As the first woman to command a commissioned Navy vessel in 1990, I have been asked to comment on many other firsts. I recently was asked by CBS News to comment on the assignment of Brigadier General Loretta Reynolds as the first female commanding general of the Marine Recruiting Depot at Parris Island, N.C. Simultaneously, I also …
Navy
The (Increasingly Loud) Sound of Freedom
The U.S. military has been facing complaints from folks living near its air bases that its planes are just too darn loud. Now, low and behold, comes this interesting chart buried deep inside a new Air Force document. The service’s 578-page environmental impact statement on basing its new F-35 fighter at Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base …
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Steal…”
We referred Monday to a New York Times story over the weekend that predicted benefits for same-sex military partners might face some tough sledding once “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is relegated to the history books. Tuesday’s Norfolk Virginian-Pilot details just how such benefits can be abused:
Two men pleaded guilty Monday to arranging
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Stand By to Stand By
This is all getting very confusing. Within the past few weeks there have been some major developments in the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal process, all of which I have failed to mention here. Each turn in events has had its own reason for staying out of my blog, and I’m not going to use my packed schedule as an excuse.
Earlier this …
Alternate Translation: There’ll Always Be An England
Gordon England is highly regarded in defense circles, which is why he got space in Friday’s New York Times to detail how he thinks Defense Secretary Leon Panetta should trim Pentagon spending. Yet the op-ed page only said he “served during the administration of George W. Bush as secretary of the Navy and deputy secretary of …
“A-One, and a-Two, and a-Three…”
Cyprus: Warnings About Iranian Gunpowder Ignored
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fpDb47CtoI&feature=player_embedded]
In the daily drone of news it flitted by as an unfortunate act of God of one sect or another: at least 15 people died Monday in a blast at a major naval base in Cyprus. The blast was so fierce it blew out windows and doors of a tourist town two miles away …
Military Housing: Trials and Tribulation
Compared to many of my gay and lesbian colleagues, my time in service has treated me well. In general gay officers have it easier than our enlisted counterparts, and our options with housing play a large role.
Many newly enlisted troops are forced to live in small dorms with roommates. It’s usually not the barracks scene that …
As China Rises Militarily, Eventually the Golden Rule Should Be Applied
Wash Times piece on Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen’s counterpart in China (Chen Bingde) saying that US naval ex’s in regional waters with local friends (Vietnam, Philippines, etc.) are “inappropriate.” Mullen replies that they’re not directed at China, which, of course, is the whitest of lies. The US sells beaucoup …
And We’re Worried About Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons?
Robert Gates made a big deal out of the security of U.S. nuclear weapons, going so far as to fire the Air Force’s top two officials for one too many atomic fumbles. Apparently he left the Navy’s nuclear nightmares to successor Leon Panetta.
Check out this story from Navy Times:
A master-at-arms posted at a Navy nuclear warhead
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The iPhone Foe
The independent U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings journal has long been one of the best at asking questions some of its readers might prefer not be asked. In its just-released July issue, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Harper grapples with the Navy’s biggest bogeyman: China. Military relations are fundamentally altered, he argues, …
“Yo! Admiral! Ever Hear of Cause And Effect?”
Navy policies and programs work optimally under a retention rate of 55 to 60%. The Navy is currently operating at 71% retention. We have more people wanting to stay in the Navy than we presently have billets.
— Vice Admiral Mark Ferguson, chief of naval personnel
So why is the Navy paying bonuses like a drunken sailor?
Naval Maneuvering
So the other day we mentioned the Navy’s woes with its latest boat buy, the 55-vessel, $37.4 billion, Littoral Combat Ship fleet. Two teams are each building their own version of the coastal corvette, and each has its own problem: the Lockheed team’s hull has cracked, and the Austal team’s hull is disintegrating in salt water. Austal …