ADM Joe Sestak - What do you think?

[ChuckMK23]

Just saw Admiral Joe Sestak, now Congressman Sestak (D. PA) on Meet The Press.

Was impressed with his message and how well spoken he was even for a Democrat (and even more so for a Shoe!).

Seriously though - what do you guys think of him?

Here's his Wikipedia Bio

 

[FlyinSpy]

Just saw Admiral Joe Sestak, now Congressman Sestak (D. PA) on Meet The Press.

Was impressed with his message and how well spoken he was even for a Democrat (and even more so for a Shoe!).

Seriously though - what do you guys think of him?

Here's his Wikipedia Bio

I thought he did an excellent job of articulating the rationalist (as opposed to wacko) arguments for disengaging on the ground in Iraq. He's obviously no dummy, and did a good job up against 2 of the bigger loudmouth chowderheads in American politics - Perle and Delay. I was impressed by what I saw and heard this morning, and will pay more attention to him in the future.

He's a nightmare for the White House - someone who can wave current military bona fides, and have a somewhat powerful political/policy soap box to stand on (HASC membership).

 

[BigIron]

IMHO, I like having folks on the hill with military experience

 

[Flash]

I remember reading in the Navy Times about an Admiral who was relieved the day after ADM Mullen took over as CNO. There were a lot of complaints about how he worked his staff to the bone and fostered a 'poor command climate'. The complaints were so serious that one of the first official actions ADM Mullen took was to relieve the guy. Lo and behold, it turns out it was VADM Sestak.

With all of that said, I have no first hand knowledge of what was going on but the articles I read did not paint him in a good light.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=995178&C=navwar

http://www.timesherald.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=16436764&BRD=1672&PAG=461&dept_id=33380&rfi=8

 

[Intruder Driver]

I remember reading in the Navy Times about an Admiral who was relieved the day after ADM Mullen took over as CNO. There were a lot of complaints about how he worked his staff to the bone and fostered a 'poor command climate'. The complaints were so serious that one of the first official actions ADM Mullen took was to relieve the guy. Lo and behold, it turns out it was VADM Sestak.

With all of that said, I have no first hand knowledge of what was going on but the articles I read did not paint him in a good light.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=995178&C=navwar

http://www.timesherald.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=16436764&BRD=1672&PAG=461&dept_id=33380&rfi=8

Could have been professional jealousy or an old fashioned cat fight among the black shoes.

 

[Pugs]

I remember reading in the Navy Times about an Admiral who was relieved the day after ADM Mullen took over as CNO. There were a lot of complaints about how he worked his staff to the bone and fostered a 'poor command climate'. The complaints were so serious that one of the first official actions ADM Mullen took was to relieve the guy. Lo and behold, it turns out it was VADM Sestak.

A very good friend and 0-6 rolled into that office just after Sestak was relieved and the stories were absolutely scary about what a whack job he was.

 

[Flash]

A very good friend and 0-6 rolled into that office just after Sestak was relieved and the stories were absolutely scary about what a whack job he was.

Any particular ones you can share?

 

[Pugs]

How about telling (seriously) the Jewish folks to work on Christmas as it didn't count as their holiday or ordering his folks sleep in their cars in the parking lot of the Pentagon? 3000+ page PP briefs that he decided he didn't like (after thousands of man hours work under his direction) and just discarded. His COS quit over the Jewish issue and the ADM chased him into the parking lot begging him to come back and pulled him out of his car. Scary stuff as I said.

 

[snizo]

^^
Think we're getting (dangerously) off topic....

IMHO, I like having folks on the hill with military experience

Agreed - thats an automatic +1 for a candidate. Who better to lead our military than someone who knows how it works, and what it can do?

 

[robav8r]

A very good friend and 0-6 rolled into that office just after Sestak was relieved and the stories were absolutely scary about what a whack job he was.

One of my prior CO's (a Commodore now) worked on his staff while the Adm was on active duty. Adm Sestak apparently had a very bad habit of working people to death with little or no reguard to officers famliy or personal lives. My prior CO was always the type of guy who "filtered" the BS from above, but he didn't hesitate to trash this guy. In the end, maybe these are the qualities that will make him a successful politician in D.C.

 

[Brett327]

The fact that the guy manages to get a PhD from Harvard while on active duty ought to tell you something about how driven he is. For better or worse, sounds like he expects that same level of output from those around him.

Brett

 

[ChuckMK23]

A very good friend and 0-6 rolled into that office just after Sestak was relieved and the stories were absolutely scary about what a whack job he was.

Hence, his suitability for politics and congress?

 

[Fred]

Talk to anyone who was in CAG 17 when Sestak was the Battle Group commander on the GW. The stories that came out after that cruise about "Uncle Joe" are insane.

We've known many people over the years who have worked for, or with him, and have yet to hear anything positive about him as a leader. He gets the job done, but doesn't care how he has to do it, and who he destroys in the process.

It says a lot when the new CNO fires him early in the morning on his first day as CNO.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Talk to anyone who was in CAG 17 when Sestak was the Battle Group commander on the GW. The stories that came out after that cruise about "Uncle Joe" are insane.

We've known many people over the years who have worked for, or with him, and have yet to hear anything positive about him as a leader. He gets the job done, but doesn't care how he has to do it, and who he destroys in the process.

It says a lot when the new CNO fires him early in the morning on his first day as CNO.

Seems like a man who wants the spotlight and is willing to get it at all costs. But at the same time, you have to respect him for his time in the service.

 

[ChuckMK23]

OK so what does this say to the system that promotes a leader like this all the way to Flag? I thought the Navy selection board system worked to sideline people like this from getting promoted beyond O-4?

What does this say about his SWO peers and CO's that recommended him? Ugh! I mean you can't make Flag rank in a vacuum! So that must mean a lot of Very Important People wanted him....

If that was indeed his leadership style he would never survive in Naval Aviation...so what is it about the Surface Warfare Community that made it ok for him to rise above?