Orange Duce

[Kismet]

NYT: "The secretary of the Navy and the admiral who leads the SEALs have threatened to resign or be fired if plans to expel a commando from the elite unit in a war crimes case are halted by President Trump"

Exactly. No problem there.

Salty, I'm simply figuring that these folks know more than I do about the specifics.
Pretty good bet they know more than you, too.

But I'm the one with "TDS".

I've said I don't know enough of the facts to have an opinion.
...apparently that's not a hindrance for you whenever Trump is involved.

Lack of facts never got in your way about formulating an opinion on the Mueller investigation.

.. ...based on the facts reported & leaked, it turned out to be a dud, as I opined that it would.
Don't be such a sore loser. It's a bad look.

Another NYT bombshell turns out to be a dud,
https://twitter.com/secnav76/status/1198387376889970689

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... story.html

Navy chief says he would follow Trump’s instructions on Navy SEAL

Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said Saturday that he would comply with any order by President Trump regarding the case of a Navy SEAL whose continuance in the elite unit is being reviewed by the service after a controversial murder charge.

“I work at the pleasure of the president,” Spencer said, denying reports that he has threatened to resign. “I do not interpret what the president does. I do what he says.”
“I need a formal order,” he said. But “if the president requests a stop in the process, the process stops. Good order and discipline is also obeying the orders of the president.”

The Navy secretary spoke in response to a New York Times report earlier Sunday that Spencer and Green had both threatened to resign or be fired if Trump ordered an end to the review process. A subsequent NBC News story said that military leaders hoping to keep Spencer from quitting had lobbied Trump not to issue an order.

Spencer did not speak directly to the NBC account, but he said “I haven’t spoken to anyone” about any thoughts of resigning. Asked if Green had threatened to resign, he said, “No, not at all . . . . He has not.”

Rear Adm. Charles Brown, the Navy’s top spokesman, said they were aware of Trump’s tweet and awaiting further guidance.
“The Navy follows the lawful orders of the President,” he said in a statement. “We will do so in case of an order to stop the administrative review of . . . Gallagher’s professional qualification.”

The status of Gallagher and the other SEALs — Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, Lt. Jacob Portier and Lt. Thomas MacNeil — is being reviewed in a process that military officials say will take a number of days to complete. Among the details the Navy has been trying to discern is whether Trump wanted the service to drop its deliberations against all four men or just Gallagher.

Only the best and brightest... good night

SecDef essentially sacks Navy Secretary asking for his immediate resignation after it was discovered that he had privately proposed to White House officials that if they did not interfere with proceedings against Gallagher, then Spencer would ensure that Gallagher was able to retire as a Navy SEAL, with his Trident insignia.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... eals-case/

[Typical Lax Dad]

NYT: "The secretary of the Navy and the admiral who leads the SEALs have threatened to resign or be fired if plans to expel a commando from the elite unit in a war crimes case are halted by President Trump"

Exactly. No problem there.

Salty, I'm simply figuring that these folks know more than I do about the specifics.
Pretty good bet they know more than you, too.

But I'm the one with "TDS".

I've said I don't know enough of the facts to have an opinion.
...apparently that's not a hindrance for you whenever Trump is involved.

Lack of facts never got in your way about formulating an opinion on the Mueller investigation.

.. ...based on the facts reported & leaked, it turned out to be a dud, as I opined that it would.
Don't be such a sore loser. It's a bad look.

Another NYT bombshell turns out to be a dud,
https://twitter.com/secnav76/status/1198387376889970689

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... story.html

Navy chief says he would follow Trump’s instructions on Navy SEAL

Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said Saturday that he would comply with any order by President Trump regarding the case of a Navy SEAL whose continuance in the elite unit is being reviewed by the service after a controversial murder charge.

“I work at the pleasure of the president,” Spencer said, denying reports that he has threatened to resign. “I do not interpret what the president does. I do what he says.”
“I need a formal order,” he said. But “if the president requests a stop in the process, the process stops. Good order and discipline is also obeying the orders of the president.”

