Latest to go...

A long time ago I took up a direct commission in the Navy Reserve.  It was 1997.  The internet boom was in full swing, Clinton was POTUS and it looked like most of the free world would continue to expand and things would chill out. 

 

That was not to be the case.  The USS COLE (DDG 67) was bombed in Aden harbor, our embassies in Africa were attacked and things just went south from there.  As a consequence, I was shocked (but perhaps not surprised) when the World Trade Center was attacked almost eight years ago. 

 

At that time I was the CO (commanding officer) of a maintenance unit in Norfolk, Virginia.  A lot of my sailors were recalled to active duty and assigned to security across military facilities around the nation.  What many people fail to remember is that until 2001, almost all military installations were open bases.  That is almost anyone was permitted to drive around on base, with a few exceptions.   I was turned away from Fort Knox when I asked to conduct a spot citizen’s inspection.

 

I was an officer with NPS (no prior service) at the time.  As part of my community, we were rotated through various schools, training evolutions and assignments UI (under instruction) to build up our credentials and experience enough to make us useful to the Navy.

 

One of my very good friends, Steve Michaels, is now deploying to Afghanistan.  Steve is a great guy, a competitive marathoner, piano player, Eagle Scout and uber-geek (anyone with a masters in Electrical Engineering qualifies).  He is also dedicated to his beliefs and committed to our nation.

 

I spent time with Steve in New York at the New York Maritime University’s campus under the Throgg’s Neck Bridge.  It was for a two week course in basic naval engineering.  We were instructed by the saltiest of merchant mariners and billeted aboard the school’s break bulk freighter, the Empire State.   

 

Steve is an enthusiastic member of our nation’s armed forces.  He stayed the course when a lot of our colleagues fell by the wayside.  Spend some time reading about his experiences at Major FUBAR.

 

China Sea, China Do...

The Economist reports this week on the growth of China's maritime power.  Many pundits express surprise and alarm at this fact, while the rest of the rational, thinking world acknowledges it as inevitable.  China already has the world's largest merchant fleet and engages in a staggering amount of international trade.  Virtually every nation on the planet has China as a trading partner.  This is a fact which will not diminish for some time to come.  It is therefore only natural that China would seek to expand its influence and security into the waters surrounding its territories.  China has long had eyes on a greater influence in the western Pacific rim, thwarted only by the nation states of South Korea, Japan and the United States.  Australia, although a solid player in the region, is less of a bulwark against China than a speed bump.  It lacks the population and economic resources to counter the emerging influence. 

 

India remains a viable competitor on land, as does Russia.  However, it is the sea over which more than 90% of all commerce flows.  China, which lives and dies by this fact, understands the importance of the free flow of trade and the risk from non-state actors (read pirates).  It will be interesting to note whether they plan on building anything more than a regional navy, vice a true blue water force.  A nuclear powered attack submarine can be troubling in a choke point, but it can be cornered and killed.  A well protected amphibious assault group, supported by a carrier air wing is another matter entirely.  Only one nation in the world has true power projection - the United States.  It is this capability, enshrined in the Expeditionary and Carrier Strike Groups which preserve our preeminent around the world.  These assets, although expensive, assure our ability to shape global trade to our needs and prevent real disruption of our economy.

But baby it's cold outside...

When I was a kid, the image of a nuclear submarine popping up through the arctic ice was what inspired me to want to be a submarine commander.  Although it was a path I never pursued, the idea of this operation still excites me.  Cracking through that ice must feel like landing on an uncharted world.  Operations in the Arctic Ocean are critical, especially if global climate change results in a long term reduction in ice cover.  The exposure of this area of our planet will allow for increased trade, mining and fishery operations. 

