So... You Think You Know Obama? You Probably DON'T, But Somebody Does..

[IShopAtPublix]

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

I'm not a McCain fan by any means, but this is really over the top. You imply that he was passed over and forced out of the Navy, but I have never seen anything to substantiate that. He returned home as a national hero, and I'm sure his mentors thought he could do more for the Navy and the country as a Member of Congress than toiling away in the dispirited post -vietnam military.

There is no shame in retiring as a Captain. No doubt he would have made Rear Admiral at least if he had stayed in the Navy, but how far he would have risen is purely speculative.

The problem with your thinking is that promotions at that level are based on COMPETENCE not heroics. His stint at hanoi hilton was absolutely irrelevant as far as his ability to command SHIPS(and thousands of men) properly.

If you look at his career objectively you will realize he had no chance in hell of matching his father's and grandfather's achievement.

There is no shame in retiring as captain unless you had family that achieved much more not once but twice. This is not a minor thing people last name McCain used to stand for a lot in the US Navy and I have no doubt he even got captain because of it.

 

[jficquette]

Quote from IShopAtPublix:

You are such a moron. I specified four rank difference. Here is a lesson for retards (that means you)

Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral Lower Half, Read Admiral Upper Half, Vice Admiral, Admiral

His grandfather and father were both FULL ADMIRALS(four star) and he could not even muster the lowest admiral rank.

Do you honestly believe he left the navy just for the hell of it? No, he knew there was not much of a future for him so he turned to politics.

Obama made 4 star dick sucker.

 

[IShopAtPublix]

Quote from jficquette:

Obama made 4 star dick sucker.

I have learned officer ranks of the US armed forces some time ago, nobody is going to lecture me on it. And yes I was fully aware of the fact that the Captain in the US navy is in terms of pay grade equivalent to Colonel in other services.

The difference between Captain and Rear Admiral Lower Half is so much that there is a tradition in the US navy that when an officer reaches flag officer rank (begins with Rear Admiral lower half)all the other flag officers write that person a letter of congratulations.

 

[loik]

Quote from IShopAtPublix:

You are such a moron. I specified four rank difference. Here is a lesson for retards (that means you)

Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral Lower Half, Read Admiral Upper Half, Vice Admiral, Admiral

His grandfather and father were both FULL ADMIRALS(four star) and he could not even muster the lowest admiral rank.

Do you honestly believe he left the navy just for the hell of it? No, he knew there was not much of a future for him so he turned to politics.

What about his injuries/political aspirations, didn`t they play a part?

Senator Mccain retired at the age of 45, his father was promoted to rear admiral at 47 and his grandfather at 57?

 

[IShopAtPublix]

Quote from loik:

What about his injuries, didn`t they play a part?

Senator Mccain retired at the age of 45, his father was promoted to rear admiral at 47 and his grandfather at 57?

Do you honestly believe that it matters a lot to an admiral whether he can fully raise his hands? If you look at McCain's biography you see several crashes and his stint at Hanoi Hilton. Do you want to groom senior US military commanders based on their being captured? I would not do that. You look at competence and successful operations. Being shot down and captured is NOT a success.

 

[loik]

Quote from IShopAtPublix:

Do you honestly believe that it matters a lot to an admiral whether he can fully raise his hands? If you look at McCain's biography you see several crashes and his stint at Hanoi Hilton. Do you want to groom senior US military commanders based on their being captured? I would not do that. You look at competence and successful operations. Being shot down and captured is NOT a success.

Do rear admirals only sit behind desks?

How would a competent pilot avoid being shot down by a missile?

 

[Lucrum]

Quote from IShopAtPublix:

...Being shot down and captured is NOT a success.

Having a SAM blow off your right wing in combat is not necesarily the perceived failure you'd like to think it is either.

Or maybe think being wounded in battle is a "failure".

Badly injured and landing in a lake in the center of Hanoi made evasion from capture impossible as well.

 

[IShopAtPublix]

Quote from Lucrum:

Having a SAM blow off your right wing in combat is not necesarily the perceived failure you'd like to think it is either.

Or maybe think being wounded in battle is a "failure".

Badly injured and landing in a lake in the center of Hanoi made evasion from capture impossible as well.

To bring up Patton, you serve your country best not by dying for your country but convincing the other guy to die for his country...

 

[IShopAtPublix]

To bring up wikipedia here is a passage that is VERY illuminating

"...during the early-to-mid 1960s, the planes he was flying crashed twice and once collided with power lines, but he received no major injuries..."

Since you try to negate everything I say you will say it was an accident, people have always claimed he was careless.

BTW, how could I forget he graduated FIFTH from the bottom from Naval Academy. That is some character! Can't blame North Vietnam for that one.

 

[Lucrum]

Quote from IShopAtPublix:


BTW, how could I forget he graduated FIFTH from the bottom from Naval Academy. That is some character!

And your beloved hero Stalin never graduated.