# What the hell is going on on the bridge of the USS Porter as it crashes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 25, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293 "2013-05-25T04:43:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/21 "2013-05-26T23:13:14Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Amazing - he didn’t even get fired. [Commanding officer of USS Porter relieved of command](http://wtkr.com/2012/08/30/commanding-officer-of-uss-porter-relieved-of-command/) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/22 "2013-05-27T01:20:07Z")
If he’s got his 20 in, the wisest thing he could do is start planning to retire. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/23 "2013-05-27T01:39:52Z")
According to Wikipedia, no one was killed and the repairs only cost $700,000. I’m surprised that it wasn’t a lot worse. > **[USS Porter (DDG-78)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Porter_(DDG-78))** > > USS Porter (DDG-78) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. Porter is the fifth US Navy ship to be named after US Navy officers Commodore David Porter, and his son, Admiral David Dixon Porter. This ship is the 28th destroyer of her class. Porter was the 12th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was laid down on 2 December 1996, launched and christened on 12 November 1997, and commissioned 20 March 1999, in Port Canaveral,... ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/24 "2013-05-27T01:50:22Z")
Poor situational awareness. Might have all other aspects of his career covered, but without good situational awareness . . . ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/25 "2013-05-27T01:56:43Z")
[http://www.wavy.com/dpp/military/commander-derelict-during-collision](http://www.wavy.com/dpp/military/commander-derelict-during-collision) > [@](#): > > Commander Martin Arriola was found in violation of two articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice; Dereliction of Duty and Hazarding a Vessel. > > . . . . > > Arriola was relieved of his duties Aug. 30, 2012 and according to a news release from the Navy, received a letter of reprimand for his actions during the incident. > > He has been reassigned to Naval Surface Force, Atlantic. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/26 "2013-05-27T03:03:05Z")
Yeah, being relieved of command is generally tantamount to being fired. He’s probably going to be captaining a desk until he retires, possibly with a potential reputation amongst his co-workers as being a fuck-up who can’t handle serious responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/27 "2013-05-27T03:29:14Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Yeah, being relieved of command is generally tantamount to being fired. He’s probably going to be captaining a desk until he retires, possibly with a potential reputation amongst his co-workers as being a fuck-up who can’t handle serious responsibility. Commander Martin Arriola will probably be passed over for any promotion. And if he does not retire he will be put into some back water spot until he retires. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/28 "2013-05-27T03:34:03Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Commander Martin Arriola will probably be passed over for any promotion. And if he does not retire he will be put into some back water spot until he retires. He’ll be fired if he’s passed over for promotion twice in a row. Which he probably will be if he doesn’t retire. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/29 "2013-05-27T03:59:09Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > He’ll be fired if he’s passed over for promotion twice in a row. Which he probably will be if he doesn’t retire. They don’t really fire commisioned officers. If they are passed over twice they are expected to resign their commissions. If they don’t then off to the boon docks they go. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/30 "2013-05-27T04:16:01Z")
If they’re passed over twice for promotion, then they’re reviewed for staying in, with the default decision–barring something extraordinarily in their favor–that they’re going to be separated from the service. And, yes, the Navy really does fire commanding officers. The last couple of years has seen a fair number of commanding officers, executive officres, and senior enlisted members being relieved of command/position and then facing disciplinary action. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/31 "2013-05-27T14:29:05Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > They don’t really fire commisioned officers. If they are passed over twice they are expected to resign their commissions. If they don’t then off to the boon docks they go. Generally speaking, no officer in their right mind would resign if passed over twice. If an officer is passed over twice for promotion, they will receive orders separating them from active duty, thereby likely receiving [involuntary separation pay](http://usmilitary.about.com/od/2012MilPay/a/2012invsepof.htm) (if not eligible for retirement). If an officer not eligible for retirement just resigns, they wouldn’t get anything. Note that an officer has to have a certain number of years in the service before becoming eligible for separation pay. A screw-up who didn’t even get promoted to lieutenant (O-3), which normally has a 95% promotion rate, wouldn’t have enough years of service to be eligible for separation pay, much less retirement. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/32 "2013-05-27T16:06:33Z")
I think they generally do NOT want, except in very special circumstances, any Majors or Lieutenant Commanders with over 20 years experience. Service members can retire after 20 years service. They’ll get higher retirement pay if they put in 30 years. The CO in this situation was a Commander, so if he didn’t have 20 years in, he’s probably close. So, he’s probably going to be assigned to shore duty for the rest of his career. And he’ll be encouraged to retire at 20 once any/all investigations are done and it’s decided no Court Martial is needed. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/33 "2013-05-29T03:12:43Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Who all on the bridge must things be repeated to? Whenever the OOD gives a helm or engine-speed order, the person he is speaking to (helmsman or EOT operator) repeats the order verbatim, to make sure he has heard and understood it correctly, before executing the order. If the OOD, or another senior watchstander, tells a phonetalker to relay a message, the phonetalker repeats it (again, verbatim), for the same reason, before relaying it on the phone. Which leads to my favourite string of technobabble during a radcon drill… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/34 "2013-05-29T03:46:52Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Poor situational awareness. Might have all other aspects of his career covered, but without good situational awareness . . . He also violated the regular traffic rules. 1. He cut in front of the first ship 2. He went to the dangerous and unexpected side of the first ship. 3. He repeats 1 and 2 with the 2nd ship !; There was no 3rd ship to turn the danger of 2 into a reality, but the damage shows the danger of cutting in front. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/35 "2013-05-29T06:01:04Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > If they’re passed over twice for promotion, then they’re reviewed for staying in, with the default decision–barring something extraordinarily in their favor–that they’re going to be separated from the service. > > And, yes, the Navy really does fire commanding officers. The last couple of years has seen a fair number of commanding officers, executive officres, and senior enlisted members being relieved of command/position and then facing disciplinary action. A few weeks ago something like 18 nuke missile launch officers at Minot AFB were relieved of duty at one stroke. That was kind of spooky. Surprised it even made the papers. ETA: my numbers are prob wrong. I’ll look for cite. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/36 "2013-05-29T10:01:15Z")
Sounds remarkably similar to an incident I investigated involving an Australian bulk carrier and naval vessel: [http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1508366/mair112\_001.pdf](http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1508366/mair112_001.pdf) (no, not my report) Again you had a CO arriving on the bridge in the middle of a situation. He had no night vision and made a hasty and abrupt course change right smack bang into 80,000 tonnes or so of merchant vessel. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-on-the-bridge-of-the-uss-porter-as-it-crashes/659293/37 "2013-05-29T22:51:51Z")
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