[Bill]

As to the main article, I see both sides. Discipline is absolutely necessary for people in harm's way, like sailors on a ship, but I could see a Captain Queeg taking that too far. So it's a balance between maintaining order vs. not being a dick just for the sake of being a dick.

If you are meting out ticky tack punishments to otherwise good sailors, to the point that they don't reenlist when they otherwise would have, and would have been welcomed, then maybe you're going too far.

In other words, maybe somewhere between McHale's Navy and the Caine Mutiny would probably be best.

I do think it's in the Navy's benefit to mete out institutional punishments for some off duty infractions. Bar fight? Maybe handle that in house vs. ruining a sailor's life with a criminal conviction.