The Navy secretary spoke in response to a New York Times report earlier Sunday that Spencer and Green had both threatened to resign or be fired if Trump ordered an end to the review process. A subsequent NBC News story said that military leaders hoping to keep Spencer from quitting had lobbied Trump not to issue an order.

Spencer did not speak directly to the NBC account, but he said “I haven’t spoken to anyone” about any thoughts of resigning. Asked if Green had threatened to resign, he said, “No, not at all . . . . He has not.”

Rear Adm. Charles Brown, the Navy’s top spokesman, said they were aware of Trump’s tweet and awaiting further guidance.
“The Navy follows the lawful orders of the President,” he said in a statement. “We will do so in case of an order to stop the administrative review of . . . Gallagher’s professional qualification.”

The status of Gallagher and the other SEALs — Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, Lt. Jacob Portier and Lt. Thomas MacNeil — is being reviewed in a process that military officials say will take a number of days to complete. Among the details the Navy has been trying to discern is whether Trump wanted the service to drop its deliberations against all four men or just Gallagher.

Only the best and brightest... good night

SecDef essentially sacks Navy Secretary asking for his immediate resignation after it was discovered that he had privately proposed to White House officials that if they did not interfere with proceedings against Gallagher, then Spencer would ensure that Gallagher was able to retire as a Navy SEAL, with his Trident insignia.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... eals-case/

Everyone that gets involved with Trump ends up with crap on their shoes.

[old salt]

Not a bad idea by Spencer, except for not running it by Sec Def.
Don't jump the chain of command & cut out your boss.
Too many seemingly conflicting press statements, just generated confusion & mixed signals.
Poor situational awareness. It was obvious what the CinC wanted.
Not a good time to play sea lawyer in the media.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Not a bad idea by Spencer, except for not running it by Sec Def.
Don't jump the chain of command & cut out your boss.
Too many seemingly conflicting press statements, just generated confusion & mixed signals.
Poor situational awareness. It was obvious what the CinC wanted.
Not a good time to play sea lawyer in the media.

Why doesn’t the CinC just issue an order?

[old salt]

Not a bad idea by Spencer, except for not running it by Sec Def.
Don't jump the chain of command & cut out your boss.
Too many seemingly conflicting press statements, just generated confusion & mixed signals.
Poor situational awareness. It was obvious what the CinC wanted.
Not a good time to play sea lawyer in the media.

Why doesn’t the CinC just issue an order?

I'll refer your question to the unemployed sea lawyer who used to be Secretary of the Navy.

This whole thing doesn't make sense. Gallagher retires 30 Nov. The Review Board was to convene 2 Dec.
Was Spencer planning on reversing the Board's recommendation if they voted to pull Gallagher's Trident ?
Thus allowing the Admirals to hold the line, with Spencer taking the heat for reversing their recommendation.
That might have been an acceptable political soilution, but it makes a mockery of the Review process.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Not a bad idea by Spencer, except for not running it by Sec Def.
Don't jump the chain of command & cut out your boss.
Too many seemingly conflicting press statements, just generated confusion & mixed signals.
Poor situational awareness. It was obvious what the CinC wanted.
Not a good time to play sea lawyer in the media.

Why doesn’t the CinC just issue an order?

I'll refer your question to the unemployed sea lawyer who used to be Secretary of the Navy.

This whole thing doesn't make sense. Gallagher retires 30 Nov. The Review Board was to convene 2 Dec.
Was Spencer planning on reversing the Board's recommendation if they voted to pull Gallagher's Trident ?
Thus allowing the Admirals to hold the line, with Spencer taking the heat for reversing their recommendation.
That might have been an acceptable political soilution, but it makes a mockery of the Review process.

Let me know.

[MDlaxfan76]

Except for those who inherit a few hundred million from daddy, commit fraud, cheat on every relationship, lie incessantly...now that's someone to admire!

Are you talking about Hunter Biden?

You see an actual comparison?

[MDlaxfan76]

As to the the generals and admirals, far as I can tell, we're talking about pretty much everyone in top command disagreeing with Trump.
So, again, really not a difficult question re Trump's involvement.

Seems to me only a Trumpist or Trump apologist would see it otherwise.

