Posted on Sep 14, 2017
Ball Diamond Ball - The U.S. Navy's Failure To Reorient To Danger – gCaptain
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Ball Diamond Ball is the maritime daytime signal for 'Restricted in ability to maneuver'. And despite the title, the author actually goes fairly easy on the Navy this time.
Ball Diamond Ball - The U.S. Navy's Failure To Reorient To Danger – gCaptain
Posted from gcaptain.com
Naval/Maritime History
Sailors
Maritime
Edited 7 y ago
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 2
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While I firmly believe the Navy needs to pull their collective heads out of their poop shoots, lets not forget that the sea is a dangerous place, and the merchants haven't fared better (although in much fewer #'s). And that is with all the best training that the Merchant Marines provides (which I wholly believe the Navy can learn from). I submit this a@@hat: http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/11/world/costa-concordia-trial/index.html
Costa Concordia captain convicted in shipwreck - CNN
Captain Francesco Schettino has been found guilty of manslaughter and other charges related to the January 2012 shipwreck of the Costa Concordia.
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SN Greg Wright
Oh no argument from me there, LT. I've seen some mind-boggling fucktards on the civilian side. Take Gregory Cousins for example. He was the kind of officer that thought he was an innately better human being BECAUSE he was an officer, relative to unlicenced crew members. As a result, he flat-out refused to listen to his lookout when the lookout told him he was on the wrong side of the traffic lane buoy, and therefore drove his ship up onto a reef in Prince William Sound. (The Valdez)
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LT Brad McInnis
SN Greg Wright - Oh I wasn't bashing you or Richard. You are both good peeps, I am just getting a little frustrated that there isn't the same level of scrutiny on the other accidents happening across the other services. Marines had 15 hurt yesterday, 15 SPECOPS hurt today, numerous helicopter and plane crashes. It is always a good idea to do hot washes of incidents. But, until the official reports come out, it is all getting a little much. I know the CO of McCain, and it is tough...
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SN Greg Wright
LT Brad McInnis - Ah, I didn't think you were LT. And I agree with you. It's just that the Navy stuff hits harder to me than the others. Though that's silly, it really shouldn't.
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To understand the mentality of Navy Acad grads v. CG Acad grads compare the two service missions.
USNA - "To develop Midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government."
USCGA - "To graduate young men and women with sound bodies, stout hearts and alert minds, with a liking for the sea and its lore, with that high sense of honor, loyalty and obedience which goes with trained initiative and leadership; well grounded in seamanship, the sciences and amenities, and strong in the resolve to be worthy of the traditions of commissioned officers in the United States Coast Guard in the service of their country and humanity."
The Coast Guard stresses "initiative," and "seamanship". The Navy stresses "career." The difference is showing at sea. Most NROTC programs match USNA's mission statement.
USNA - "To develop Midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government."
USCGA - "To graduate young men and women with sound bodies, stout hearts and alert minds, with a liking for the sea and its lore, with that high sense of honor, loyalty and obedience which goes with trained initiative and leadership; well grounded in seamanship, the sciences and amenities, and strong in the resolve to be worthy of the traditions of commissioned officers in the United States Coast Guard in the service of their country and humanity."
The Coast Guard stresses "initiative," and "seamanship". The Navy stresses "career." The difference is showing at sea. Most NROTC programs match USNA's mission statement.
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SN Greg Wright
I've spent my life quietly seething on bridges because I had to listen to other bridge officers denigrate the Navy. This year has shown that they were right, unfortunately. I won't seeth so much in the future.
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LT Brad McInnis
The reason that the USNA mission is broad is because they graduate more than just SWOS (ship drivers). A Marine infantryman doesn't need to be well versed in Celestial Nav (which is taught to all), nor Seamanship (which is taught to all). The fault of recent ship collisions is not the fault of USNA, rather it is the devastation wrought by metrics and the cancelling of SWOS Newport. Every other warfare area officer, regardless of service, goes to some kind of "finishing" school, except SWOS. SWOS are handed a bunch of CD's and told to go learn on the ship. Many of us complained about this (in fact I don't remember a single officer in agreement that was below Flag rank), but were told to suck it up. Now, we are reaping what the flag officers, so far removed from sea and safely ensconced in the Puzzle Palace, told us was the perfect way to train these new officers. My 2 cents as a lowly LT...
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