Is Something Amiss in the Mess?

While the election consumed attention last week, there was a quiet barely noticed event in Navy leadership that seems amiss in context. Pretty much out of nowhere, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa Jr. said he will leave office Dec. 13 and retire April 1. Navy Times has the story.

The departure will make Campa, at two years and five months in office, the shortest-serving MCPON in the 41-year history of the job.

Then it gets odd.

Campa’s departure after 29 years of service will be strictly business, much as his time in office has been.

“There will be no ceremony when I leave,” Campa said in an e-mail to his leadership mess Monday. “Just as I’ve turned over with reliefs in the past, it will be simple, and it will be short — a handshake in the office with the next MCPON will suffice.

So MCPON Campa is going to resign from his position, retire early, and his ceremony will be a simple handshake? That seems very odd, you know, since this is the guy who has been all business talking about getting the job done, no matter how long it takes, and was the one emphasized the ceremony in the mess for promotions and retirements.

The Mess is well known for keeping business in the Mess private, so if something is going on it is unlikely we will hear about it until much later, but this doesn't have the look and feel of business as usual to this observer. I could be wrong, but style does matter. At what point did MCPON Campa give the impression he is a 'just short of the finish line' kind of guy? Uhm, in my view... never. Why wouldn't he finish the typical 3 year term and complete 30 years?

I'm not the only one who has wondered this, I have received several email about this all week. Everyone has a theory, most of them I don't really buy into. It could be he is being pushed out, I guess it is possible. It could be that he is burned out, I find that the most unlikely. The more believable theory is that it is health related, thus personal, and that would fit. Regardless, MCPON Campa hasn't served the last two years and five months from the desk, he has been very active (for better or worse), and we wish him future success.

Even if his early departure has the look and feel of something amiss in the Mess.