Smoking appears to have sparked a fire that caused $70 million in damage to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington.The announcement by the Navy came as Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, relieved the carrier's commanding officer, Capt. David C. Dykhoff, and the executive officer of duty, Capt. David M. Dober.
Adm. Willard cited lost confidence in the commanding officer and his failure to meet mission standards after the investigation found unauthorized smoking by a crew member appeared to have ignited flammable liquids and other combustible material that were improperly stored.
Is the punishment correct, should it have been less, or should we expect more?
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70 million dollars worth of damage to a nuclear aircraft carrier - someone has to burn. The short answer is 'yes' - the punishment is correct. The Captain is responsible for everything that happens aboard that ship. That's just the way it is. The XO is the 'whip-cracker' and being groomed to take command of his own ship. Leadership, good order, and discipline start from the top. There may also be more to the story than is being reported.
I will submit that the disciplinary action should not stop at the top... Smoking in that space had probably been going on for some time. There were others that knew about it (or should have) and should have reported it and/or put a stop to it. Shipmates, LPOs, CPOs, DIVOs, DHs - all bear some responsibility here.
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