I don't think MacArthur went outside the chain of command. He did challenge his commander. Another good way to get fired in the military and everywhere else - especially when you are right and your commander is wrong.
After he had sent the same letter up through the chain of command. He used the chain, as he had many times in his career, except this time it was unresponsive. And so he became a whistleblower, a man of conscience, so rare in government service.
Yes I know that. He stepped out because trying to make it work for an emergency situation, the chain of command failed, by his standard. That vessels on the sea are incubators for disease because men are living so close and without sunlight is an age old piece of knowledge. He went out of the chain of command because a greater good, several goods, were at stake. It was situational ethics. He did the right thing. Having 1 less US carrier at sea changes nothing except some statistic being kept. He sacrificed his career, so that so that some young sailor might be saved. The hashtag that came out of it kinds of describes the current mood of young sailors. #EverythingTrumpTouchesDies Low morale.
He did get a response and the Navy was working to set up quarters on Guam in which to house 1000 sailors, you think they can just snap their fingers and that appear like magic. Why did he allow all those sailors to stand in a shoulder to shoulder crowd on the hanger deck to cheer him if he and they were so worried?
It wasn't a matter of public health, did you miss the part about this being the Navy, the military? And now the Chinese know we are down one carrier battle group.
According to his judgement. However, his superiors have the final word, that is why they are his superiors. A military simply cannot work where subordinates override their superior's decisions.
President Trump did not pardon a war criminal. Nor has President Trump committed war crimes. The chain of command actually matters in real life.
The "good of his men" does not excuse or justify every action by an officer. Would you be saying the same if an officer ordered thousands of civilians killed "for the good of his men"?
He didn't like the response, whatever it was, so he went the insubordination route. If he felt so strongly that the higher up were wrong it was his duty to obey or resign. But he got too big for his stripes. That might work in civilian life. Military is different. So many posters here have never served in the military and don't understand that there is only one way a deadly fighting machine can function. I can tell you non-military types this -- When given an order by a superior in the Navy the correct response is "Aye aye, sir". That translates to. "I heard, I understand, I will obey".
Looks like Trump is getting ready to weigh in on the side of the Captain Watch these Trumpers do an about face
He was not a whistleblower by any stretch of the definition. A military person cannot be a whistleblower. He broke a cardinal rule of the military. Otherwise a very fine military officer.
No, he is not, though Trump has expressed sympathy and expressed a desire to not destroy the Captain's person or career.
He was putting off the reporters after their incessant repeat questions about it. Their bosses would server themselves and the public well if they advised their WH reporters you are NOT military experts leave the questioning about this to our reporters who have experience and understanding of the military.
Would your opinion change if evidence surfaced that the captain had attempted to raise the issue with the chain of command, was ignored, and then decided to sacrifice his career to save his crew?
Nice sentiment, but will never happen. The media bosses want their reporters to bash Trump whenever and however they can.