Originally Posted by
nwaf16dude
I think there is little doubt this idiot would have been run out of the Navy if his father wasn't an admiral.
Daddy being an admiral didn't hurt, but it wasn't necessarily the thing that saved his career (and it didn't save his flying career). I can think of two other guys I knew who had incidents about as colorful as "Smoke" Dorsey and went on to not only keep their wings, but have good careers. One of them was actually on the fast track and received command early. I don't think either one of them had family in the Navy hierarchy. The incidents with all three pilots were in the 80s when the mood and tolerance level in the Navy was fairly consistent (IOW, there wasn't a witch hunt mentality). Sometimes, circumstances and luck just break your way.
Of course, I've heard the same thing about John McCain, based on his pre-vietnam antics.
Which is why, assuming he has some sense, he'd be the last one to raise a stink over this.