UPDATE: Honors has been relieved of command
Original post:
While the Executive Officer of the carrier Enterprise, Captain Owen Honors made several videos that are now threatening his career. The Virginian-Pilot broke the story on New Year’s Day and it has since been reported nationwide: it was on MSNBC that I first learned that Honors, now the Commanding Officer of the Norfolk-based ship, is expected to be relieved of duty.
I watched the videos – well, what I could stand of them, since I’m not into sophomoric, frat-boy humor – hated Animal House for the same reason – and can see why so many people are upset. Of course, the videos weren’t produced for the likes of me, anyway – I’m not nor never have I ever been a 19-year-old sailor deployed on a ship for six months. Even so, I think Honors showed poor judgment in making them.
But there are questions here that so far have not been answered. First, why did the Navy blow off complaints about these videos back when they were first produced? Yes, I know junior officers and enlisted members of the estimated 6,000 member crew don’t have a lot of clout. But the CO certainly should have recognized what Honors apparently didn’t – that these videos would come back to haunt him – and put a stop to them.
Second, why did the Navy initially blow off the latest report of the videos? Surely, in the space of 4-5 years, they had to know that these videos would create a firestorm once the public became aware of them.
Finally, why now? What happened that made the videos only now become public? Does someone have an axe to grind?
Honors career is most likely over. I’m not sure which this is more of an indictment of – Honors for having made the videos in the first place or the Navy brass for not having put a stop to it.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I, too, watched the Pilot post of the videos. About 100 times, there was a statement that the Captain etc were unaware of the videos. Do I believe that? I am only SO naive! But the XO was doing what he should have, protect the chain of command.
These videos should not have been made. That said, in watching them, while seeing some could be offended, I didn’t find them more offensive than a lot of stuff on TV as commercials.
One of the jobs of leadership is to enhance morale of the troops, staff, employees – whatever the appropriate term for the reader’s job. IF these videos negatively affected morale, relieve him. IF there was no negative effect and/or a positive one, rap his knuckles and move on. I am guessing the likelihood is the latter not the former.
IMHO
I get what you’re saying, Doug, but there are guidelines for the conduct of military officers beyond the cumulative effect on morale. In this case I immediately think of the section of general article 134 within the punitive articles of the UCMJ covering “conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.”
Surely the XO should have had the foresight to realize that these videos, if they ever surfaced, would bring discredit upon the United States Navy; and if he didn’t have the judgement to realize that, he doesn’t have the judgement necessary to command a ship of war.