PDA

View Full Version : Blue Angels CO resigns



USNAviator
05-28-11, 11:35 AM
Blue Angels CO resigns after leading low flyover


By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday May 27, 2011 14:08:56 EDT
<form id="hidden"> <input id="headline" value="Blue Angels CO resigns after leading low flyover" type="hidden">
<input id="url" value="http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2011/05/navy-blue-angels-co-steps-down-052711w/" type="hidden">The commanding officer of the elite Blue Angels flight demonstration team stepped down Friday after a mere seven months in command following a “lower-than-normal maneuver” during a recent show that forced the cancellation of three of the team’s acrobatic performances, according to a Navy announcement.

The voluntary relief of Cmdr. Dave Koss of Orange Park, Fla., a 20-year F/A-18 pilot, came less than a week after he grounded the unit following a May 22 incident in which four of the team’s Hornets flying in a diamond barrel roll break formation, including his own, completed a maneuver judged to have passed too low to the ground in Lynchburg, Va.
</form> Koss was relieved by Rear Adm. Bill Sizemore, chief of Naval Air Training Command, according to a statement from Naval Air Forces.

“With deep personal regret I shared with my command today that I will be voluntarily leaving the greatest flight demonstration team. I performed a maneuver that had an unacceptably low minimum altitude,” Koss wrote in the statement. “This maneuver, combined with other instances of not meeting the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the exceptional organization that it is, led to my decision to step down.”

Koss will be replaced by Capt. Greg McWherter, previous CO of the Blue Angels, for the rest of the season.

USNAviator
05-28-11, 11:48 AM
I have to ask. Then why did he do it in the first place? This is like baseball teams that lose, or football teams that lose, then in the locker room they say they should have played better. So why didn't they PLAY better in the first place?
I never understood this kind of stuff. If it was a mistake, just say we mistakenly flew too close to the ground, but not that you were at an unacceptably low altitude, without saying why.

No big deal, but we see this in all areas, from crime to politics to sports----I should have done this---then why didn't you do it?

A kid enrolls in college, flunks out. Says "I should have studied harder". Ok, then if you knew that, why didn't you study harder?


It seems that the powers that be listen too much to JAG advice (sorry Dave) and should simply say "Hey he screwed up and we are relieving him of command" I know the Angels are back home in P-Cola training. They were suppose to do the fly over at the Naval Academy commencement yesterday but were grounded so this must have been one really screwed pooch

USNAviator
05-28-11, 11:58 AM
Anyway, it says there were other incidents also, so it looks like it is for the best, before some crash occurs because directives and procedure are not followed.

JAG advice. LOL. I have't been a JAG since 1979 to 1982. Looooong time ago, Commander.
Still have the blue uniform hanging right next to my Marine Corps dress blouse, or whatever it's called, of course the USMC one is on the left, in a position of seniority in the closet. I'm real particular about that stuff.


You know Dave you should post a picture of that Marine uniform. I'm sure most on here have no idea what the Corps was wearing back in 1895

USNAviator
05-28-11, 12:02 PM
LOL-----It was funny, Dan, I brought it to a USMC reunion in Portsmouth New Hampshire in 2000, put on the dress blouse part of it, which is all I have left of the original, I looked like a fracking scarecrow, arms sticking straight out, could barely get it on, definitely could not button it, I was fitted for it two weeks after I turned 17, at Parris Island----I walked down the hallway of the Best Western motel and knocked on the door of my best USMC buddy and said "ready for PT, Sir" and he opened the door, took one look, nearly fell down laughing. I went back to my room before a member of the public saw me and called the police.


Great story Dave. We did it again didn't we?

michagnu
05-28-11, 06:49 PM
You know Dave you should post a picture of that Marine uniform. I'm sure most on here have no idea what the Corps was wearing back in 1895

Sorry Commander but I have to disagree. I would guess far more Marines than not would be able to tell you what a Marine uniform from 1895 looked like. Required knowledge for recruit training and all.

USNAviator
05-28-11, 07:00 PM
Sorry Commander but I have to disagree. I would guess far more Marines than not would be able to tell you what a Marine uniform from 1895 looked like. Required knowledge for recruit training and all.

