Mental Health

The US Navy sacked a destroyer captain after a persistent steering problem led to a Middle East near-miss

One of the Navy's amphibious warships suffered a major mechanical failure earlier this week that forced it to return to port -- at least the third such incident this year. Lt. Cmdr. David Carter, a spokesman for Naval Surface Force Atlantic, confirmed that the USS Iwo Jima suffered "a non-propulsion-related materiel casualty in the engineering department" that forced the ship to return to Naval Station Norfolk on Thursday. That description could cover everything from a problem with the ship's hydraulics to power generators to potable water equipment.

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 052019Z SEP 24 MID600117609101U FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 178/24 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/SEP// SUBJ/EXECUTIVE OFFICER APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED BY NAVY FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON (BLUE ANGELS) FOR 2026-2027 SHOW SEASONS// REF/A/DOC/CNATRA/25JAN23// AMPN/REF A IS CNATRAINST 1301.4P, APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICERS OF THE NAVY FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON (BLUE ANGELS).// RMKS/1. The United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) will select one Executive Officer (XO) for the 2026-2027 show seasons. Navy and Marine Corps Officers are encouraged to apply. 2. Interested officers shall submit applications in line with reference (a) by 31 January 2025. All applicants must contact their detailer or monitor prior to applying to ensure adequate timing to complete a 2-year tour. Manpower Management Officer Assignments will release a separate Marine administrative change that outlines Marine applicant eligibility requirements. 3. Qualifications: a. XO applicants must be Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers with the rank of Commander or Lieutenant Colonel and have a minimum of 1,750 flight hours. b. Applicant selection criteria include: (1) Demonstrated professional performance and reputation. (2) Ability to serve as an ambassador of the Navy and Marine Corps to public and international audiences. (3) Cohesiveness with other team members who travel 300 days per year, with additional heavy emphasis on leadership, judgement, moral character, experience, and confidence. 4. Reference (a) delineates application procedures. a. Applications submitted via mail through 31 December 2024, addressed to: Commanding Officer Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron ATTN: LT Connor O'Donnell 390 San Carlos Road, Suite A Pensacola, FL 32508-5508 b. Applications submitted via mail from 1 January 2025 through 31 January 2025, addressed to: Commanding Officer Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron ATTN: LT Connor O'Donnell Naval Air Facility El Centro 1605 Third Street Hangar 5 El Centro, CA 92243 c. Applications may also be delivered in person to the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron administration department in either location (NAS Pensacola, FL or NAF El Centro, CA) through the application deadline. 5. For additional information, visit the Blue Angels website at https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/ or contact the Blue Angels Applicants Officer, LT Connor O'Donnell, in Pensacola, FL at (850)452-2585 or El Centro, CA (January through Mid-March) at (760)339-2509 or via e-mail at connor.j.odonnell3.mil@us.navy.mil. 6. Final selections will be made no later than 31 May 2025. 7. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled. 8. Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//