Marine Corps inspector general suspended amid probe into deadly AAV sinking last summer

[brooklynite]

Source: Los Angeles Times

SAN DIEGO — The Marine Corps inspector general, Maj. Gen. Robert Castellvi, has been suspended amid an ongoing probe into last summer’s fatal sinking of an assault amphibious vehicle off the coast of San Diego.

Castellvi becomes the highest-ranking officer to face discipline in the ongoing investigations into the disaster, which claimed the lives of nine service members. His suspension was announced by the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps commander in a hearing before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness on Monday.

Gen. David Berger, the commandant of the Marine Corps, ordered the suspension pending the outcome of the probe, according to a Marine spokesman.

Castellvi was the commanding general of the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Marine Division until September. He was named in a previous investigation as someone who has some responsibility in the accident, but the Marines did not punish him.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-05-03/marine-corps-inspector-general-suspended

[exboyfil]

1. Talk about failing upward

[RockRaven]

2. Who watches the watchers?

Whether or not Trump was involved in this, this is some seriously Trumpy shit.

"Let's take a guy already found to be responsible for bad stuff happening and put him in charge of investigations into bad stuff that happens. A guy like that will bury everything going forward, right?"

[msfiddlestix]

3. What is the underlying causality being probed?

Intentional malfeasance? Deliberate sabotage? Not the first offense? poster up thread seems to suggest there is a history?

LA Times has a paywall. Any more details you care to offer?

[ancianita]

4. Hope this helps. From the LA Times article.

Mechanical issues affected the training mission before it began — one AAV had to stay behind on Somerset due to maintenance problems, according to the Marine Corps’ first investigation.

Problems continued on the island. The Marines were supposed to return to the ship at noon but were delayed when one vehicle broke down. At 5 p.m., nine of the vehicles began the slow cruise back to the Somerset. It wasn’t long before two of those began having issues and returned to the island. The doomed AAV continued toward the ship.

A cascade of mechanical and human failures contributed to the deaths of the eight Marines and one sailor, the Marines found. The vehicle’s transmission failed, then its water drive. Water came in through the vehicle’s engine compartment and a leaking headlight. The loss of its transmission meant the vehicle’s bilge pumps could not expel the water as fast as it was coming in.

The vehicle’s commander waited far too long to order those onboard to evacuate, the investigation found. After 45 minutes, another AAV made it to the floundering vehicle, only to bump into it, causing it to tip into a wave which crashed in through its open top hatch. It then sank rapidly, the investigation says.

[msfiddlestix]

6. Thanks for this. That's a really strange composite of mishaps due to mechanical failures and poor

judgment it appears, on the surface. Very curious indeed. Lots of questions to be answered, but I don't expect we'll ever really know the actual facts underlying the breaches leading to what appears to be negligence and malfeasance.

Costly too in lives and "treasure".

[ancianita]

9. Goddam goofiness on the military's part, if you ask me.

[msfiddlestix]

10. I agree, but you're way kinder than I am!

[ancianita]

11. Haha

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. Last July an AAV sank with deadly consequences.

"The Marine Corps has said that last year's accident was caused by inadequate training, shabby maintenance and poor judgment by commanders."
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Marine-inspector-general-suspended-amid-tank-16148974.php#photo-20883705

[msfiddlestix]

7. Incredible. Hard to fathom what the hell was going on with leadership

couldn't have been a more pleasing moment for Putin et al.

[PerceptionManagement]

8. The Marine Corps has a Flag Grade Officer problem.

As does the entire DoD. Not picking on Marines.