The U.S. Navys official news service recently reported that Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, Director Navy Staff, relieved Cmdr. Thomas C. Graves of command of the USS Constitution because of a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command.
Now a loss of trust and confidence is a euphemism for any number of things the Navy (or any organization worried about its reputation) would rather not have in the public eye. Sometimes it actually has something to do with a commanders warfighting ability, but in this case its safe to assume its ahem something else. Besides a ceremonial spin around Boston Harbor in 1997, the over two centurys old Constitution has been welded to the pier since 1934. The frigates cannons were last fired in anger in 1815 1854.
So lets just say one has to do something pretty stupid to lose a superiors trust and confidence when ones command is a tourist attraction. Wed hate to prejudge, of course, but for some reason the expression Friggin in the riggin comes to mind.
(Updated, 140 EDT, May 17) - Navy Times reports that sources familiar with the incident said that Graves allegedly struck an enlisted member of his crew with a stack of paperwork.
Which, of course, is different that what we previously insinuated in terms of what he used to "strike" a member of his crew.
(Gouge: ED)
-- Ward
