Another O-6 out for “hostile work environment”
Stars & Stripes reports that Colonel John Merna has resigned his position as the commander of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit for a malady that has infected a whole crowd of his rank;
Col. John Merna resigned following a preliminary inquiry within the command element into allegations of “intemperate behavior” and “language,” according to a Marine Corps statement. The allegations were first made in a command climate survey.
Merna’s resignation was accepted by Lt. Gen. John Wissler, commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Merna has been in command of the 31st MEU since June 1, 2012.
“Merna, a combat veteran and a widely respected leader, recognized his incompatibility to continue leading the 31st MEU, accepted responsibility and accountability for his actions, and immediately tendered a letter requesting termination of his command authority and responsibility,” the statement said.
Category: Politics
“intemperate behavior” and “language,”… Really? A Marine say it isn’t so….. WTF….. Is this really what we have come to now? We really aiming for a kinder gentler Corps? Perhaps there is more to the story and of not well then I got nothing….
If the Marines in his command think that his actions constitute a hostile work environment, I can’t wait to see their reaction when someone is trying to kill them.
I’m suprised Tony Zinni got 4 stars, considering some of the language I heard him use back in the 80s!
Same with Jim Mattis – was at 7th Marines in the mid-90’s… told it like it was, no pulling punches.
What’s the tour length for an MEU? He’d been there two years already, and I can’t imagine it goes much longer than that.
Patton wouldn’t make 1LT in today’s army.
Can’t speak for the USMC, NHSparky. But if I recall correctly, outside of a combat zone or short-tour area Army O6 command tours are typically 3 year assignments.
It looks to me like something happened that got the guy in trouble with his boss. Whether that was actual misconduct or was trumped-up PC bullsh!t we don’t yet know, since no details are yet available as to what happened.
A Colonel and a Marine used bad language? Say it isn’t so.
Obama said he was going to fundamentally change this country. Anyone doubt it now?
Intemperate behavior? Language?
Oh, deary, deary me! How many times have I told all of you to stop using the middle finger salute as an opinion? How many, many times have I offered to educate each and every one of you in properly insulting and berating a useless, overpaid, lazy, underworked spoiled brat underling, without the use of the F-word, the S-word, the C-word, or the B-word?
I’d like to know specifically what was meant by ‘intemperate’ and ‘language’ befor I pass any judgment on this fine gentleman.
(P.S. He is one hot tamale, if his picture is accurate.)
I have no idea what this is about. Stars and Stripes is the source of the “hostile work environment” allegation, a term that commonly goes to sexual harassment claims but is not unique to that. What “hostile work envirment” ISN’T is a workplace condition in which someone displays intemperate (i.e. cranky) behavior and uses bad language (i.e., cussing.) So, like I said, I have no idea what this is about but I am sorry to see that Stars and Stripes invoked that phrase. It explains nothing and misleads the reader.
What would Chesty have to say about this?
COL Merna resigns for acting like a Marine. Out-f***ing-standing. Probably some POG bitching about how the COL talked mean to him.
WhineyMarine: “He called me a “poopyhead” and said the best part of me dripped down my Daddy’s leg and I don’t even know what that means”?
Guys, I’d focus on the “intemperate behavior” instead of the language, here. I’d also like to point out that seriously abusive language does not involve cussing.
The Stars and Stripes is leaving out the real information about why he resigned, and you are assuming that it is no big deal, because it was not reported. That is a mistake. Whatever is not being reported is the core of this action, and it is serious.
At this point, unless you know something that’s not public that’s speculation, Valkyrie.
The military can and has ended the careers of truly stellar officers for trumped-up, PC-BS reasons – and has given undeserving and dirty people a pass for the same kind of reason. For an example, see Tailhook and the case of Stumpf, Robert.
Absent access to nonpublic information, none of us know at present which is the case here.
Well, everybody here is speculating. The Marine Corps has done a fairly decent job of avoiding the PC debacle as much as it can, not to say that we have avoided it completely. In the last 15 years, I have seen some commanders relieved, but mostly for incompetence, and the few I have seen let go for similar accusations as Col Merna here, it was fully justified.
So who knows what happened, I am sure there will be more information coming.
