SAN DIEGO, CA — Lt. Cmdr. Sean O’Brian is committed to a life of service at sea and is known for working long hours in order to get the job done. This fact is well known to his division officers and sailors, who desperately try to get home by 1900 each day. They often fail.

“You joined the Navy, damn it! I am so sick of everyone crying about wanting to go home!” said O’Brian, the combat systems officer (CSO) on board USS Mobile Bay. “Sailors belong on ships, and ships belong at sea, so therefore—ispo facto—sailors belong at sea.”

O’Brian appears focused on mission success over personal enjoyment, something his chain of command considers a laudable goal that proves O’Brian’s selflessness. His chain of command is wrong.

Operations Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Roque-Hernandez has been taken in, too. He shared an anecdote about standing watch in the Combat Information Center with O’Brian.