Is it who you know?

Turdacious · Post by **Turdacious** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:52 pm

When retired Air Force pilot Mike Ross learned this month that the Navy aviator who shot him down is on a nomination list for the rank of admiral, he had a visceral reaction.

“I almost got sick,” said Col. Ross, 56. “He ruined by life.”

All the horror and pain came rushing back when he read The Washington Times story about NavyCapt. Timothy W. Dorsey’s pending promotion to flag rank. The Pentagon sent his nomination to the Senate Armed Services Committee this month.

This tale of two officers began nearly 25 years ago. Col. Ross, an Air Force captain at the time, was flying his RF-4C reconnaissance jet over the Mediterranean Sea in a NATO non-fire exercise.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... #pagebreak

Zombomatic · Post by **Zombomatic** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:09 pm

When it comes to picking up a star, it's definitely who you know....no one picks up flag rank without having at least a few influential friends. This article doesn't surprise me at all.

Holeyfraggaroley · Post by **Holeyfraggaroley** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:17 pm

Helll yeah. It seems the biggest assholes get promoted. The good guys get out.

nafod · Post by **nafod** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:04 pm

I don't know the guy myself. But the title of the article, "Navy aviator’s career soars" is wrong, because he is not an aviator. He got shitcanned from aviation and went to the reserves and intel, where it sounds like he found his home as an intel weenie and managed to excel. There's a ton of good officers out there who lack the monkey skills and high speed judgement to fly, but do great at staff stuff like intel or being a doctor.

That said...bad optics. And no community really wants another's hand-me-downs.

Shapecharge · Post by **Shapecharge** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:04 pm

If interested, here's some follow up information on the events related to the shooting down of the Air Force plane. Doesn't absolve him of shooting down a fellow pilot but it adds context to the phrase, "shit happens."

http://www.fighterpilotuniversity.com/a ... owns-usaf/

Gin Master · Post by **Gin Master** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:03 pm

Zombomatic wrote:When it comes to picking up a star, it's definitely who you know....no one picks up flag rank without having at least a few influential friends. This article doesn't surprise me at all.

A Navy investigation found that Lt. Dorsey knew the RF-4C was friendly, saying his decision to fire was “deliberate” and “illogical.” The Navy banned him from flying, a punishment that at the time would seem to have ended the career of the Navy admiral’s son.

IGX

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