Posted on 01/29/2024 9:27:10 PM PST by 11th_VA
Navy captain’s yelling and public “humiliation” of her officers and crew was so severe and frequent — once for the mistake of pointing out dolphins swimming nearby the ship’s bridge — that sailors were afraid to bring bad news to her attention. That “fear culture” aboard the USS Lake Erie, a scathing Navy investigation found, could have created “a higher risk of having a safety or operational mishap” and an “unsafe command environment where sailors do not … exercise sound judgment.”
…
As the commander of the Lake Erie, the report found, DeFant grabbed or struck her officers while they were on duty on the ship’s bridge, alienated the ship’s senior enlisted crew known as the Chief’s Mess, overreacted to minor transgressions like pointing out the dolphins, and in a briefing to an admiral failed to mention abysmal feedback she had received from the crew.
The admiral who eventually fired DeFant wondered if she had “deliberately whitewashed” the crew’s comments.
At least twice, investigators found, DeFant grabbed or hit an officer on the ship’s bridge, while they were on duty as the ship’s Conning Officer, the watch position directly responsible for the heading, speeding and steering of the ship, who is said to “have the conn.” …
The investigation of DeFant was first reported by KPBS in San Diego, which received the report via a Freedom of Information Act request.
DeFant was relieved of command of Lake Erie by Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, on October 12. Alexander, the commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine, endorsed the findings of the investigation on October 5.
DeFant was the captain of the Lake Erie for almost two years. The investigation was launched, the final report says, about 14 months into her command, after three anonymous complaints of “toxic command climate and sexual discrimination.” …
(Excerpt) Read more at taskandpurpose.com ...
Your old XO was also a bitter, nasty lesbian?
The pic looks like a dude.
I wonder if it's true.
I just learned that the ENTIRE "Sybil" story was phony.
Oh well. Life is full of lies and liars.
Visiting San Diego, I watched a female (in appearance) USCG senior petty officer barking orders.
She sounded like a teenage girl on a playground, yelling.
She did not sound trustworthy.
I’d say that’s just a man pretending to be a woman.
“When [the officer] did not hear the helmsman’s repeat-back, [DeFant] smacked [the officer] on her collar bone and said ‘Pay attention.'” The officer said the smack did not hurt but “freaked her out” and she momentarily considered leaving her post by turning the conn over to DeFant. Several crew on the bridge confirmed the incident to investigators.
DeFant told investigators she did not recall this incident.
Another time, DeFant was on the bridge as the ship was mooring to a buoy off San Diego, with one officer serving in the conning position and another as the Officer of the Deck, or OOD, the role that directly oversees a ship’s watch.
As the ship maneuvered, DeFant aske, “Do I have a safe bearing?”
The Conning Officer responded in the affirmative — a response which, according to several witnesses cited in the report, set off DeFant.
“In response, [DeFant] approached [the Conning Officer], grabbed him by his uniform near his collar, pulled him towards her, and whispered in his ear, ‘Was I talking to you…You’re not the [OOD] …I was talking to the OOD…don’t ever interrupt me again’ or words to that effect.”
DeFant told investigators she recalled grabbing the officer “on his arm in an effort to re-focus his attention.”
This really sounds like my old XO - I hated mooring duty
I’d have hated to be her cabin girl.
At least this lezzie kook was stopped before she wrecked her Navy ship.
Her time of the month was from the 1st to the 31st.
She was lucky she was not personally sabotaged and/or “disalpeared” by some foolhardy enlisted man who would have been paid by an officer. Lots can happen to. crew when you’re underway. It’s like a floating city, virtually cut off from shore
It’s my option she already did harm to the Navy by her conduct. I think some sailors left the ship or Navy service when they could have been of good use for the Navy. I effect she wrecked her ship.
Did she have a husband or a wife?
Just the opposite, I'd say.
DIE should Die....
The Captain should not have to lay hands on the crew to command their respect. That said, this officer who was 'smacked' on her collar bone in a way that 'didn't hurt' but left her so upset she wanted to flee from her position is a bit disturbing when you think this is someone we expect to be cool under fire in a conflict.
I've worked on USN and international naval shipbuilding programs off and on for the past 30 years and know a lot of naval officers from flag level down, men and women, but I never served and never went to sea so I'll accept if someone who has tells me I'm off base. But that's how it seems to me.
I would prefer that all members of our military, would limit the number of ribbons, to 3, and the number of metal insignia (such as Surface Warfare, Wings, etc.) to 1.
Each member of the military, gets his/her choice re which ribbons to wear.
I don’t know how things are generally handled, but for a
woman to do this is terrible. Using the gender to avoid
a strike back, even the hint of that, is about as bad as
it could get, baring long term injury or a fatality.
Guys who have served, have you seen men operate in this
manner? I would certainly hope not.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.