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Navy Submariners Participate in Arctic Ocean Exercise
Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:55:00 -0500

Navy Submariners Participate in Arctic Ocean Exercise By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 25, 2009 - A group of Navy submariners are practicing wartime operations off the coast of northern Alaska as part of Ice Exercise 2009, the commander of the exercise said today. Personnel from the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station watch the aurora borealis light up the night sky over the Ice Exercise 2009 base camp in the Arctic Ocean, March 21, 2009. Two Los Angeles-class submarines, the USS Helena and USS Annapolis, are participating in the exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Tiffini M. Jones (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Two Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines, the USS Helena and the USS Annapolis, are participating in this year's ICEX, said Navy Captain Greg Ott, a submariner who is also the deputy operations director for Submarine Force Command, based in Norfolk, Va. The USS Helena is home-based in San Diego, while the USS Annapolis is home-ported in Groton, Conn. "We're maintaining our proficiency in arctic operations," Ott said today during a telephone interview with American Forces Press Service. The submariners, Ott said, are testing torpedo and sonar systems, while practicing wartime operations in an arctic environment. The exercise, he said, is slated to end in early April. The undersea sailors are working alongside a group of technicians and civilian scientists housed at a temporary base camp set up on the Arctic Ocean ice near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The scientists are collecting environmental data. "It's going great, so far," Ott said of the exercise. "In fact, we got a nice, warm day today; it's only about minus 10 [degrees Fahrenheit]." Different skills are required when operating submarines in Arctic water conditions, Ott said, noting the frigid water temperatures and tricky currents affect a submarine's buoyancy characteristics and sonar capabilities. Additionally, he said, submariners also must take care to avoid ice when traveling in Arctic regions. U.S. nuclear submarines have operated under the polar ice since 1958, Ott said, when the USS Nautilus became the first submarine to complete a submerged trip to reach the North Pole. Arctic submarine operations are important to U.S. national defense, according to Navy documents. Accordingly, the Navy's submarine force must be highly trained in arctic-water operations to provide and ensure access to strategic areas worldwide. Continents of the Northern Hemisphere -- Europe, Asia and North America -- all share the Arctic Ocean.

Related Sites: ICEX Web site/photos Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Navy

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This is Sparta...

UNCLASSIFIED//

NAVADMIN 318/08

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/NOV//

SUBJ/NAVY ETHOS//

1. IN THE 2007-2008 CNO GUIDANCE, I DIRECTED THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A NAVY ETHOS THAT WOULD REFLECT THE VALUES INTEGRAL TO
MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ACTIVE AND RESERVE SAILORS AND NAVY CIVILIANS, NO
MATTER THE ASSIGNED UNIT, COMMAND, OR COMMUNITY.

2. AFTER GATHERING INPUT ACROSS THE NAVY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE
NAVY ETHOS HAS BEEN APPROVED. THE FINAL PRODUCT IS THE RESULT OF COMMENTS
FROM THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE AND RESERVE SAILORS AND NAVY CIVILIANS FROM AROUND
THE GLOBE ON THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES THE NAVY EMPLOYS DAILY TO
WIN WARS AND BUILD AND MAINTAIN SECURITY AND STABILITY.

3. AN ETHOS IDENTIFIES DISTINGUISHING CHARACTER, CULTURE, OR BELIEFS OF A
GROUP OR INSTITUTION. NAVY ETHOS IS DESIGNED TO COMMUNICATE A SET OF
BELIEFS APPROPRIATE AND IMPORTANT TO THE MORE THAN 400,000 MILITARY AND
180,000 CIVILIAN PERSONNEL WHO SHARE A COMMON BOND OF SERVICE IN THE NAVY,
REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, OR POSITION.

4. THE NAVY ETHOS:
-- WE ARE THE UNITED STATES NAVY, OUR NATION'S SEA POWER - READY GUARDIANS
OF PEACE, VICTORIOUS IN WAR.
-- WE ARE PROFESSIONAL SAILORS AND CIVILIANS - A DIVERSE AND AGILE FORCE
EXEMPLIFYING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION, AT HOME AND
ABROAD, AT SEA AND ASHORE.
-- INTEGRITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CONDUCT; RESPECT FOR OTHERS IS
FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CHARACTER; DECISIVE LEADERSHIP IS CRUCIAL TO OUR SUCCESS.
-- WE ARE A TEAM, DISCIPLINED AND WELL-PREPARED, COMMITTED TO MISSION
ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE DO NOT WAVER IN OUR DEDICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR
SHIPMATES AND FAMILIES.
-- WE ARE PATRIOTS, FORGED BY THE NAVY'S CORE VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE AND
COMMITMENT. IN TIMES OF WAR AND PEACE, OUR ACTIONS REFLECT OUR PROUD
HERITAGE AND TRADITION.
-- WE DEFEND OUR NATION AND PREVAIL IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY WITH STRENGTH,
DETERMINATION, AND DIGNITY.
-- WE ARE THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//

Who ya gonna call...

