In wake of scandals, Navy focuses on SEALs haircuts

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After allegations of sexual assault and drug use have rocked the Navy SEALs, the Naval Special Warfare commander last week issued a “back to basics” directive designed to clean up the ranks, figuratively, and apparently literally.

According to Navy Times, Rear Adm. Collin Green’s  memo includes a mandate for leaders to conduct “routine inspections of your units and strictly enforce all Navy grooming and uniform standards, including adherence to all Navy traditions, customs and ceremonies.”

Commanders will inspect their officers and sailors during uniform shifts, establish “weekly battle rhythm events” to include quarters, unit physical training and zone inspections, with Green personally holding leaders “accountable for all substandard issues related to your personnel on and off duty.”

Further, Green’s memo reveals that he’s moved to squash the proliferation of all “unofficial unit insignia” below the troop level. From now on, the only logos, patches and slogans authorized are those “that have been formally processed and approved” in accordance with Navy regs at the team level.

The “quiet professionals” of the Navy SEALs are called upon to take up the most dangerous missions, often anonymously, and do so willingly. They ask for nothing in return, other than respect from the nation they’ve sworn to protect.

The decade or so of “social experimentation” brought on by the Obama administration was bound to have an impact on mission readiness and discipline. B.Hussein Obama and his minions in the government and media had – and continue to have – little use for the concepts of faith, responsibility and love of country.

Witness how energetically the press reported on the charges against Special Warfare Operator Chief Eddie Gallagher while giving short shrift to the glaring issues with that case. Thankfully, Gallagher’s name has been cleared with a not guilty verdict, but not without great emotional cost to him and his family.

There were four other prosecutions against SEALs which have been dropped. And a military judge has ruled that SEAL Team 6 leaders wielded unlawful command influence to deny a fair hearing to a decorated SEAL who has been accused of encouraging women to send him racy photos.

So long as our warfighters are called upon to undertake difficult missions with unclear objectives, only to find themselves pilloried by the very people they would risk their lives to protect – even within their own ranks — is it any wonder “good order and discipline” might be damaged?

It’s healthy to do self-introspection and demand higher standards. But no one is motivated by suspicion, doubt, or disdain.

So long as too many in our nation take our military for granted, and are quick to blame our own fighters for the horrors that occur on the battlefield because they don’t want to know or understand the truth, then this “culture” will continue. 

I can assure you that a fresh haircut and authorized patches amount to nothing when you have these brave men and women tried and convicted in the court of public opinion.

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