I'm sure that's more than true but Dave actually wore one :D He's been around awhile

USNAviator
05-28-11, 07:05 PM
When I went to boot camp they never showed us photos or drawings of older Corps uniforms, just taught us about MC History and Traditions, in detail, but not the older uniforms. But it may be different nowadays, like most everything else.


Dave did your uniform come with the actual leather neck? ;)

michagnu
05-28-11, 07:12 PM
When I went to boot camp they never showed us photos or drawings of older Corps uniforms, just taught us about MC History and Traditions, in detail, but not the older uniforms. But it may be different nowadays, like most everything else.

When I went through there were pictures and illustrations of some of the older uniforms in history and tradition. We didn't actually study the old uniforms but if you paid attention you could probably give a fair description of the uniform of a given period.

USNAviator
05-28-11, 07:20 PM
I don't even think that was in our Guidebook, which was the 8th Edition (1962). It was the one we used in 1963.
I think recruits nowadays are actually taught more than we were in boot camp. Not just uniforms etc but a lot of other subjects. I would venture to say they have more material to memorize and learn. We had a lot, but because of techological advances etc they might have more to learn, not sure about that but it seems likely


Get a bit serious here. Did you ever think about what MOS you would get while you were going through boot? Did you have a wish list?

michagnu
05-28-11, 07:31 PM
I didn't mean to start a serious discussion. I just figured since the thread was already hijacked I could make light of the Marine compulsion with history and tradition.

USNAviator
05-28-11, 07:43 PM
I didn't mean to start a serious discussion. I just figured since the thread was already hijacked I could make light of the Marine compulsion with history and tradition.


LOL good point!!! No I'm the one who wants to know. Perhaps I should start yet another thread. But guys Dave's age didn't have any say over what MOS they would get. I was just curious if he/they ever thought about it?

michagnu
05-28-11, 07:52 PM
That would be an interesting thread. I hadn't ever thought about what it would be like to enlist having no idea what job would be waiting for you. It would be cool to find out if they did think about it and what job they would have picked, what they got, and how it turned out.

USNAviator
05-28-11, 07:54 PM
That would be an interesting thread. I hadn't ever thought about what it would be like to enlist having no idea what job would be waiting for you. It would be cool to find out if they did think about it and what job they would have picked, what they got, and how it turned out.

Just started it. Lets see what happens

michagnu
05-28-11, 07:55 PM
I posted went back and saw you'd already started it.

USNAviator
05-28-11, 07:57 PM
I posted went back and saw you'd already started it.

Michael were you able to chose your MOS? Do you have any idea when that started?

michagnu
05-28-11, 08:01 PM
I was able to select my field in October 1989. I don't know when that started.

michagnu
05-28-11, 08:12 PM
I went to see if I could find out when the military started letting people select a field but no joy.

Old Marine
05-28-11, 09:12 PM
Does anyone really care who Archibald Henderson was??????

USNAviator
05-28-11, 09:19 PM
Does anyone really care who Archibald Henderson was??????

Truthfully Gunny I thought it was the Marine they named Henderson Field for but I had to look it up, longest serving Commandant. I think Dave served under him

michagnu
05-28-11, 09:21 PM
The longest serving Commandant. He probably prevented the merging of the Army and Marine Corps in the early 1830's. So yes.

Old Marine
05-28-11, 09:36 PM
I was taught in Boot Camp that Archiebald Henderson was the Grand Old Man Of The Marine Corps.

Zulu 36
05-29-11, 12:08 AM
Truthfully Gunny I thought it was the Marine they named Henderson Field for but I had to look it up, longest serving Commandant. I think Dave served under him



Hate to be a party pooper, but Henderson Field on Guadalcanal was named after Marine Major Lofton Henderson, CO of VMSB-241, KIA at Midway.

Zulu 36
05-29-11, 12:09 AM
I was taught in Boot Camp that Archiebald Henderson was the Grand Old Man Of The Marine Corps.

He was, Old Marine, but weren't you his orderly? :D