LSD drug ring bust on Navy FDNF ship

[nittany03]

If there is an element of theater required at XOI or Mast, IMO, you're doing it wrong. It should be a very direct and transparent conversation between the XO/CO and the respondent. Points can be made and feelings expressed without humiliating the Sailor and embarrassing yourself.

I was being somewhat facetious, but the underlying point is that sometimes there’s value in bringing a Sailor all the way through the process, then not awarding punishment. Because in their case, the “oh shit” moment of going through the process is enough to get them to internalize that they screwed up.

And there is absolutely an element of theater to the mast process. You clear out a space, put signs around the decks saying “keep quiet,” put on dress uniforms, make the Sailor formally report, and go through a script. That’s theater. Ceremony. Ritual. And rituals can be powerful tools for shaping human behavior. Otherwise, a CO would just fill out a report chit in their office. The process itself, by its nature, is as much theater as legal procedure.

I in no way am advocating abusing the process to humiliate a Sailor. I’m advocating using the full psychological power of the ceremonies we’re given, in a professional manner, to reform a Sailor by making them have that moment of realization that what they did was a really, really dumb thing.

Oh, and I’m also advocating having an escort so the Sailor doesn’t go UA for 29 days.

 

[Recovering LSO]

As I'm sure you know, sometimes the theater is necessary because the command really doesn't have a card to play, but the Sailor may not know that. The theater doesn't have to be humiliating, just get a point across or communicate dissatisfaction.

words

All well and I good I suppose. My point was more general in nature, and more pertinent to routine squadron level NJP - not the dude who takes off on a felonious version of Cannonball Run. Perhaps just some ramblings for the younger up and coming readers.

At NJP the chain of command holds all the power. We've all seen theatrics (yelling, screaming, throwing things, etc) for the sake of putting on a good show. IMO all that serves to do is make the senior officer look like a jackass who couldn't keep his emotions in check, or worse, was so insecure that he took the opportunity to shit on someone who couldn't fight back. It lacks creativity; it lacks forethought; and it sets a REALLY poor example for the chain of command - go see how the next DRB goes....

I'm not suggesting there aren't Sailors in need a serious come to Jesus conversation. Plenty of them of them do, and it's the senior officer's job to ensure that occurs in a clear and unequivocal manner. You need to make a determination on whether or not the person and their circumstances are still compatible with your organization and the Navy as a whole. If they aren't, do what you got to do. Communicate to the command so there is transparency and move on to spending time on the 99% of Sailors who are doing it right. If you determine the person is salvageable, then make that decision and then invest in that person and their success. Busts and restrictions can absolutely be part of that process.

Of course Mast/XOI is a serious event in the life of a young (hopefully) Sailor and the chain of command should take it seriously; they should take it seriously enough to conduct it in a way that doesn't embarrass themselves or the process.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

No MAs or MPs or whatever you guys call them? Rookie move. Plus, if you're trying to scare a kid straight, it just adds to the theater to have an MA or two onhand, explaining in professional cop-speak precisely how to report in, and how they'll get taken down if they make a move towards the CO. To be fair, I only had one MA do that (of his own volition before I could say anything), and even just standing nearby, I was like "dayuum . . ."

On a CVN they had MA's give those guys going to NJP very detailed instructions, god help them if they screwed them up.

 

[Gatordev]

All well and I good I suppose. My point was more general in nature, and more pertinent to routine squadron level NJP

Mine as well. Actually, I think you, Nit and I are all arguing the same thing, and with that, managing the level of "energy" directed at the Sailor(s).

Somewhat related, during my last tour there was a command in the Wing that was having some issues for various reasons, most critically the senior leadership (the OIC). I remember watching Twelve O'Clock High in college and tucking that bit of leadership education and the leadership continuum (or whatever it was called) away and executing portions of that later in my career in small quantities. But this command was the perfect mirror to the Twelve O'Clock High lesson (minus the World War) and just about every day I thought about watching that movie many years earlier.

Why do I bring that up? Because, as far as the command was concerned, it all started with the O-6 coming in and laying down the law (not throwing things) with a very loud entrance using theater. And the O-6 was doing it all very intentionally, letting me and the SEL know ahead of time, which we totally understood. Obviously every kind of leadership is technique, but it was instructional to watch the events unfold (in a good way).

The SEL and I continued on that continuum throughout the process, holding people accountable, and then starting to loosen up a bit once people got into the routine. It was a great learning experience.

 

[Duc'-guy25]

Didn't the CO at the end of 12 O'Clock high end up just like his predecessor that he was ordered to relieve?

 

[Gatordev]

Well I was there only a little more than a month.

 

[ATIS]

Didn't the CO at the end of 12 O'Clock high end up just like his predecessor that he was ordered to relieve?

Yeah...but those bombardiers learned to hit their plates with their forks....and that was the mission.

ATIS

 

[nittany03]

Didn't the CO at the end of 12 O'Clock high end up just like his predecessor that he was ordered to relieve?

I thought the point was he ended up with PTSD just like the guy before, but he’d left a more effective squadron behind by the time he broke.

 

[Duc'-guy25]

Yeah...but those bombardiers learned to hit their plates with their forks....and that was the mission.

ATIS

I thought the point was he ended up with PTSD just like the guy before, but he’d left a more effective squadron behind by the time he broke.

True, I always thought the plot was a full circle on the burden of command.