Inundated by the epidemic of afloat commanding officer (CO) firings over the past few years, a common question in the surface community is “What the heck were they thinking?” Whether it is a lack of confidence in their ability to command, or fraternization, or conduct unbecoming an officer, junior sailors and senior military leaders alike have been furrowing their brows at the confounding behavior of those relieved. The trend even prompted then-Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead to issue a memo in June 2011 (“Charge of Command”) reminding his COs of the responsibilities of command and reiterating his expectation of professional behavior.
