a solution that makes things easier for them. They&#39;re not going to be too overly concerned if you don&#39;t like it. And you fussing about their decision isn&#39;t going to make them like you any more... You have to pick and choose your battles.<br /><br />I watched a SNCO make fun of a Colonel who wanted light bulbs to make a production out of an Intel brief. He took on the Colonel and the Colonel won. Duh! We were out on an exercise in Puerto Rico and the Colonel relieved the SNCO of his duties. He was disgraced and couldn&#39;t go anywhere. They gave him other duties until we returned stateside. <br /><br />As a leader, you will not always have all the answers but you have to know where to go to find them! You have to know your own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of the people under you. You have to know when to ask for help, and where to go get it. As a junior officer, you must rely on the expertise of your SNCOs, but you have to walk a fine line between deferring to them and being in charge. If they screw up, you&#39;re the one who&#39;s going to be held accountable, so you have to assess everything you&#39;re being told by them and figure out if that works for you. You have to know when to weigh in if you differ with your SNCOs. There are times when it will have to be done and you have to be prepared to deal with the outcome.<br /><br />I had a GySgt who gave me bad advice and tried to mutiny when I overruled him. I noticed that what my shop was briefing sometimes conflicted with what SigInt was briefing and came up with a solution that combined briefings and since the SigInt folks had a nicer briefing room, we briefed there. The GySgt objected, because he felt that we were right and they were wrong. My opinion was that the CO&#39;s time was valuable and he doesn&#39;t need to have to figure out which brief to trust so it was incumbent on us to iron out the difference before hand. By not duplicating briefing material it also kept the brief shorter and the CO only had to travel to one place instead of two. The GySgt wanted to play politics instead of being a united team and I ended up firing him. <br /><br />As you go up in rank, the politics just gets worse. I never really had to deal with politics as a SNCO, but I know they&#39;re there. On the Drill Field, there&#39;s so much back stabbing that goes on because everyone there is super competitive and they all want to be #1. <br /><br />As I gained rank and made Captain, I was sent over to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and worked with the Army there. The group I was working with was led by a Captain and he was pretty cool. He had a Delta Force MSgt working with him as well. I discovered that up to the rank of Captain, people were pretty helpful but once they got to the rank of Major things got very political. The Captain provided me with information I needed to get my job done and got chewed out by his Major for helping me. &lt;Sigh&gt; We were collecting information in order to provide security for the NATO 50th Anniversary Summit. The Army major was sitting on the information but forbade his Captain from sharing any more information with me. I really don&#39;t miss working with people that can&#39;t see the forest because the trees are in the way. Our job was to provide security for a major event in DC. At what point do you not understand that we&#39;re on the same team?!! <br /><br />The politics you just have to deal with or you&#39;ll get steamrolled by your peers. I had to use a couple silver bullets and pull some strings to get the Major to give me what I needed, but it wasted time and to what noble end? In the end, the Major didn&#39;t look any better... and we still got the job done. For those who are professionals, your work will always speak for itself. There&#39;s no sustitute for actual performance. And the biggest political animals generally are trying to make up for what they lack in performance by sucking up.<br /><br />The part I liked about picking up rank was that the higher up I got, the more resources I had to accomplish tasks and get things done. In that sense, I felt a certain privilege. As a Captain, I had an idea for a mapping workstation and it took me over a year to convince the Colonel to allocate funds for me to build one and eventually he did. It was top shelf in its day. When my unit hosted the Russians involved in the Chernobyl disaster response, they weren&#39;t impressed by our PPE and first responder equipment but they all huddled around the map I had printed for an exercise. Before they came, the CO had asked me to make a map of Kiev, and gin up an exercise for our dog and pony show. I used unclassified imagery of Kiev that was pretty fuzzy and didn&#39;t show off the real capabilities of our imagery... as if the Russians didn&#39;t know what our imagery capabilities are. It didn&#39;t bother them one bit that we had imagery of Kiev. The map had a plume overlaid and the Russians were hitting each other and laughing because apparently some of them had houses that were under the plume coming from a stadium that for exercise purposes I had blown up an acetylene-sized tank full of nerve agent. One of the Russian officers looked at me and with a big grin on his face said, &quot;This had better not be real -- because that&#39;s my house!&quot; [&lt; His buddies were snickering and he was pointing at a house under the plume.] I laughed and assured them that the concentration wasn&#39;t lethal there and that they would only experience mild symptoms. At the conclusion of the dog and pony show, the Russians kept talking about the capabilities of our mapping workstation. They autographed the map with the plume and that really made the CO&#39;s day. He kept it and took it home as a memento. Later he pulled me aside and confided to me that in hindsight, he wished he would have released the funds sooner because he finally saw the utility of what I had been proposing to him for well over a year. It really sucked having to spend over a year convincing the CO to do it. NIMA heard about the workstation and sent a team down to inspect what we had put together. They ended up cloning the system I built with more expensive Silicon Graphics parts. That made all the effort I had put into it somehow worth it.

2021-05-30T14:30:11-04:00 2021-05-30T14:30:11-04:00 2014-12-09T18:19:41-05:00