So now you have polling data from the hundreds of Flag officers currently serving ?
...or just the retired ones you see on MSNBC, who can't get the SEAL Admiral's name right or tell us that Chief Gallagher is retiring with just 14 years of service ?

CNO restored Gallagher from E-1 to E-6 during his review (Trump restored it to E-7)

CNO dismissed charges against Gallagher's platoon commander, the medic who claimed the mercy killing, & came down hard on Navy JAG.
https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-ne ... imes-case/

Nah, just the serving admirals and generals...you know, the guys who are so pissed...at the top.

[old salt]

As to the the generals and admirals, far as I can tell, we're talking about pretty much everyone in top command disagreeing with Trump.
So, again, really not a difficult question re Trump's involvement.

Seems to me only a Trumpist or Trump apologist would see it otherwise.

So now you have polling data from the hundreds of Flag officers currently serving ?
...or just the retired ones you see on MSNBC, who can't get the SEAL Admiral's name right or tell us that Chief Gallagher is retiring with just 14 years of service ?

CNO restored Gallagher from E-1 to E-6 during his review (Trump restored it to E-7)

CNO dismissed charges against Gallagher's platoon commander, the medic who claimed the mercy killing, & came down hard on Navy JAG.
https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-ne ... imes-case/

Nah, just the serving admirals and generals...you know, the guys who are so ticked...at the top.

So now you're in touch with serving Flag officers ?
You say they're ticked. Who ? How many ? How 'bout some facts.

Admin Boards are conducted to determine a members suitability for continued duty.
You don't delay their retirement in order to pull a pilot's wings or a submariner's dolphins.

Big Navy has bigger problems to address than humiliating a SEAL folk hero on his way out the door to retirement.
https://news.usni.org/2019/11/24/secnav ... ing-secnav

[seacoaster]

David Ignatius in the Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... ther-line/

"With Spencer’s firing, Trump has recklessly crossed a line he had generally observed before, which had exempted the military from his belligerent, government-by-tweet interference. But the Gallagher case illustrates how an irascible, vengeful commander in chief is ready to override traditional limits to aid political allies in foreign policy, law enforcement and now military matters.

Spencer was fired by Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper late Sunday, supposedly because Esper was “deeply troubled” that Spencer had tried to work out a private deal with the White House that would avoid a direct presidential order scuttling a scheduled SEAL peer-review process. That panel was set to determine whether Gallagher would keep his coveted Trident pin, marking him as a SEAL, after he was convicted in July for posing in a trophy photo with the corpse of a Islamic State captive.

Spencer had tried to find a compromise, sources tell me, after Trump tweeted Thursday, “The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin.” Spencer feared that a direct order from Trump to protect Gallagher, who is represented by two former partners of Trump’s personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani, would be seen as subverting military justice.

After that Trump tweet, Spencer cautioned acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney that he would not overturn the planned SEAL peer review of Gallagher without a direct presidential order; he privately told associates that if such an order came, he might resign rather than carry it out. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with the White House late Thursday to try to avert this collision.

Milley’s de-escalation efforts initially appeared to be successful. A Pentagon official messaged me Friday morning: “Missiles back in their silos … for the time being.” But the truce was short-lived. By Saturday, the White House was demanding to know whether Spencer had threatened to resign; the Navy secretary issued a statement denying that he had made any such public threat and continued to seek a deal that would protect the Navy from a direct showdown with Trump.

“It was a hold-your-nose solution,” said a source close to Spencer about his effort to broker an arrangement that would allow Gallagher to retire at the end of November with his former rank, an honorable discharge and his Trident pin, as Trump wanted, but without direct presidential interference in the SEAL review process. As so often happens with attempts to work with Trump’s erratic demands, this one ended in disaster.

“The president wants you to go,” Esper told Spencer on Sunday, according to this source. Esper then toed the White House line and announced Spencer’s dismissal.

For Pentagon officials who have wondered whether Esper would have the backbone to resist Trump, Sunday’s events were troubling. The Pentagon, like the State Department under Mike Pompeo, is now overseen by an official whose overriding priority seems to be accommodating an impetuous boss in the White House.

