If you have not read the new book "A Glimpse of Hell: the Explosion on the USS Iowa and Its Cover-Up," by Charles C. Thompson II (a former naval officer), you must do so -- and soon.

       The book, which is about an explosion that ripped through (sic) a turret (sic) on the Iowa a decade ago, is a perfect case study for the ethics curriculum at the U.S. Naval Academy.  But it will not surface there for it squares negatively with the writings of those the ethics program loves -- Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Jeremy Bentham, and John Stuart Mill.

       Mr. Thompson reveals the actions of major Navy players violating traditional moral standards that have buoyed the Academy and its graduates during the most trying of times -- fighting this nation's wars.

       It may be difficult to believe this perfidy by the Navy's highest level, but thanks to programs like the Academy's warped ethics courses today's Navy is not the same organization I came to know and cherish.

       Mr. Thompson doesn't rely on mere assertion to prove that the high brass tried to pin the explosion on a sailor. He cited the House Armed Services Committee report, "USS Iowa Tragedy: An Investigative Failure," which came out in March 1990. "The report laid into the Navy for failing to test and eliminate every possible natural cause before leaping to the conclusion that the explosion had been an intentional act," Mr. Thompson wrote.

       The Navy didn't escape scrutiny and in fact was "criticized for allowing the turret and the projectile to become contaminated, for permitting evidence to be thrown overboard, and for failing honestly to disclose the nature of its disagreement with the FBI Crime Laboratory over substances found in the rotating band," he wrote. "In the committee's opinion, the Navy didn't have enough credible evidence to accuse Clayton Hartwig [an enlisted sailor] of 'being a suicidal mass-murderer...,'" Mr. Thompson concluded.

       Mr. Thompson then goes on to show the brass' immoral approach to the investigation didn't stop with blaming Hartwig. They moved into blaming LT Dan Meyer, who was in charge of the turret that day aboard the Iowa.

       Shortly after the committee's report was released, LT Meyer was arrested, Mr. Thompson explains. His arrest was based on information turned over by one of his former gun captains. According to Mr. Thompson, LT Meyer was issued transfer orders a few days after his arrest and soon submitted his resignation.

       In his resignation letter, LT Meyer explained his position "I depart in rage, in anger, and in frustration. The professional ethic is corrupt and irreconcilable with my personal beliefs. As such, the only responsible action is to resign."

       LT Meyer later learned that his accusations of misconduct in the investigation were removed from his resignation letter.

       It amazes me that on Tuesday, 24 August, the Academy conducted its first 'yard-wide standdown' of the 1999-2000 year to engage in a character development seminar to  discuss a movie based on the 1996 tragedy on Mt. Everest, "Into Thin Air." These character development seminars encourage open discussion of ethical issues. They also provide a framework for midshipmen to evaluate alternatives in the choices they will make as leaders in the Brigade and in the Navy and Marine Corps.

       Faculty and staff members will lead the year's seminars which focus on the theme: "Excellence at what cost?". Films and readings generally focus on cases where pursuit of excellence may cloud one's judgment.

       It is hard for me to believe that the 'theme' for the year's character development seminars will be: "Excellence at what cost?". For God's sake, tell that to any carrier aviator who strives for an "OK No.3 wire" on each landing and gets excoriated for being a smidgeon off that ideal. Tell it to any carrier CO who strives each day, each launch/recovery, for the "magic" 30-second interval between traps/launches -- just a few seconds over the physically impossible.

       So, now, after convincing Congress, the American people, and ourselves to spend the billions of dollars on the world's finest aircraft and aircraft carriers, we must now tell everyone that we are flipping to a "who cares" mind set. "Excellence at what cost?," indeed. Incredible.

       This all raises a serious question. Why does the Academy use movies and topics such as "Into Thin Air," from which one can choose among a bunch of 'ethical' choices -- all correct -- and look right past 'A Glimpse of Hell' -- which reveals directly and insightfully honesty, courage, integrity, right and wrong, in both its positive and negative dimensions in its character development seminars?

       The Academy also looks past a host of positive ethical stories that can be found in the school's own library. There are so many inspiring ethical stories in the Naval Institute Press library that could be used. For example, "A Sailor's Log" by RADM Robley D. Evans (fighting Bob), U.S. Naval Academy 1864, or "The Sinking of the Merrimac" by Richmond Pearson Hobson, USNA 1889. Both of these books are part of the Jack Sweetman series "Classics of Naval Literature." There are other Naval Institute books, such as Max Brand's "Fighter Squadron at Guadalcanal" and "Fateful Rendezvous, The Life of Butch O'Hare," which midshipmen would not only find inspiring but also instructive and interesting.

       In the book about Butch O'Hare, the prologue concludes with a conversation between radioman third class, James Sutherland, and another blue jacket standing on the flight deck of the Lexington as they watched a lone fighter plane attack eight Japanese bombers. "Which one of our boys is that?," asked the sailor. James Sutherland, eyes frozen on the aerial spectacle, replied softly "He is alone, outnumbered and he is winning the fight. What molded him for this moment?"