Former Blue Angels commander under investigation

[alexhara]

Ex-Blue Angels leader Capt. Gregory McWherter, was removed April 18 from his post as executive officer at the U.S. Naval Base Coronado in Southern California by Vice Admiral William French, commander of Navy Installations Command based on initial findings of an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct and an "inappropriate command climate" at the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

Source: Former Blue Angels leader Capt. McWherter under investigation (http://aerobaticteams.net/news/2014/former-blue-angels-leader-under-investigation.html)

[MPN11]

So, ignoring the illiteracy evident in that piece of reportage, where are we?

the Blues got a bit/lot low during a manoeuvre? And he swore a lot?

Did he do "naughties"with female staff? NO .. or will we hear more later?
Did he use bad language? OMG!!
Did he allow Playboy posters? OMG x 2 !!!

Sorry, I'm somehow losing the point here. This is apparently a not-brilliant formation leader who swears a lot? What have I missed?

[SpazSinbad]

CDR KOSS was the incident leader:
"... Blue Angel #1 CDR Dave Koss entered the four-ship formation too low in the half-loop of the maneuver causing the Slot LT Rob Kurrle almost to hit the ground...."

[chopper2004]

What happened to banter in the crewroom?

"The inquiry stemmed from a complaint alleging that "lewd speech, inappropriate comments and sexually explicit humor were allowed in the workplace and in some cases encouraged by the commanding officer," the Navy said. "

[Lonewolf_50]

Banter in the crew room slowly eroded in the USN once split tailed aviators became more numerous. It isn't necessarily the fault of the ladies, who may not be all that keen on locker room humor. (Can you blame them?)

Interesting note, we have yet to see our first female Blue Angel.

This strikes me as odd.

We've had numerous jet/fighter pilot ladies for the past 30 years.
Numerous of these ladies have solid reps as very good sticks.

The question is, why have so few (or none?) applied to the Blues? Were one to apply, the pressure to select her would be pretty strong. One wonders at what the informal word is among junior officers on the pro and con of flying for the Blues.

This may not become a Tailhook sort of deal, but the post-Tailhook "cultural change" is written all over this. One could argue that the CO may not have gotten on board with "the post-Tailhook cultural change," (which is even stranger, as he's young enough to not have his wings yet when Tailhook went down in '91). If we recall the Tailhook '91 witch hunt, the CO of the Blues got hammered for having done not a freaking thing wrong other than attend the Tailhook convention.

Blue Angels commanding officer Bob Stumpf was denied promotion and retired simply for having gone to Tailhook '91 to receive an award. One of his remarks afterwards ...
"The essence of that warrior culture has been severely diluted in this decade. Politically inspired social edicts enforced since Tailhook '91 have rendered a ready room atmosphere so different now that it is nearly unrecognizable.
Pilots are hampered in their ability to train as warriors by the policies of their senior leaders.
They are faced with social experimentation and double standards in training.
Experienced pilots are forced to qualify certain trainees who may or may not demonstrate established quality standards.
This leads to distrust and resentment, two powerfully harmful factors in terms of unit morale, and thus military effectiveness."
Stumf was right, but nobody listened.

Maybe Koss, when Skipper, didn't recognize that because nobody listened, the leadership were more concerned about clean language than some other military virtues.

[GreenKnight121]

Interesting note, we have yet to see our first female Blue Angel.

This strikes me as odd.

We've had numerous jet/fighter pilot ladies for the past 30 years.
Numerous of these ladies have solid reps as very good sticks.

The question is, why have so few (or none?) applied to the Blues? Were one to apply, the pressure to select her would be pretty strong. One wonders at what the informal word is among junior officers on the pro and con of flying for the Blues.

First woman to wear Blue Angels number | UTSanDiego.com (http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2010/Sep/30/air-show-preview-two-blue-angels-flying-home/)
First woman to wear Blue Angels number

By Jeanette Steele (http://www.utsandiego.com/staff/jeanette-steele/) 2:07 p.m. Sept. 30, 2010 Updated 7:47 p.m.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Amy Redditt Tomlinson, Blue Angels No. 8, grew up knowing how to pronounce Batiquitos Lagoon and where to find the best North County surf breaks.
She was a Carlsbad girl and a 1996 graduate of San Dieguito High School.

She’s also the first woman ever to wear a Blue Angels number, one of eight coveted positions on the Navy’s elite flying team.

“There are a lot of people who think, ‘I could never do what you do, I could never be in the military, I could never fly. How can you do that as a woman?’ ” said Tomlinson, 32, who, as a weapons system officer does not pilot one of the Blue Angels jets during the show but serves as the team's events coordinator.
.....

The Blue Angels assign a number to the aviators who go up in the fancy blue-and-gold jets. Like other event coordinators before her, Tomlinson gets one, though, as a weapons system officer she would take the rear seat in one of the two-seater jets, if called for.

Tomlinson’s mom, Pat Redditt, said her daughter’s imperfect eyesight kept her from being a pilot.

But the kid from Carlsbad grew up with a Navy flyer father, retired Navy Capt. Richard Redditt, who piloted jets over Vietnam. His daughter, who used to run around in his flight gear, was determined to get wings.


In addition, there have been other females on the team in various positions.

But, it is true, none actually flying them.


