Well, the ‘fit’ is hitting the ‘shan’…

More ‘reaction’ both official and unofficial to sequestration…

At the Surface Navy Association, VADM Copeman was the guest speaker.  Friend of mine was in attendance, and somber does NOT describe the crowd’s response, but most will admit privately what he’s saying is true…

From AOL Defense-


Navy crews don’t have enough sailors, training, or spare parts to keep up with operational demands, the Commander of Naval Surface Forces said bluntly this afternoon. The service needs to make better use of smaller budgets by standardizing equipment and adopting new training simulations, Vice Adm. Tom Copeman said, but even that’s not enough: Ultimately, he said, the Navy must get smaller to stay ready.

That approach doesn’t play well on Capitol Hill, which is so focused on the keeping up the size of the fleet that last year it refused to let the Navy retire three aging Ticonderoga-class cruisers which admirals said cost more they were worth to keep maintained.

[Click here for more from a Navy 4-star on readiness problems and how the fleet is “terrified” of the damage sequestration could do]

Even as the Navy’s tempo of operations has increased — largely in response to a new assertiveness at sea by both China and Iran — “we’ve taken away people and training,” Copeman said. “It’s getting harder and harder to look the troops in the eye and say, just meet the standard…. We’re getting more ships that can’t.”

Full article HERE, with good links embedded…

In other news, I got an email from a friend this afternoon, apparently the Navy is freezing all hiring, cancelling conferences and limiting travel to ‘critical’ requirements… 

Comments

Well, the ‘fit’ is hitting the ‘shan’… — 15 Comments

  1. I keep thinking of the “hollow” Army where there was no money for training, and equipment was cannibalized to maintain some of the equipment. The air force had hanger queens that were permanent fixtures due to lack of spare parts and the Navy did a lot of “cross decking” to try to maintain readiness against a resurgent Soviet Force. Now history repeats itself.

  2. Seems like we’ve jumped into the “way back machine” and landed in the 80s. Only today we have honest to God hot spots that truly need attention. I seem to be saying this phrase alot lately . . .

    This will not end well . . . .

  3. Okay, as a Veteran Navy wife, and former naval base employee…I can tell ya the problem in a nutshell.

    The military in general due to increase in modern technology has gone pansy ass. I say go back to the days when Ships were wood and Men were steel. Take away the internet, emails and playstations. Make these child brides know whats it like to wait on a numbered letter, instead of complaining because the email is down again. Military wants to save money? remember the days when a wife and family wasn’t issued with a sea bag?

    And while I am on my soap box…what is this S— that the Chiefs initiation process has been terminated? that was a long standing right of passage. If you didn’t go through initiation you were just classified as an E7 in the Chiefs Mess. They did away with the equator thing-you can do that..its harassment..OMG! See this is all what happens when you allow women and liberals on ships! I know because I have seen it first hand… Okay that’s just my take.

  4. I’d NEVER thought I’d say this. But having Jimmy Carter as my first C-in-C, I think the military was probably STRONGER under his Watch than Obama’s is today.

    And some of us remember how BAD it was under Carter!

  5. Guys, we’ve been cross-decking critical systems in the fleet for a couple of years now.

    eiaftinfo:

    Not the 1980s. Think about 1976.

  6. It’s not just the cross-decking shell game that the navy has been playing for years to keep manning up, it’s the lack of anyone to face REALITY. Including defense contractors who (in all ages) managed to flay the sheep instead of shearing it. (the sheep being the government and by extension, the taxpayer)

    The waste that I have seen both in and out of the navy had a lot to do with really stupid regulations, and commands being allowed and at times, encouraged to “gun deck” their stats. The hollow surface fleet has been ENCOURAGED by the admirals who want to look good at all costs.

    Lets face it, if John Paul Jones was alive today, the navy would have cashiered him right out of the gate.

    Balisle Report was a type of bale fire and nobody of any consequence seems to care — and if they do care and act on it, they’re crushed by the bureaucracy.

  7. eia- True, and NOT for the better…

    ADM- Of course not!

    JUGM- I hear ya, boy DO I… and you’re dead on. And they whole Chief’s initiation, it’s ALL political PC crap!

    Les- I do…

    Geod- I know, and it hasn’t worked well…

    Juan- Correct!

    LL- Correct on ALL counts… dammit

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