Sailors at attention during a sub-commissioning ceremony
The Navy has touched a raw nerve with its plan to scuttle the careers of nearly 3,000 sailors who will be forced out because the sea services no longer needs them. In response, some of those affected are petitioning the Obama Administration to halt or modify the action — on the White House’s own web site.
“Before involuntarily separating sailors the Navy should ask for volunteers who want to separate with a severance package, stop recruiting new sailors and let sailors cross-rate before breaching contracts with mid-career sailors,” the petition reads. The White House lets anyone who registers with the web site launch such a petition. If it gets 25,000 signatures within 30 days, the White House reviews the matter. By late Tuesday, the petition had nearly 1,000 signatures after two days.