"There's No Need to See Red"
(See M. Crockett, p. 79, December 2004 Proceedings)
Master Chief Quartermaster (Surface Warfare), Michael G. Harrison, U.S. Navy-After reading Lieutenant Commander Crockett's opinion I must confess that I did see red. His thoughts add to the already sweeping penchant toward the erosion of the traditions of our naval heritage, which is really beginning to scrape the barnacles off my keel, as it were.
I presume Commander Crockett to be a fine officer and caring leader by the tenor of his opinion. Nevertheless, I am disturbed by the imperatives behind the message. Whether he meant to or not, he has maligned the integrity and faithful service of many hundreds of thousands of past sailors. His opinion asserts that in our modern and enlightened reality, "We serve a new Navy now, one that understands that to maximize sailors' true potentials we have to empower them, reward them, and help them find the passion that lies in serving their country."
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