We need Capt. Kirk or Picard at the helm: http://gawker.com/5722890/aircraft-carrier-officer-in-trouble-for-making-raunchy-lesbian-shower-videos

1/3/2011 7:15:28 AM

i remember that guy and those videos

shit was a great way to lighten mood aboard a 110++ degree boat for a few minutes a week

i wish they had been raunchy lesbian shower videos

1/3/2011 9:33:53 AM

1/3/2011 9:38:36 AM

Psh, this shit has nothing on Tailhook '91

1/3/2011 2:42:16 PM

yeah, Tailhook '91 permanently changed the military.

1/3/2011 5:16:44 PM

why are they bringing this up again? Even NPR was like "wtf, mate?"

1/3/2011 6:41:32 PM

The f-word has no place in a modern military.

1/3/2011 6:49:01 PM

1/3/2011 7:03:04 PM

^^ get over yourself.

1/3/2011 7:08:06 PM

what?

1/3/2011 7:21:58 PM

more videos

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/01/navy-enterprise-more-xo-videos-surface-010411w/

I think political correctness definitely goes too far, especially when it comes to in-house comedy skits that were never meant for the general public. While some of them were stupid and not that funny, I have no doubt that 99% of most crews would find them at least somewhat funny, and it is definitely a huge morale boon.

It's just for that 1% to get all butthurt and leak them to the media and completely torpedo someone's career.

1/4/2011 11:41:48 PM

sure it's just 1%?

1/5/2011 4:35:42 AM

I haven't seen all the videos, but from what I've seen, it's very tame. I don't think it's necessary to torpedo the guy's career.

1/5/2011 6:23:09 AM

^

1/5/2011 8:27:23 AM

Watch the video! They even admit that the XO has gotten complaints about the videos, "Not to me personally, but gutlessly through other channels." (as if ENS Ricky is going to personally approach a Captain with a complaint like that). Then the XO basically says that anyone who doesn't like it should go fuck themselves. The guy clearly knew that what he was doing was wrong and continued with it anyway.

Sure, people goof around, and plenty of what went on in the video goes on all the time. But joking with friends isn't quite the same as broadcasting those antics to to five thousand people on closed-circuit TV after you've received complaints. Especially on an aircraft carrier where you have hundreds of Sailors straight out of bootcamp who've been told that they'll go to mast if they sing rap songs with the n-word. Right now the military is really pushing for a professional image. He'll get fired for the bad PR more than anything.

1/5/2011 2:50:57 PM

Quote :

"He'll get fired for the bad PR more than anything."

He's already been removed.

If anyone is interested, here's a really bad argument in defense of the guy:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/01/an-impassioned-defense-of-capt-owen-p-honors/68878/

1/5/2011 3:00:09 PM

I've read a couple ex-Naval officer comments on this that said essentially "this is how you let off steam. they were making it entertaining. give them some slack. this was a frat prank sort of thing."

What it made me wonder, and I'm sure some of you military folks can school me on this, but that made me wonder about what the code of conduct says about using racial, ethnic, or homophobic slurs. I mean, yes, everyone uses them, but I wouldn't think throwing around "fag" in training videos would be that much more acceptable than calling Afghani soldiers "ragheads". I mean, even under DADT, they had to believe that at least someone on the ship could be gay, and in this context it seemed like "fag" wasn't being used the way "nigger" is used among blacks but rather as a "ew fuckin queers you're sick" kinda way.

I mean, did they really not hear about how Sulu is totally gay?



[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM. Reason : z]

1/5/2011 4:08:34 PM

I think the big issue is that he was the XO. It's like an assistant principal calling a student a fag as opposed to another student saying it. Though his big mistake was making a video that could be leaked later.

I thought this was a good read:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/01/05/preble.honors.videos/index.html?hpt=C2

1/5/2011 7:28:38 PM

^^Well it was definitely more of a skit night/comedy hour kind of thing than a 'training' video, I keep hearing the media calling them offensive 'training' videos when they even put in the disclaimer at the beginning putting it out there as unofficial and not endorsed by the chain of command. (even if that is ludicrous considering the XO, and officers in general are always to set the example and uphold the standards of the Navy, even off duty)

There's no doubt that it is crude and could offend certain personalities, and of course once it went public action had to be taken to save face. I think it comes down to do you find it more funny than offensive or more offensive than funny, and that depends on the person, their background and sensibilities.