Spencer’s letter Sunday to Trump, acknowledging his “termination,” echoed that of former defense secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned in December because of similar concerns about Trump’s unwise intervention in military and national-security decisions.

“As Secretary of the Navy, one of the most important responsibilities I have to our people is to maintain good order and discipline, throughout the ranks. I regard this as deadly serious business,” Spencer wrote. “The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries.” In a paraphrase of what Mattis wrote 11 months ago, Spencer wrote that Trump should have a Navy secretary “who is aligned with his vision.”

For Navy commanders who have worried about eroding discipline in a SEAL force that’s lionized in movies and television, and protected by presidential diktat, Spencer’s most ominous line was: “I no longer share the same understanding with the commander in chief who appointed me, in regards to the key principle of good order and discipline.”

Trump began lobbying Spencer to exempt Gallagher from Navy discipline back in March, when he ordered the Navy secretary in an early-morning phone call to release Gallagher from the brig and give him more comfortable quarters. Presidential pressure has been relentless, ever since.

Gallagher has become a hero in the Trump echo chamber of Fox News commentary, where he’s seen as a victim of vengeful SEAL commanders. His case may have caught White House attention because his legal team included two Trump friends who are former partners of Giuliani: investigator Bernard Kerik, a former New York police commissioner, and Marc Mukasey, who represents Trump.

While Gallagher is celebrated on Fox, current and former senior officers of the SEALs and other elite units told me this weekend that his case has little support within the community of Special Operations forces. One former SEAL commander noted that maintaining discipline among these elite units is so important that the SEAL peer-review panels have removed more than 150 Trident pins since 2011, or more than one a month.

That’s the process of internal accountability that Spencer was trying to defend, and that Trump sabotaged."

[Kismet]

Also consider these facts - one of Gallagher's lawyers is Marc Mukasy who is also a Trump Organization legal counsel. Also on the legal team is convicted felon Bernard Kerik - both are connected directly to Rudy Colludy and his security firm as well as to Fox News.

Mere coincidence???? Think again. Giuliani and his various associates and henchmen are involved in many, many things both in and out of government as well as both domestically and internationally. Hilarious Twitter description of Rudy Colludy today - "As one longtime Giuliani associate phrased it, "This is a little bit like a baby with a hammer, or a monkey with a typewriter.""

IMHO, it all stinks to high heaven. Corruption and criminality extends now to the military as well as all of the other locations these slimeballs are operating.

Have to wonder what political office Gallagher is going to run for next. He'll fit right in.

UPDATE Monday AM: Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirms to reporters that President Trump ordered him to allow Eddie Gallagher to keep his Trident pin.

[MDlaxfan76]

As to the the generals and admirals, far as I can tell, we're talking about pretty much everyone in top command disagreeing with Trump.
So, again, really not a difficult question re Trump's involvement.

Seems to me only a Trumpist or Trump apologist would see it otherwise.

So now you have polling data from the hundreds of Flag officers currently serving ?
...or just the retired ones you see on MSNBC, who can't get the SEAL Admiral's name right or tell us that Chief Gallagher is retiring with just 14 years of service ?

CNO restored Gallagher from E-1 to E-6 during his review (Trump restored it to E-7)

CNO dismissed charges against Gallagher's platoon commander, the medic who claimed the mercy killing, & came down hard on Navy JAG.
https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-ne ... imes-case/

Nah, just the serving admirals and generals...you know, the guys who are so ticked...at the top.

So now you're in touch with serving Flag officers ?
You say they're ticked. Who ? How many ? How 'bout some facts.

Admin Boards are conducted to determine a members suitability for continued duty.
You don't delay their retirement in order to pull a pilot's wings or a submariner's dolphins.

Big Navy has bigger problems to address than humiliating a SEAL folk hero on his way out the door to retirement.
https://news.usni.org/2019/11/24/secnav ... ing-secnav

He's a 'folk hero' now, Salty?
Convicted of posing with a dead opponent?
The heck with what he was accused of doing, do you really think he deserves acclaim for what he did?

Guess the Tailhook guys were heroes too?

