Chapter 3

Over the next few days Sheffield met with each of JAG HQ's senior staff as well as Petty Officer Coates. Most of what was said confirmed Colonel MacKenzie's story, there were a few additions however these just added to the disrespect that was growing for General Creswell. Finally SECNAV Sheffield called the JAG to his office.

Dec 23rd 2004

"You wanted to see me sir?" Creswell said as he entered the SECNAV's officer.

"I did General," Sheffield said, "have a seat."

Unlike in his meetings with the JAG personnel Sheffield remained behind his desk, his manner professional.

"Sir may I ask what this is concerning?" Creswell asked.

"I came into my office on Monday to find a report on my desk," Sheffield began, "A report I didn't not request. It was written by one of your senior staff. At first I didn't believe some of the things stated in the report. I checked and the facts were correct. I then held interviews with some of your staff. I must say General I did not like what I heard."

"What did the report say sir?" Creswell asked.

"I'll begin with the main problem before we move to its underlying causes," Sheffield said, "since you took over efficiency is down 23. Can you explain that?"

"I'm doing the best with what I have sir," Creswell said.

"According to what I've been looking at you haven't General," Sheffield said tersely.

"Sir?" Creswell questioned.

"You've been misusing your personnel," Sheffield said, "causing investigations to take longer than necessary."

"Sir I've noticed that certain members of my staff have been relegated to certain type of cases in the past." Creswell tried to explain, "I'm trying to round out their experience."

"Honestly General if you were rounding off their experience I wouldn't be seeing the pattern I am," Sheffield said.

"What pattern sir?" Creswell asked stoically but under the surface he was starting to worry.

"The pattern showing that Roberts is getting all the carrier and long term cases even though you have an experienced carrier pilot on your staff." Sheffield began, "the one that shows Colonel MacKenzie getting all the submariner cases even though you have a submariner on your staff, the one that shows Turner getting all the computer cases even though you have a computer whiz on your staff. The one that shows you're sending Rabb on all the dangerous cases. If you were rotating the cases around you could say you were trying to round out your staff's experience but you're not doing that."

"What are you trying to say sir?" Creswell asked.

"I'm saying that you seem to have problems with some of your staff members and are doing your best to make them miserable." Sheffield stated.

"Excuse me sir?" Creswell said.

"As I said after reading the report that was left on my desk," Sheffield began, "I spoke to all your senior staff as well as some of your supporting staff. It seems you aren't very well liked in the office."

"As I said before I took the position sir," Creswell said, "I'm here to be their CO not their friend."

"A good CO puts his resources where they are most useful," Sheffield said, "a good CO give equal opportunity to everybody on his staff, a good CO earns the respect of his staff, and a good CO respects the family obligations of his staff. You have accomplished none of these."

"Sir I..." Creswell began.

"You don't put your staff on the investigations where they would do the most good," Sheffield said standing up, "You don't give your staff equal opportunities, you have one of your top investigators and lawyers writing wills, you haven't hired a new junior lawyer swamping the others with work. Your staff far from respects you, they show respect to the uniform and the position but they don't have any for you as a person. And if anything you're exploiting Commander Rabb's and Commander Roberts family situations to make them unhappy."

"Sir I'm not there to coddle them just because they have families," Creswell said, he was starting to get a little hot around the collar.

"I'm not suggesting you are General," Sheffield said, "Do you resent Commander Roberts for some reason General? Perhaps because he was able to lose his leg and stay in the Navy?"

"No sir," Creswell replied, "why would you believe that?"

"You seem to be doing your best to get him to resign," Sheffield said, "You're giving him the carrier cases which you know will aggravate his injury. And you're giving him all the long term travel cases. As I'm sure you know from his file he has two small boys at home and his wife is pregnant with twins. She needs someone at home to help her. According to Lt. Commander Roberts and his co-workers it has gotten to the point that someone has to move in with her every time he is sent out of town."

"She's a military wife," Creswell said, "she should be used to taking care of the children on her own."

"And she's quite able to when she's not 8 months pregnant," Sheffield said, "She can't even pick up her younger son anymore. I would understand General, if you had to send him out of town because the other senior attorneys were already on important cases but that is not the case. You've sent him on week long investigations while Colonel MacKenzie is riding the desk. This is unacceptable."

"Sir I.." Creswell began.

"I'm not finished yet General," Sheffield said, "I'm not going to ask you what you have against Colonel MacKenzie I already know. What I don't know is why you can't get over it. It has been 15 years since you served together in Japan. She is an excellent lawyer and a damn good marine. So why is she riding a desk? Except for submarine investigations it appears."

Creswell remained silent.

"Nothing to say?" Sheffield asked, "maybe you can answer this one. What do you have against Commander Rabb?"

"He's a loose cannon Sir," Creswell said, "he likes to play superman and bends the rules to get his way."

"I could argue against your point but instead I'm going to ask you this," Sheffield responded, "If you see his as a loose cannon why are you sending him on all the investigations that would tempt him to play superman?"

Again Creswell said nothing.

"Nothing to say again?" Sheffield said, "well you can listen to me. You have one month to shape up to my satisfaction. I will be getting weekly reports from your staff as to your progress. Linda has a written memo of what I expect, you can get it on your way out. If you don't shape up by the end of January you will be looking for another position."

"With all due respect sir there are people who can over rule you," Creswell said tersely.

"Yes there are," Sheffield said, "and if they choose to do so in this case I know for a fact you will be losing at least one of your senior attorneys, probably three. And let me say this; these people are at JAG Head Quarters for a reason. They are there because they are the best. You alienate them and you are going to find yourself working with second class lawyers. Dismissed."

"Aye sir," Creswell snapped to attention, executed an about face and left the office.

TBC