THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, June 11, 1996 TAG: 9606110019
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 61 lines
I have been waiting until all the fervor settled down over the Admiral Boorda suicide before writing.
I spent 20 years in the Navy and have been working with the Navy as a government contractor for the 15 years since I retired. I have seen a lot of CNOs come and go. Some were good. Some were not so good. Admiral Boorda was one of the best, if not the absolute best. As a former enlisted man, he had what no other CNO had - the ability to relate to almost everyone in the Navy. However, as a leader, he could not satisfy everyone. It is impossible to be a leader and not have opposition. We all know of the appointment Admiral Boorda had to talk to a couple of reporters about his wearing of the ``V'' for valor on a couple of his medals. Admiral Boorda had more valor in one of his fingernails than either of those reporters had in their entire bodies, so what gave them a right to question him?
Admiral Boorda's superiors from the time he received the medals had a right to question him, but they say his wearing the ``V'' was correct. Even if it was ``technically incorrect'' for him to be wearing the ``V,'' what did he ever gain from it? Did it increase his stature? No, his stature was good enough without them. Did he receive an unfair advantage in his quest for advancement? No, it is quite obvious he attained the highest position in the Navy on merit.
Therefore, why did Admiral Boorda choose to end his life? I believe it was due to his love for the Navy and the people in the Navy: He chose death before dishonor.
Why would an issue seemingly as petty as this bring dishonor to the Navy? The same reason three males raping a 12-year-old girl brings dishonor to the hundreds of thousands of good men in the Navy and Marine Corps. The same reason a handful of males at ``Tailhook'' brought dishonor to hundreds of thousands of good men in the Navy.
However, the real reason is the media.
The media take a mistake made by a person and portray it as a problem with the organization the person belongs to vice a mistake by the person himself, especially if the person is in a position of leadership.
Why do they do this? Sensationalism. Sensationalism sells. The media thrive on sensationalism. You in the media wouldn't waste your time reporting on the construction worker I saw the other day wearing a Navy dungaree shirt with the rating insignia still attached. This was just as wrong as Admiral Boorda wearing the ``V,'' if, in fact, that was really wrong. However, that construction worker won't sell magazines, newspapers or TV time.
On the other hand, if that construction worker had been photographed with his ``illegal'' shirt, the photograph would be of tremendous value in sensationalism 20 years from now if that construction worker decided to run for public office.
You, the media. will sensationalize any little thing you can get your claws into with no regard whatsoever to the fact that without people like Admiral Boorda, or even the construction worker, you probably wouldn't have the wonderful U.S. Constitution that provided your freedom of the press.
We make mistakes. We're human. There has been only one perfect man and they hung him on a cross. So when you in the media are preparing to write a story, remember a challenge from that man: ``He who is without sin, cast the first stone.''
JERRY LIPHAM
Chesapeake, June 5, 1996 by CNB