Look who’s been selected for promotion to Captain, USNR! On there somewhere, is the one known as BULLNAV. Congrats, BR!
Strike Group Commander Headed Home Early
“For inappropriate judgment.” Rear Adm. Charles M. Gaouette is being sent back to the USS John C. Stennis’ home port at Bremerton, Wash., in what the Navy called a temporary reassignment. The Navy said he is not formally relieved of his command of the Stennis strike group but will be replaced by Rear Adm. Troy M. Shoemaker, who will assume command until the investigation is completed. Huh?? I fear for the Navy some days.
Do We Need Service Secretaries?
In today’s Washington-Post former Secretary of the Air Force and later Defense Harold Brown proffers a provocative argument that there is no longer a need for the service secretaries e.g Secretary’s of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. That they are redundant and that the service Chiefs would remain under Civilian Control as they would continue to report to the Secretary of Defense. Several questions immediately come to mind: Who will be the independent political voice (vice military) who will challenge the programming and budgeting decisions of Department of Defense? Would this result in the diminishing of service parochialism? Would [...]
Submarines and the Cold War
Over at the Telegraph is an absolutely fascinating story about the HMS Conquerors operation to secure from the Soviets a Towed Array Sonar System in the early 1980′s. The account read like a Tom Clancy novel.
BREAKING NEWS: “Navy’s Outbreak of Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea Traced to Single Bar Hog”
Waaaaay too close to reality. Uhhh… Or so I’m told. Navy brass is now scrambling to keep sailors away from bar hog Tiffany McCarthey, 24, a carrier of drug-resistant gonorrhea that has spread to sailors all throughout the fleet. I wouldn’t know anything about that.
Operation Chromite
INCHON. This day, 62 years ago. A brilliant operation in every respect, but the background is loaded with cautionary tales on readiness. Operation Chromite did not introduce any fundamentally new aspects to the art of war. Rather, the operation served to reinforce traditional lessons, such as the importance of maintaining trained and ready forces to deter aggression or confront a contingency, the priceless value of sure-footed staff work, and the tangible benefits of innovation, flexibility and individual resourcefulness — all qualities on which Americans pride themselves. Remember, willingness is a state of mind but readiness is a statement of fact.
“Pacific Crucible”
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. The author also wrote “Six Frigates,” which I have extolled (ex-Toll-ed?) here before, I believe. I didn’t think Ian Toll could top 6F, but I think he might have done it. Go forth and read. There are far too many points in it to discuss here, especially since I need to go get a shower and prepare for work. More to follow.
Navy Adrift?
I’ve long thought that the Navy has been adrift in the DOD sea for a while now– risk averse, politically correct and chasing after strange gods. Here are a few recent pieces that tend to support my beliefs: The first is a skewering of the “Great Green Fleet” and its predictable implications. “For the surface Navy, an effective way to cut fuel consumption would be to remain pierside. While fighting wars, however, cutting corners and decreasing underway training time can cost lives. Metaphorical sweaters and cold showers decrease the Navy’s capability and do not meet the secretary’s intent.” Not good. [...]
Gunfire in the Gulf
This escaped our notice, until URR brought us up short: If the United States, and in particular the United States Navy, has any sense of true ‘strategic messaging”, we will let the rest of the world know that, should another small craft ignore similar warnings, it, too, will be fired upon. And any death or injury that results from such incidents is the responsibility of those who willfully ignore the warnings, and on those who likely have sent them. Strategic messaging, indeed. Let the message go out, loud and clear.