Also the predominant culture has to be understood, a large majority of sailors on a carrier are young and straight out of high school, so there is definitely still some level of immaturity and crude humor, and the aviation community Capt Honors hails from is very akin to a fraternity, those videos are pretty tame in comparison to some things that go on out of the public eye. He just chose the wrong way to try and boost morale and identify with his sailors.

Generally total dirtbags don't make it all the way to commanding a nuclear aircraft carrier, so Capt Honors had to be doing his job otherwise pretty well, that's likely why no action other than a private slap on the wrist seems to have happened until now. I'd hope there will at least be some lessons learned from all this.

^that is the main issue, it sets a poor example of acceptable behavior coming from the second in command, I could see it better as an internal gag video amongst the wardroom or a department, but not the entire ship.

[Edited on January 6, 2011 at 12:18 AM. Reason : ]

1/6/2011 12:13:04 AM

Quote :

"I think the big issue is that he was the XO. It's like an assistant principal calling a student a fag as opposed to another student saying it. Though his big mistake was making a video that could be leaked later."

Except, in this case, faggotry was prohibited.

You can't complain about being harassed for being someone who engages in (or wants to engage in) illegal activity.

1/6/2011 3:26:08 AM

Also prohibited, not believing in god:

http://www.truth-out.org/armys-fitness-test-designed-psychologist-who-inspired-cias-torture-program-under-fire66577

Quote :

"Army's "Spiritual Fitness" Test Comes Under Fire An experimental, Army mental-health, fitness initiative designed by the same psychologist whose work heavily influenced the psychological aspects of the Bush administration's torture program is under fire by civil rights groups and hundreds of active-duty soldiers. They say it unconstitutionally requires enlistees to believe in God or a "higher power" in order to be deemed "spiritually fit" to serve in the Army."

Quote :

"The test is administered every two years. More than 800,000 Army soldiers have taken it thus far. But for the thousands of "Foxhole Atheists" like 27-year-old Sgt. Justin Griffith, the spiritual component of the test contains questions written predominantly for soldiers who believe in God or another deity, meaning nonbelievers are guaranteed to score poorly and will be forced to participate in exercises that use religious imagery to "train" soldiers up to a satisfactory level of spirituality. Griffith, who is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, took the test last month and scored well on the emotional, family and social components."

Quote :

"Mitchell says the Establishment Clause of the Constitution prohibits such religious testing. "And it's not just the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment which is being blatantly violated here," Weinstein said. "Clause 3 of Article 6 of the body of our nation's Constitution specifically prohibits any type of 'religious test' being used in connection with any government service. "

Quote :

"Weinstein said MRFF currently represents more than 200 Army soldiers who are "vehemently objecting to this clearly transparent 'religious test', the majority of them practicing Christians themselves.""

1/7/2011 8:08:04 PM

Quote :

"Four Navy officers get letters of censure over lewd video The secretary of the Navy has issued letters of censure to Capt. Owen Honors and three other officers involved in the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise lewd video scandal, Navy spokesman Capt. Danny Hernandez said. The letters effectively end the officers careers, as they will prevent promotion. The letters cannot be appealed. Honors created the videos and was second-in-command on the Enterprise at the time. Others receiving censure were his successor, Capt. John Dixon, and former Enterprise commanders Rear Adm. Larry Rice and Rear Adm. Ron Horton."

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/18/four-officers-get-letters-of-censure-over-lewd-video/

3/18/2011 3:44:31 PM

sucks having to live off O-6/O-7 retirement pay...haha


but that was just a big fucking sham. The navy is too fucking political these days...appease the many, while removing common sense.

as before mentioned, I wish my XO had done stuff like this while i was hanging out in a 110-120 degree ship. when you are over there, you need all the motivation and laughter you can get.

this is one of many reasons why I am getting out.

3/19/2011 3:01:22 AM

you know what's hilarious?

FAGGOTS! HAW HAW HAW!

3/21/2011 12:40:15 PM