What happens when your ship’s armorer can’t even install a scope in the right direction for a photo op with the ship’s commanding officer? Well, you embarrass not only your commanding officer but the entire US Navy. Imagine all of the US Navy personnel reading this post about a ship commander who doesn’t even recognize when his scope is installed backwards? That doesn’t bode well for his competency in other areas.
Zero Hedge has the story of the US ship “captain” who doesn’t even know when he’s portrayed as a fool.
Cmdr. Cameron Yaste, the Commanding Officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), was recently photographed shooting a 5.56×45mm M4 carbine with the optics installed backward.
The now-deleted image and press release on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website featured Yaste shooting the M4 with the Trijicon VCOG scope installed backward while pointed at a giant target balloon.
Here’s what the press release said before it was deleted:
Cmdr. Cameron Yaste, the Commanding Officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), fires at the “killer tomato” during a gun shoot. The ship is in US 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the US Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.
Top men indeed. Why didn’t Commander Yaste raise his hand and say, “Whoa Nelly. Who put this scope on backwards?” before allowing a “Mass Communications Specialist” with a camera to capture the moment?
Is it because he’s better at commanding a ship than shooting a rifle? Given that chicken wing, I’m voting for “he’s better at commanding a ship than shooting a rifle.” Who knows?
Here’s what the internet had to say:
He could benefit from some rudimentary marksmanship training, no doubt. Maybe even an Appleseed class instead of a DEI refresher.