Sounds like an officer enlisted relationship, but grounding the guy, I have no understanding of that at all. That is just a big advert to the media, look we have a sexual problem in the Blue Angels..........and that sells papers Also two Angels grounds, but then points out that they will fly with five out of the six aircraft. So at each of the following displays they are again advertising the problem by being one aircraft down. Ironically, if it had been two of the pilots, rules and disclosure policies would probably prohibited any action at all.

Matt

AMDDDA wrote on Oct 31^st, 2008 at 5:54pm:

Hope not Saw them practicing yesterday and they are

I think it was a good course of action, giving them special rights just because they are show boats would not make the Navy look good, whatever happened could have leaked to the public and if anyone found out they tried to sweep it under the carpet it would have looked real bad on the Angels. 

Instead they put the hammer down real quick and demonstrated to the public (and future Angels) that fraternization is a no tolerance issue in the Dept of the Navy, even if it means losing a bird for the show.

Good job on the leadership, FAIL on the sailors part though!  Gotta keep that stuff under wraps!!!

expat wrote on Oct 31^st, 2008 at 2:51pm:


I do. You can't have one rule for some and another just because they're in a position of relative "celebrity". I suspect both were off the unit fairly pronto.

Rules is rules. You break 'em, you suffer the consequences. Being a Blue Angel just makes it worse, because those in authority cannot be seen to favour someone because of their (perceived) status.

Dumb, and I suspect quite a career stopper. No promotion in the near future for him!

You've obviously been out far too long Matt!

Well, they looked GREAT even without him, although at the beginning, Blue Angel three almost rammed into #1, as it put on afterburner early.



See my comment on the other thread about this too.

expat wrote on Nov 1^st, 2008 at 12:57pm:


They usually have 7 pilots and 7 birds, but the seventh is strictly for public relations and a backup bird (the two seater) but the pilot of #7 isn't a formation flyer/solo/opposing, so even if they have a backup plane, they still need the pilot.  Correct me if I'm wrong please. 

As far as the case goes:
Fraternization is rather serious and him being a pilot and senior officer he really went out of bounds by having a relationship with an enlisted member.  At a distance it doesn't seem serious but once you get into the politics of it, it's a huge deal.  Favors getting done for each other, people getting screwed over in favor of the boyfriend/girlfriend, all this creates a hostile work environment, something the Angels DO NOT need...theres more to it than boy meets girl. 

And the pilot being a senior officer, he should have friggin known it was going to risk his career and image.  Im glad he got grounded, even if he was a fellow Marine.  Just making the rest of us look bad.  Bummer about missing a bird at the shows, but they need to make an example out of him, show the future pilots there's no messing around.

expat wrote on Nov 1^st, 2008 at 12:57pm:


Opens up a whole can of equal opportunities worms, which I know even the US forces have.