[runrussellrun]

Also consider these facts - one of Gallagher's lawyers is Marc Mukasy who is also a Trump Organization legal counsel. Also on the legal team is convicted felon Bernard Kerik - both are connected directly to Rudy Colludy and his security firm as well as to Fox News.

Mere coincidence???? Think again. Giuliani and his various associates and henchmen are involved in many, many things both in and out of government as well as both domestically and internationally.

IMHO, it all sticks to high heaven. Corruption and criminality extends now to the military as well as all of the other locations these slimeballs are operating.

NOW?

tRumps to blame for Fat Leonard, missing billions (from 2004 thru today ) and every other single killing machine industry love affair with the pentagon. You sleeping in a comma for the past 100 years? Pentagon (recently audited after criminally ignoring the law for decades ) corruption: guessing YOU (collective) wanting to pin it on tRump, and tRump alone, that IS fine. Depending on what is, IS. But, at the end of the day, what true independent does not LOVE what tRump is revealing. (anyone remember that play about a father working at a duhfense contractor and learning that his product was the cause of his sons death/Vietnam era )

Yup, corruption. Even his staunchest haters, critics, can't swallow the Bidens hypocrites and all the other war mongers. Also, revealing more inner workings. tRump is , and has to a certain extent, drained the swamp. Revealing the corruption. The only problem is, the swamp is filled with so much garbage, the only thing any of the pretends wanna clean up IS tRump, depending on what is IS. They only see the tRump trash. Which IS very real.

Guess it's similar to what the pretends say about cleaning up the Pacific plastic island........cleaning the now drained swamp is TOO hard, there's just too much trash.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/ency ... age-patch/


The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program has estimated that it would take 67 ships one year to clean up less than one percent of the North Pacific Ocean.

yeah, so why bother

How many ships does our US Navy have? oopps, gotta protect US oligarchs interests FIRST.

[jhu72]

Spencer's recognition of termination letter.

[dislaxxic]

Yeah, and if he's sleeping in a comma, IMAGINE what he'd do in a semicolon, a question mark or...GASP...in an EXCLAMATION POINT!!!

[runrussellrun]

Yeah, and if he's sleeping in a comma, IMAGINE what he'd do in a semicolon, a question mark or...GASP...in an EXCLAMATION POINT!!!

only you

but, who "spoons" in the shape of those others ? The semicolonoscop, reminds me of a three way, but very active, not snuggling, or spooning, in the shape of a comma

[DMac]

As to the the generals and admirals, far as I can tell, we're talking about pretty much everyone in top command disagreeing with Trump.
So, again, really not a difficult question re Trump's involvement.

Seems to me only a Trumpist or Trump apologist would see it otherwise.

So now you have polling data from the hundreds of Flag officers currently serving ?
...or just the retired ones you see on MSNBC, who can't get the SEAL Admiral's name right or tell us that Chief Gallagher is retiring with just 14 years of service ?

CNO restored Gallagher from E-1 to E-6 during his review (Trump restored it to E-7)

CNO dismissed charges against Gallagher's platoon commander, the medic who claimed the mercy killing, & came down hard on Navy JAG.
https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-ne ... imes-case/

Nah, just the serving admirals and generals...you know, the guys who are so ticked...at the top.

So now you're in touch with serving Flag officers ?
You say they're ticked. Who ? How many ? How 'bout some facts.

Admin Boards are conducted to determine a members suitability for continued duty.
You don't delay their retirement in order to pull a pilot's wings or a submariner's dolphins.

Big Navy has bigger problems to address than humiliating a SEAL folk hero on his way out the door to retirement.
https://news.usni.org/2019/11/24/secnav ... ing-secnav

He's a 'folk hero' now, Salty?
Not speaking for salty here, but yeah, folk hero.

Gallagher served eight deployments and was awarded two bronze stars. He also was up for a Silver Star — the Armed Force’s third-highest personal decoration for valor in combat —

Convicted of posing with a dead opponent?
BFD (and this is all he was convicted of). Can you even begin to imagine, from your cushy couch, that this amounts to no more than a hunter posing with a bear after a kill to this guy given the type of training he's had, what he's been asked to do, and the situations he's been in (how many of his comrades has he seen killed?)?
The heck with what he was accused of doing, do you really think he deserves acclaim for what he did?
Given 20 years of service, much of which is beyond what 99 percent of the population could, or would be willing to do, along with a couple of Bronze Stars, I'd say he deserves some acclaim.
Guess the Tailhook guys were heroes too?
You are, again, compltely out of line here.

