Cursing Female Navy Captain Booted From Ship

[Mikey]

(March 4) -- In a blow to the public image of women in senior military positions, a female Navy captain was removed from command of a destroyer after an inspector general investigation found that she verbally and physically assaulted crew members and forced subordinates to walk her dog and entertain at a personal party.

Capt. Holly Graf's tenure in charge of the guided missile cruiser Cowpens included numerous cases of belittling crew members in a manner that apparently shocked even hardened sailors used to foul-mouthed ship behavior, according to investigators. "What are you, f******* stupid?" was apparently a regular Graf refrain.

The report, which substantiated several of the claims made against Graf, brought an end to her time on the ship. The military newspaper Stars & Stripes reported Graf's removal in January for abusive behavior, citing the inspector general report, which had not been publicly released at the time.

Keep reading at AOL news

[kzoo pilot]

Good Lord, half of the Master's I sailed with would have been fired following those guidelines!

[CaptRob1]

That B$%tch!!!!!

[seadog!]

I wonder...
Were they fookn stupid?

[JAFO]

Hmmmmmmm.... Never thought about having them perform at a personal party.

[tengineer]

She's got problems and evidently has had for awhile.
She shoulda opted for the Marine Corps when she got out of the Academy or just gone ahead and got her sex change operation completed.

[anchorman]

Wait a minute. You mean, when I was asked if I was fucking stupid - they were wrong???

[Jemplayer]

Dam good thing I'm not in the navy.

I know I call my deck hands MUCH worse when I'm at the stern controls and they have missed the bit for the 5th time in a row in rough seas. The trick is to say it so they cant hear you. And lets be honest, the deckhand is saying those same things about me, I know I was when I was on deck.

There is A LOT more to this story then is being said for obvious reasons.

[Diesel]

This is being sensationalized. Plenty of ass-hat male CO's have been relieved over the years, to no media attention. This is just a big deal because she is the first female. As more females take on these positions, it will occur more and more often, simply because there will be more of them. The same percentages of dumb assholes exist in the military as exist in the rest of society. Sounds like the Navy dealt with it, case closed.

[tengineer]

"The same percentages of dumb assholes exist in the military as exist in the rest of society. Sounds like the Navy dealt with it, case closed."

Well said. I've never understood why when you give some people a title like captain or chief they become autocratic assholes. I used to think such people maybe patterned themselves after an autocratic asshole from their past but I came to the conclusion they were probably just born assholes waiting to get a rank, license or title making it official.
Teng

[Steamer]

This is being sensationalized. Plenty of ass-hat male CO's have been relieved over the years, to no media attention.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030504326.html

[Shellback]

I am surprised that someone like that,made it so far in the Navy...The Navy prides it's self on being the sterotypical" Officer and the Gentleman", or Gentle person would be more politically correct in this case, I suppose.....

The military has never been economical with profanity but on deck of a ship the berating and demeaning of subordinates in front of others, was very much frowned upon when I was in...A true professional officer had ways to make his or her point with decorum and would never resort to such childish behavior...

[Diesel]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030504326.html

Good find and exactly my point. No doubt this lady had issues and probably should have been relieved, but obviously so did several other CO's you never heard about.

[HawspiperJeff]

Another woman in a male dominated field on a power trip? Sorry don't mean to be sexist but I have worked with a LOT of them!!!!

[EbbTide]

Militarycorruption.com has been covering this story. Here are some quotes from people who had the misfortune of working under this woman.

Here are some of the allegations:
"...But a commander "man-handling" a crew-member, in this case (we are told) by grabbing that person around the throat, is way beyond the pale. It is inexcusable! "

"Capt. Holly Graf has gotten away with plenty since she graduated from the Naval Academy in 1985. The fierce, foul-mouthed martinet - who more than once hurled coffee cups and other objects at underlings who had "displeased" her - was protected for years by indulgent brass hats and superior officers who didn't dare anger the feminists and politicians who demand total "political correctness."

(FROM A CLASSMATE OF HOLLY GRAF - AND LISA NOWAK)

"She (Graf) was an incompetent b...h, whose only concern was for herself. She saw subordinates as either stepping stones or objects to crush. A horrible woman!"

(FROM A FELLOW OFFICER WHO SERVED WITH GRAF AT SEA)

"I knew her when she was an XO on a destroyer. (MCC withholds the name of the ship to protect identity of writer) The news of her relief of command, especially for cruelty and maltreatment, that doesn't surprise me at all. What took them so long? She was mean and sadistic back then, and didn't give one damn about the crew."

(FROM A NAVAL OFFICER, NOW RETIRED)

"Graf was an arrogant, obnoxious brat who knew she could get away with anything. In my 24 years in the Navy, I never met a worse officer than her. The woman was malicious and just "out-of-control." Thank God she won't make admiral now. Her ticket was already punched. The CNO is nuts if he lets her stay in the Navy after this."

This woman is a prime example of a Sociopath. You don't have to be a serial killer or some nut locked up at the state prison to be a Sociopath. You may have or perhaps currently work with a sociopath.
A great book out in paperback
The Sociopath Next Door
by Martha Stout, available through Gcaptain link to amazon, $10.17
[Dr.] Stout says that as many as 4% of the population are conscienceless sociopaths who have no empathy or affectionate feelings for humans or animals. As Stout (The Myth of Sanity) explains, a sociopath is defined as someone who displays at least three of seven distinguishing characteristics, such as deceitfulness, impulsivity and a lack of remorse. Such people often have a superficial charm, which they exercise ruthlessly in order to get what they want. Stout argues that the development of sociopathy is due half to genetics and half to nongenetic influences that have not been clearly identified.

[Diesel]

No doubt, a lot of that is likely true, but if it were a man we'd just call him an ass and drum him out of the Navy.

[Azimuth]

I had a CO that made a habit of throwing Bowditch across the bridge when he got pissed. He made Admiral!

[JBPA]

I had a CO that made a habit of throwing Bowditch across the bridge when he got pissed. He made Admiral!

Throwing Bowditch you say...hmmm...I may work that into my act. Thanks for the creative input.

[Capt. Fran]

Another woman in a male dominated field on a power trip? Sorry don't mean to be sexist but I have worked with a LOT of them!!!!

Jeff, I have serious doubts as to the validity of your statement.

1) You created the following conundrum: male dominated field, yet you said you've worked with "a LOT of women", apparently of whom all are on a power trip. I've been sailing for almost 30 years and typically still find myself as either the sole female onboard, or one of the very few. How did you get so lucky?

2) I'll open up the forum to the following hypothesis: Most women, just like most men, that advance in their careers to the point of making captain, are hard working mariners that have most assuredly earned their rank. So, if by 'power trip' you mean dedicated to being a safe mariner that gives a damn about the ship, the mission and the crew, then I'll gladly hold my hand up and shout guilty.

3) Did you notice how I was able to counter your entire statement without once resorting to name calling or generalizing? That's why a LOT of women are better than men. (Ooh, sorry, I guess I can generalize just as much as the next guy.)

[Diesel]

Sorry, Captain Fran...please take this as a compliment and not an insult in any way. It simply never occurred to me that you were a woman.