The Thunderboreds got their first female pilot in 2005/6: Thunderbirds' first female pilot announced with new 2006 pilots (http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article1400.html)
June 17, 2005 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron,"Thunderbirds," have announced their new pilots for the 2006 demonstration season which includes the first female demonstration pilot in the 52 year history of the Thunderbirds.

Joining the Thunderbirds in the no. 3 right wing position will be Capt. Nicole Malachowski, currently assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom.

[SpazSinbad]

Bob Stumpf was an exchange A4G pilot on VF-805 back in the late 1970s. He made an excellent video (or was in the A4G?) anyhoo if this young lass can make it then anyone can go to the Blues if they apply/qualify etc.....

Navy Welcomes First Female Air Wing Commander 07 Jan 2013 Navy News Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Leona Mynes
“NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, Va. -- Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, assigned to the Harry S. Truman Strike Group, welcomed the Navy's first female CVW commander during CVW-3's change of command ceremony Jan 4. During the ceremony, which was conducted at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Va., Capt. Michael S. Wallace, commander of "Team Battle Axe," was relieved by Capt. Sara A. Joyner....

..."I am incredibly honored to be the 57th 'Battle Axe,'" said Joyner, a native of Hooper's Island, Md. "I stand here with great pride because I have been handed the reigns of an exceptional team."..."
Navy Welcomes First Female Air Wing Commander | Military.com (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/01/07/navy-welcomes-first-female-air-wing-commander.html)

[Avtur]

Wibble...Wibble, wibble...

[Mozella]

.................anyhoo if this young lass can make it then anyone can go to the Blues if they apply/qualify etc.....

Congratulations to Capt. Sara Joyner. The aim of every Naval Aviator is to someday command a squadron and from there, if they're really blessed, become "CAG" (the Carrier Air-Group commander, Air-Group being the older name for an Air Wing); i.e. the head man/woman of the several squadrons deployed on an aircraft carrier. The position is very difficult to achieve because competition if fierce and there are only a handful of openings, especially these days.

However, "making it" as CAG is only remotely related to being a member of the Flight Demonstration Team. There is a requirement to first be a Naval Aviator, of course. But a good CAG does not a good Blue Angel make and vice versa. Back in my day, the simple fact that Capt. Joyner started her flying career by being assigned to a composite (utility) squadron would be a permanent stain on her resume' sufficient to keep her off the Blues but would not have much impact on her selection as the leader of an Air Wing.

Things have changed over the years of course, but the person you want on your flight demonstration team is not necessarily the person you want as your CAG and perhaps neither of them is the person you want on your wing when you're flying in combat. I've known many great men who were outstanding at one or two of these skills, but not all three.

If Capt. Joiner proves to be a good manager and a good leader she will likely be a good CAG. Her flying ability, good or bad, at that point will hardly be a factor.

[500N]

If we recall the Tailhook '91 witch hunt, the CO of the Blues got hammered for having done not a freaking thing wrong other than attend the Tailhook convention. "

From what I've read, quite a few were hard done by.

And then on top of that, the fall out at higher levels.

[SpazSinbad]

CAPT Sara Joyner started at USNA in 1985. She was an instructor in 1993 when women were allowed to join combat squadrons. Hardly the fault of her flying ability to be first posted to a VC squadron then instructing eh. Quote from article....
"...Joyner flew the A-4E Skyhawk with the "Checkertails" of Composite Squadron (VC) 5 and the "Red Tails" of VC-8 before transitioning to the F/A-18A/C Hornet with the "Rough Raiders" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125, the "Argonauts" of VFA-147. Joyner also served as executive and commanding officer of the "Gunslingers" of VFA-105...."
All flying instructors are crap anyway... except mine. :}

[Mozella]

Hardly the fault of her flying ability to be first posted to a VC squadron then instructing eh.

These days that's harder to tell, but back in the day the folks who could fly the best did NOT go to VC squadrons. Anyway, that's not the point.

The point is that while someone might make a great CAG, male or female; that doesn't indicate that they would make also an outstanding member of the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Team.

[SpazSinbad]

Back in what day? Before 1993 women were not allowed in VFA squadrons. So CAPT Joyner could not go there - once able to go, she went - end of.

Your opinion is about as good as mine on the other point. It seems to me a bunch are selected to join the Blues every year, then the Blues themselves select those few suitable. I'll leave it up to them.

[Lonewolf_50]

But, it is true, none actually flying them. Thank you for confirming my point, GreenKnight. :p

Mozella, FFS, back in 1985 one of the few places you could assign a lady in a jet aircraft was in a VC squadron. I know a few gals who flew, and flew well, but could not get jets. Very limited seats, due to the very few billets one could assign ladies to back in those days.

The few who did had no warfare specialty in their first tour. Very hard on a career, and they knew it. This was during the 80's. Being just a few years senior to Capt Joyner (by the way, Good Job to her, getting a Wing is hard to do, no matter who you are) made some excellent pilots and officers whom I knew personally realize they could not make that career track. I know at least one who left to fly for Delta.

Sorry to derail this topic, it's about the Blue Angels and the latest CO who seems to have not got the memo about how CO's are expected to conduct themselves.

I will do some looking, but I think CDR Dave Koss's dad was an A-7 pilot and a Wing Commander back in the 80's.