As a side, I'm surprised to see that since 2011 150+ SEALs have been stripped of their Tridents (many, I think, for medical/injuries...drug abuse too).

[MDlaxfan76]

As to the the generals and admirals, far as I can tell, we're talking about pretty much everyone in top command disagreeing with Trump.
So, again, really not a difficult question re Trump's involvement.

Seems to me only a Trumpist or Trump apologist would see it otherwise.

So now you have polling data from the hundreds of Flag officers currently serving ?
...or just the retired ones you see on MSNBC, who can't get the SEAL Admiral's name right or tell us that Chief Gallagher is retiring with just 14 years of service ?

CNO restored Gallagher from E-1 to E-6 during his review (Trump restored it to E-7)

CNO dismissed charges against Gallagher's platoon commander, the medic who claimed the mercy killing, & came down hard on Navy JAG.
https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-ne ... imes-case/

Nah, just the serving admirals and generals...you know, the guys who are so ticked...at the top.

So now you're in touch with serving Flag officers ?
You say they're ticked. Who ? How many ? How 'bout some facts.

Admin Boards are conducted to determine a members suitability for continued duty.
You don't delay their retirement in order to pull a pilot's wings or a submariner's dolphins.

Big Navy has bigger problems to address than humiliating a SEAL folk hero on his way out the door to retirement.
https://news.usni.org/2019/11/24/secnav ... ing-secnav

He's a 'folk hero' now, Salty?
Not speaking for salty here, but yeah, folk hero.

Gallagher served eight deployments and was awarded two bronze stars. He also was up for a Silver Star — the Armed Force’s third-highest personal decoration for valor in combat —

Convicted of posing with a dead opponent?
BFD (and this is all he was convicted of). Can you even begin to imagine, from your cushy couch, that this amounts to no more than a hunter posing with a bear after a kill to this guy given the type of training he's had, what he's been asked to do, and the situations he's been in (how many of his comrades has he seen killed?)?
The heck with what he was accused of doing, do you really think he deserves acclaim for what he did?
Given 20 years of service, much of which is beyond what 99 percent of the population could, or would be willing to do, along with a couple of Bronze Stars, I'd say he deserves some acclaim.
Guess the Tailhook guys were heroes too?
You are, again, compltely out of line here.

As a side, I'm surprised to see that since 2011 150+ SEALs have been stripped of their Tridents (many, I think, for medical/injuries...drug abuse too).

I have no doubt that he was a warrior deserving of every bit of recognition he had received. And our appreciation for such service, including from my "cushy couch". And yours.

But really, BFD?
And, with that perspective, you're "surprised" by the number of SEALs to have been stripped of their Tridents???

What I am 'surprised' by is that folks like you, DMac, are actually excusing a trophy photo. (again, let's ignore for a moment that he stabbed a bound prisoner).
Let's ask this question, if not there, where do you draw the line?

No, not out of line.
Salty brought up Tailhook as another example of the Navy being 'too political'...and the argument was that there was a Marine 'culture' that needed to be defended...guys are 'warriors' and we just need to understand that...

[Kismet]

Op-Ed by General Mark Hertling (ret)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/25/opinions ... index.html

ends with this

"As a first-year cadet at West Point, we were required to memorize Brevet Major William Worth's "Battalion Orders," a little known summary about "doing your duty" from an officer serving in the post-Civil War Army out West. These words were a reminder to all of us as to how best address soldiers subject to discipline issues within the ranks:

"An officer on duty knows no one. To be partial is to dishonor both himself and the object of his ill-advised favor. What will be thought of him who exacts of his friends that which disgraces him? Look at him who winks at and overlooks offenses in one, which he causes to be punished in another, and contrast him with the inflexible soldier who does his duty faithfully, notwithstanding it occasionally wars with his private feelings. The conduct of one will be venerated and emulated, the other detested as a satire upon soldiership and honor."