It is the forward deployed presence of United States steel, in the form or a carrier strike group, near the cyclone wrecked Burma (Myanmar) which is the latest stunning example of the failure of moral relativism. Burma, a backwards nation torn by corruption, brutality and oppression, has also been socked by a devastating cyclone (the Pacific name for hurricane). This monumental storm, which would hardly have affected a developed nation, has done apocalyptic damage to this fragile state.

It just so happens that US forces (mainly Navy) are in the area for their annual Cobra Gold exercises. This fortuitous military resource, an immensely capable group of men and women, would serve well either in peace or war. They have construction equipment, helicopters, medical personnel and power generation capability.

The Burmese, much like the Indonesians during the tsunami, are reluctant to reveal themselves for the petty, tyrannical, ineffective autocrats that they are by allowing outside aid into their country. The French president (I am liking him more and more) is speaking of an armed intervention in order to deliver aid to the desperate and destitute.

Even during my own experience with PANAMAX 05, it was US Navy forces (specifically HM-15) first to respond to storm racked New Orleans. To those who point accusing fingers at the United States and its global policies need to take a second look at the net effect of those policies.

Forgetting military operations – which are substantial – the impact of humanitarian aid, presence of forces and deployed capability eclipses all other nations in the world combined. Our major adversaries (and potential adversaries) have no such record of activity or effort. One never reads in the press about the Chinese led humanitarian effort or rescue operations conducted by Russians.

Some of that capability is a function of our wealth and prosperity. But it is driven by our will. It is a will to extend help without condition and a vision as to what is morally right.

Avast there, stand by to repel boarders...

Pirates.

There still remain these scourges of the seven seas roaming every corner of our planet. They come in all shapes and sizes. They may be an illegal fishing trawler, a drug smuggler's clandestine submarine, East African raiders or Straits of Malacca slave traders. No matter how you slice it, these are not ennobled, slightly tipsy Johnny Depp wannabes, they are desperate criminals who infringe on the freedoms of navigation of the rest of the world.

All manner of ships have been accosted by pirates. The targets range from cruise ships (like the Achille Lauro - where pirates ala terrorists - murdered an American citizen in a wheelchair) , freighters and private vessels. Even military ships have, from time to time, come under attack from pirates. The worst outcomes result in the loss of the vessel and crew. The sea is already merciless enough without miscreant humanity adding to its danger.

There is but one recourse for piracy, to quote the first pirates of the Caribbean movie;

"A short drop and a sudden stop at the end of the hangman's noose."

At least the Navy remembers how to deal with the like.

Arrrgh.

Navy Contract Ship Fires Warning Shots Near Suez Canal
Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:06:00 -0500

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Navy Contract Ship Fires Warning Shots Near Suez Canal American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, March 25, 2008 - A ship on short-term charter to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command fired warning shots at a small boat approaching the ship as it was preparing to transit the Suez Canal last night, military officials reported. There were no reports of casualties from the ship, the Global Patriot. Officials said several boats approached the Global Patriot while it was preparing to transit the Suez Canal. The boats were hailed and warned by a native Arabic speaker on the Global Patriot to advise them to turn away. Other warning steps, including a signal flare, were used to caution the boats. One small boat continued to approach the ship and received two sets of warning shots 20 to 30 meters in front of the boat's bow. All shots were accounted for as they entered the water, officials said. The incident is under investigation. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet command is cooperating with Egyptian authorities, including the Suez Canal Authorities, through the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. (From a U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet news release.)

Related Sites: U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet Military Sealift Command

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Military Matters...

