What One Admiral Taught Me About Loyalty

August 31, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)

Leadership Means Standing Up – Even When You Weren’t There

Cubi Point, Philippines

The ship was docked at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. We took advantage of the time ashore by flying tactical missions from the Cubi Point airfield. We had just egressed from a simulated strike on an air force base, taking the scenic way home, screaming low over the emerald water of the South China Sea at 500 knots—four Tomcats in a tight box formation, adrenaline pumping. After executing a high-G inverted pull over Alabat Island, we leveled out at a hundred feet and spotted a U.S. Navy cruiser straight ahead, bow on. Oh my…

The perfect flyby opportunity.

I clicked the mic. “I’ll take his starboard side. You take his port. Deck level. Afterburners…now!”

Then, just as we got to his bow—a puff of white smoke from the ship.

“ABORT! ABORT! Is he firing his gun?!” Hmm, maybe not. Nothing on the radio.

We had just flown through the middle of a naval gunnery exercise.

We formed up again, executed a really nice break at Cubi, landed and debriefed, and strutted back to the ship feeling like superheroes. But not everyone was celebrating. An OPREP-3 NAVY BLUE report had already gone out. In Navy terms, that’s DEFCON serious—flags raised across the entire fleet. We were accused of reckless flying and ignoring emergency comms.

I had no idea.

Later, while cutting through the off-limits blue tile area of the ship to go out on liberty, I passed by CAG’s office—Captain Ron “Zap” Zlatoper was the air wing commander. A legend. Respected, admired, trusted.

“Nasty, got a minute?” he called out. “Yessir!”, I cheerily answered.

He asked if we’d flown by a ship. I said yes. He listened calmly as I walked him through every detail—radio settings, briefings, NOTAMS.

“Did you know you flew through their naval gunfire exercise?” Uh-oh. I saw my liberty fading away in the face of writing my after-action report. “No, Sir…”, I hesitatingly replied.

And then, without a trace of anger or blame, he said:

“Okay then. Are you going on liberty?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, then, have a great time and be careful.”

Only later did I find out what Zap did behind the scenes.

He called the CO of that cruiser directly. Told him we’d followed his orders. That we were under his authority. That we were executing our secondary mission—surface reconnaissance. He defended us. Without question. Without blame.

Without dragging us into it.

He never even told me.

That day, I learned a leadership lesson I’ve carried for 40 years – Own it. Cover their six.

You can’t build a high-performing team if they’re afraid you’ll throw them under the bus. Great leaders cover their team’s six—no matter what. That doesn’t mean ignoring mistakes. It means owning the outcome, adjusting training when needed, and having the backs of those under your command.

Years later, as Commanding Officer of USS Sacramento and USS Nimitz, I slept soundly every night. Not because nothing could go wrong—but because I knew: If it did, it was on me.

My training.

My culture.

My responsibility.

And my crew knew I had their six—because my CAG once had mine.

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P.S.

If this message stirred something in you—share it. Forward it to a friend, colleague, or your leadership team. Better yet—let’s talk.

Let’s raise up a generation of leaders who know how to Lead to Win.

Mike Manazir
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Author of Learn How to Lead to Win

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