Naval questions about a flock of admirals

Dennis E. Taylor

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Okay, first, my "navy" is a space navy, and it's not American, although certainly based on that (if only because my readers will likely be mostly American). I've got admirals, commodores, captains, frigates, destroyers, flagships, etc. I say this just to give context.

I have a couple of questions related to rank and the interaction thereof.

First, I have an admiral who has been arrested for "going rogue" and taking a task force out to handle a personal vendetta. He's being interviewed "informally" (which he has agreed to) before a formal hearing. Would the interviewer have to be of equivalent rank? Or could it be a nominally lower rank? What might be his/her designation?

Second, I have a committee in charge of a quarantined location. I'm concerned that it may be too "top-heavy." This is what I have:

Admiral Theodore Moore Chair, Quarantine committee
Commodore Charles Gerrard Quarantine committee
Admiral Alan Castillo Quarantine committee
Captain Georgia Richards Quarantine committee
Commodore Alice Nevin Quarantine committee
Lt. Colonel Neil Martinson Quarantine committee
Lieutenant George Bentley Moore’s assistant

Are these reasonable?

Third, what would be at the top of the navy command structure? HQ? Naval Intelligence? Who would Admiral Moore report to?

I've got some wiggle room, of course, because this is a fictional future outer space navy, but I'd like to not have some ex-navy reader yell "WTF" and throw the book at a wall.

TIA.
 

talktidy

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Well, as someone who watches far too much US telly, you could always go the route of NCIS -- give your investigating character a civilian role.

Brits have a First Sea Lord -- always thought that was the way to make other admirals of other navies jealous! -- and Chief of Naval Operations.

I am interested in the topic because I, too, am writing a space opera. Take with a huge pinch of salt, but I would think if anyone is to sit in judgement over an admiral, it would require a panel of superiors and peers. Depending on the structure of your navy, it might be reasonable to have a civilian representing the organisation to which your space navy answers, also serving on that panel.
 

dpaterso

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I would think you'd have a prosecutor/interviewer assigned by the equivalent of JAG (Judge Advocate General's Corps), think Tom Cruise's character in A Few Good Men (a lieutenant, questioning a colonel). The prosecutor carries the authority of the investigating office regardless of his rank.

Your rogue admiral (and all the admirals) might report to Chief of (Space) Naval Ops, who may also be (Space) Fleet Admiral in time of war.

-Derek
 

jclarkdawe

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First off, he would not be arrested. He would be relieved of command, and assigned some other job for the duration of the investigation. Unless he presents a danger to himself or others, he would not be confined, other than to base. Actually "arresting" someone in the military is very unusual.

Actual grunt work of the investigation would be a lieutenant in JAG. There might be a panel put together for the inspection, but the person who does the questioning would be the lieutenant. Lieutenants in JAG are taught how to stand up to admirals, as part of their job is telling admirals "no." The Admiral would have to be advised of his rights. A JAG who works in defense would probably be assigned to the Admiral as well, to protect his rights.

The panel for the Board of Inquiry seems reasonable. A Board of Inquiry is the first official proceeding in this sort of matter. The Board has to be members of roughly the same rank. Also, security issues can limit who can sit on the Board. Members of the Board cannot be in the Admiral's chain of command.

The Board of Inquiry can recommend various results, from no misconduct found, to a court martial. It is likely that the Admiral will be offered an opportunity to resign his commission.

Jim Clark-Dawe