The recent dust up in the Straits of Hormuz between Iranian speedboats and US forces was extremely dangerous. The Iranians paint a more benign picture from the view of Iranian Events. Nonetheless, the danger was heightened by the interjection (possibly) of the notorious Filipino Monkey. This individual chooses to interject his thoughts into unsecured VHF (bridge to bridge) communication in this region of the world.

I was standing watch in the FCC (fleet command center) for the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain in the summer of 2004. During this period we were conducting a lot of MIO (maritime interdiction operations). We were looking for smugglers of all types. During the oil embargo days, the Iraqis got very good at smuggling large quantities of oil out and arms into their nation. At this time, the USSS KENNEDY was the carrier battle group in the gulf and we were intercepting a bulk freighter heading out through the SOH. During a routine BtB (bridge to bridge) query of the freighter the conversation turned dangerous.

US VESSEL – “outbound freighter, this is coalition warship XX. State your destination and cargo”

FREIGHTER – “we are carrying weapons of mass destruction…”

US VESSEL – “*what the* - outbound freighter, say again your last.”

Needless to say the center went from a sleepy afternoon watch to full pucker mode. Aircraft were diverted from patrol routes and an HVBSS (heliborne vessel boarding search and seizure) team was scrambled from one of the interdicting ships. Listening to the radio transmission again, I am more convinced that this radio prankster may be at the root cause of the near fatal encounter.

The problem is clear, when there are confusing bits of information coming into the commander of a force (land, sea or air) their inclination is to act in a self preservation manner. During the cold war we installed a hotline between the US and Soviet command center to help defuse any potential “false” triggers.

With little or not such mechanism between forces such as the three warships and fast attack squadron – it was the careful training of the US forces which kept the Iranians alive.

Round up...

Way late – yes I am way late. No blogging for three weeks, only random trolling on some very nice sites.

UPDATE - Horrible spelling error corrected!!!

I wanted to point out a few interesting spots on my holiday travels, Lana Walker-Helmuth has a very nice site here. I spent some time discussing the various benefits of fluoridation and talking about Ron Paul – who appears to be destined for the dustbin of history. Laura seems to be an engaging person who has a genuinely bright outlook on life.

I found her site from this fabulous one, a sassy spot run by Connie Schmidt. Here she skewers the easily misled and the criminally dishonest.

I also trolled around the Respectful Insolence site (Orac’s joint) and Dr. Martin Rundkvist's place. He poses an interesting question about the definition of skepticism. I take a purists view and contend that skepticism is simply doubt of a proposed idea. On the site we talk about the role of words and the tendency of folks to label people. The term denialism is used to besmirch folks who argue against conventional wisdom. This is typically applied to folks who claim the Holocaust did not occur or that evolution is unproven. It is also applied to people who argue about global warming (GW) and anthropogenic global warming (AGW).

SPECIAL DISCLAIMER – I have several concerns about the causality of global warming. At one point I was an out and out skeptic of global warming, but I have warmed up to the possibility. I am simply not convinced that the human factor is as significant. Thus, I am a denialist according to Mark Hoofnagle’s definition.

UNITED STATES POLITICS

Hillary recovered, slightly, in New Hampshire and McCain knocked Romney for a loop in his own backyard. I am pleased that Edwards, Huckabee and Paul continue to drop behind. None of the aforementioned individuals should be considered viable candidates. This is notwithstanding the very questionable history of Paul’s alarming newsletters or Huckabee’s sermons. We live in a world where what you have said and written before starts to define you. I think that’s a fair measure to use when judging an individual. We can not all be Saul, subject to some monumental conversion and then given a pass on all our former behavior.

UNITED STATES NAVY

The Navy nearly lit up a squadron of Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boats . Most likely they were simply tricked out outboards, and not the truly lethal Boghammers which lurk in the NAG (North Arabian Gulf).

Side note: If you want to irritate an Iranian, call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf.

The three warships in question were just about to open fire on the boats in question when they sped away. Having stood watch where FP (force protection) measures were in full force, the threat posed by high speed boats is all too real. Additionally, the risk to our vessels from mines (as described in the report) is likely the greatest in the PG. I do not want US Navy vessels to needlessly incinerate potentially hostile craft – but the reality of self-defense makes this circumstance likely – if not inevitable.