Hondo…I hope it turns out to be as simple as what has been revealed. An Officer who had a complaint filed by a troop(s) who were simply “offended” and a superior Officer who has drank the Kool Aid. Even if he spoke harshly in front of a superior officer, it came about because of whatever incident brought him before that superior officer to begin with. I guess I am saying I hope the Marines are giving in to the PC Kool Aid. If they are, then it will be a different force than it use to be.
Should have read, “I hope the Marines are NOT giving in to the PC Kool Aid”. Sorry for the finger boning error.
He was called to the carpet to discuss his negative command climate survey results.
He got pissed off in front of his boss, was intemparate in his behavior, dropped the “ef” ordnance.
His boss was not happy and I betcha bag full of dohnuts … COL resigned almost immediately and took his lumps like a man.
But what do I know …
That would not surprise me, MCPO. But until the details are released (if they ever are), we simply don’t know for sure.
As I said to Valkyrie: it’s not unknown for people to have careers ended for absolutely BS, PC reasons – or for people to get a pass for the same reason on misconduct. See Tailhook and what happened to Stumpf, Robert.
Be sure that Tommy sees.
So does everybody that loves Tommy.
This nonsense is just not good at all.
Aye, Tommy sees. And so does every malcontent in uniform with an agenda to push.
Hopefully the USMC will make the facts known soon enough to clear the air. The longer they wait, the more I suspect some kind of “whitewash” or hidden agenda is the truth.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it the USMC’s mission to stay Combat Ready, and when called on, to wage war, i.e. to kill the enemy and break things? As I see it right now, higher up still expects that, but now they want CO’s to be like Barney during down time!
Not a Marine here. But I was absolutely convinced Drill Sergeants had to take and pass a class on intemperate behavior and HARSH language, before they could hold the job! Gimme a break. A military guy, even an Officer who tells it like it is, language included, is what we need more of not less. I’d rather serve under an Officer of intemperate behavior and harsh language who looks after his troops than some PC indoctrinated, touchy feely, mamsy pamsy dick head who is more about kissing ass for promotion that taking care of his troops. Those types remind me of the Marine Major in the movie, “Heartbreak Ridge” who was all about, “counting and accounting for every round of ammo and filling out forms”. Instead of preparing his Marines for combat.
So I actually had to go look up what a command climate survey was because I never took one nor heard of it.
lol
GTFO with that shit.
Marine pushed out of command for chewing some snowflake’s ass disguised as Marine.
Um, I am a E6 assigned to the BHR(LHD6) where Merna headed the 31st MEU every time they got underway with us.
The guy was an asshole. And this went beyond your atypical, Hollywood, “Oh, it’s the Marines, everyone is supposed to channel their inner Full Metal Jacket.” asshole.
We did a “Dirty Jobs” style fundraiser for the MWR wherein you pick which ranking official you want to see work in the Galley for a day or similar…. The good Colonel handily won by a landslide.
I don’t feel he should have been required to step down, but I can assure you that his personality and demeanor went well beyond the line of “I’m an Asshole Boss because it’s what’s needed for the job.” and straight into “Holy crap… What a crazy fucking asshole!”
Not to mention, when you overhear this type of feedback ranging from junior sailors and Marines, to overhearing Warrant Officers and Gunny’s bitch about the guy?
Yeah, it’s the internet and all, and you guys are welcome to your “OMG! Say it aint so! Why those persnickety little special flowers of today, how dare they get a guy fired because he’s mean!” line of thinking. But based off of what I personally saw of the man, this news doesn’t surprise me in the least.
Thanks for stopping by, Generally if a Marine Officer is such a dickweed that he is hated by pretty much everyone he comes in contact with,,,, Hes a dickweed.
I’m guessing pretty much his entire staff was fed up with his asshattery. His day to day contacts were probably with Lt Colonels, Majors and a few Captians with a random lt. On the enlisted side he had his Sgt Major and some very senior SNCOs. The guys he was pissing off all probably had 15 to 20 years in minimum.
This isnt a matter of a bunch of lcpls bitching about duty, chow, liberty or working hours.
This is a egotistical SOB who probably berated his staff, refused to listen to ideas and thought of himself as a demi-god.
