Past CO's | ||
VADM Peter M. Hekman 5 August 1978-2 July 1980 |
RADM Raynor A.K. Taylor 2 July 1980-22 July 1983 |
RADM Philip R. Olson 22 July 1983-3 October 1986 |
RADM Michael W. Bordy 8 October 1986-30 June 1989 |
CAPT Don P. Pollard 30 June 1989-1 August 1992 |
CAPT William J. Laz 1 August 1992-21 May 1995 |
CAPT Lawrence A. Lewandowski 21 May 1995-31 July 1997 | ||
Only a seaman realizes
to what extent an entire ship relects the
personality and ability of one individual...her
Commanding Officer. To a landsman, this concept is difficult
to understand, and for us mariners,
it may
be hard to comprehend, but it is so.
A ship at sea is a different world unto herself. In consideration of the protracted and distant operations of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power, responsibility, and trust in the hands of those leaders chosen for command. In each ship, there is one man who, in the hour of emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There is one man who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire, and morale of his ship. He is the Commanding Officer. HE IS THE SHIP! This
assignment is the most demanding and difficult
in the Navy. There is not an instant during
his tour as Commanding Officer that he can
escape the grasp of command responsibility.
His privileges in lieu of his obligations
are ludicrously small; nevertheless, this
is the spur which has given the Navy its
great leaders. |