I hope the Naval Academy also requires the midshipmen to memorize this writing, and I'm pretty sure RADM Green is familiar with these words. Given the recent turn of events in this case, I believe Collin Green understands this quote, but perhaps those occupying the civilian positions in government may want to take note."

[DMac]

As to the the generals and admirals, far as I can tell, we're talking about pretty much everyone in top command disagreeing with Trump.
So, again, really not a difficult question re Trump's involvement.

Seems to me only a Trumpist or Trump apologist would see it otherwise.

So now you have polling data from the hundreds of Flag officers currently serving ?
...or just the retired ones you see on MSNBC, who can't get the SEAL Admiral's name right or tell us that Chief Gallagher is retiring with just 14 years of service ?

CNO restored Gallagher from E-1 to E-6 during his review (Trump restored it to E-7)

CNO dismissed charges against Gallagher's platoon commander, the medic who claimed the mercy killing, & came down hard on Navy JAG.
https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-ne ... imes-case/

Nah, just the serving admirals and generals...you know, the guys who are so ticked...at the top.

So now you're in touch with serving Flag officers ?
You say they're ticked. Who ? How many ? How 'bout some facts.

Admin Boards are conducted to determine a members suitability for continued duty.
You don't delay their retirement in order to pull a pilot's wings or a submariner's dolphins.

Big Navy has bigger problems to address than humiliating a SEAL folk hero on his way out the door to retirement.
https://news.usni.org/2019/11/24/secnav ... ing-secnav

He's a 'folk hero' now, Salty?
Not speaking for salty here, but yeah, folk hero.

Gallagher served eight deployments and was awarded two bronze stars. He also was up for a Silver Star — the Armed Force’s third-highest personal decoration for valor in combat —

Convicted of posing with a dead opponent?
BFD (and this is all he was convicted of). Can you even begin to imagine, from your cushy couch, that this amounts to no more than a hunter posing with a bear after a kill to this guy given the type of training he's had, what he's been asked to do, and the situations he's been in (how many of his comrades has he seen killed?)?
The heck with what he was accused of doing, do you really think he deserves acclaim for what he did?
Given 20 years of service, much of which is beyond what 99 percent of the population could, or would be willing to do, along with a couple of Bronze Stars, I'd say he deserves some acclaim.
Guess the Tailhook guys were heroes too?
You are, again, compltely out of line here.

As a side, I'm surprised to see that since 2011 150+ SEALs have been stripped of their Tridents (many, I think, for medical/injuries...drug abuse too).

I have no doubt that he was a warrior deserving of every bit of recognition he had received. And our appreciation for such service, including from my "cushy couch". And yours.
I can assure you that the a*s*s on this cushy couch has been in an environment where an enemy was dehumanized and around people whose mission it was to kill people. Perhaps I better understand the mentality that leads to posing with a kill.

But really, BFD? Yes, BFD.
And, with that perspective, you're "surprised" by the number of SEALs to have been stripped of their Tridents??? I'm unable to find the reason they were stripped but from what I have found, I think it's mostly due to injuries and drug abuse. In that respect I'm not surprised. I suspect your question insinuates they lost their Tridents due to out of control behavior on the battlefield and that doesn't appear to be the case.

What I am 'surprised' by is that folks like you, DMac, are actually excusing a trophy photo. (again, let's ignore for a moment that he stabbed a bound prisoner). Yes, let's. I won't define this guy for one indiscretion particularly given the state of mind one is in in the heat of the moment....you have to give that a lot of consideration.
Let's ask this question, if not there, where do you draw the line? I'll leave that up to those who live this...not the Prez.

No, not out of line. Yes it is, salty never said anything about anyone involved being a folk hero. He only mentioned how politicians getting involved has a negative affect on the military judicial system. I highly doubt salty views any of those involved as folk heros. You just wanted to get your dig in there.
Salty brought up Tailhook as another example of the Navy being 'too political'...and the argument was that there was a Marine 'culture' that needed to be defended...guys are 'warriors' and we just need to understand that...