Assuming that the note from J is the straight stuff: I’m too old to ask this question, and I have my own opinion, but in a highly monitored situation like the Marine Corps I don’t understand how a complete asshole gets to be an O-6. Did his rating officers promote him to to make him go away? Did they think he would get over it? Was it somebody else’s problem? Again, assuming that this guy is a complete turd, why didn’t somebody make him the FRG liaison officer and let the General’s wife deal with him?
I’m not sure if the man changed, but he was my CO at 2/3 Echo in 1997 and I was Weapons Plt Commander. He was fair, knowledgeable and respected. Interesting anecdote from 1997 when we were part of the 31st MEU…..Then Captain Merna and I were waiting on line at the small shop on the Belleau Wood. The shopkeeper saw the Captain and said, “Hey sir, come on in, you and the Lieutenant don’t have to wait.” The Captain replied, “Thanks shipmate, but the two of us can wait our turn. I appreciate it, but help the sailors and devil dogs in line ahead of us first.”
It was a great lesson for me and I never forgot it.
@PH2…..I believe you noted he may be a looker. While he was a young Lt at Pendleton some random sicko hit him with a bat as Merna went by on a motorcycle. The Col has a sick scar on that goes around the whole left side of his face. Dude is mean looking!
I am sorry to see this happen and will remember him as the leader he was to me. Something just doesn’t smell right.
Since we are not discussing a phony trying to pull off SV fraud here, I would like to know exactly what happened, i.e., what he said that comes under the term ‘language’ and how he behaved that comes under the term ‘intemperate behavior’.
If he engaged in grabass on a WM, that is intemperate behavior. If he knocked an E-4 down and stomped his dick, that is intemperate behavior. However, if he demanded that his people do their jobs quickly and correctly and exhibited obvious frustration when they did not, that is not intemperate behavior. It is normal.
In regard to ‘language’, if every other word is beyond crude and used in a way meant to embarrass the person on the receiving end of it, that is unacceptable in any work environment, civilian or otherwise. I’m referring to words like ‘faggot’ and ‘dyke’ aimed at someone in an ‘in your face’ manner. Letting slip ‘f#ck’ or ‘b!tch’ is not the same thing. And frankly, I can insult everyone of you useless, quivering, slovenly offspring of goats without ever using a foul word. Saying ‘get your lazy ass to work’ is not particularly harsh, considering that 12-year-old children are as likely to say that themselves nowadays.
As I said, I want more information before I say any more. This bears closer examination.
One thing to look at is that MEUs are just command staffs for deploying units. Other than work ups and actual deployments the parts of a MEU belong to their actual units for most of the time.
It could be a matter of him pissing off the commanders of the units detached to him.
Wow, “J” really? You must definetly be a squid to say something like this about this fine officer. I have gone from site to site reading about the craziness that many people that has no clue of what actually hapenned but sure was quick to summit their opinions and comments, this was nothing less and nothing more than a sad story of betrayal from his own officers, this guy was admired by his enlisted. Lets make something clear right way, this guy definitely cared for every single Marine and sailor under his charge. Yes he was demanding, he was demanding because of the laziness of many Marines in his command thanks to prior commanders who used to let these guys run wild, can you belive that many leaders specially on the officer side were really upset that they had to ride a bus from Camp Hansen to the ship with their Marines? Before Merna them and many SSNCOs were allowed to drive to the peer to catch their ship and have their family members come and pick them up and go home from there peer upon arriving and he put a stop to that, and his reasong behind was “Gents, I know that you are upset and do not like my decision on having everyone leave and arrive from Hansen as a MEU, but if I let you all arrive to the ship and depart from the ship with your family, what message this sends? And most of all, who is going to be responsible for your junior Marines, their weapons and equipment? Who is going to care for your weapon and turn it in, your Jr Marines? Asbolutely not! You are their leaders and you will depart with them and you will arrive with them just like every other MEU does, and once you have every Marine, weapon and gear accounted for and you give me a thumbs up, then I let you go to your families. Wow, basic Marines leadership, but he was hated for that. He didn’t take crap from anyone because he saw the BS from… Read more »
should be glad he left.bitchers are moral killers no matter what rank. tough thing when your troops don’t have that respect anymore.like so many other political appointments that just didn’t work.