Navy considering changes to PRT

June 1, 2010 – 8:25 am
The Navy is reportedly mulling over changes to the current Physical Readiness Test (PRT) that is taken twice a year by all sailors.  This test as every sailor knows traditionally consists of sit-ups, push-ups, a 1.5 mile run, and a sit and reach test.  It is scored by a combination of all events to give a final total.   A swim, bike, or eliptical machine can substitute for the endurance run if a service member chooses. The total score places the sailors into one of several catogories ranging from Outstanding, Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, and Probationary (basically unsat or fail).  Each of these catagories except Probationary is then broken into high, medium, and low ranges.  This has been the Navy system from the time I joined (1998) until the time I left active duty in 2008.  And as a member of the Naval Reserve I am still subject to the test in the same format.  I am not certain, but the test likely ...

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

America Derailed or a Sleeping Giant?

May 18, 2010 – 6:37 am
I live and work in NYC and walked through Times Square just hours before the car bomb left by Faisal Shahzad, who is reported to have ties to the Taliban in Pakistan, failed to detonate.  I didn’t find out about what had happened until I got home and saw it on the news.  I was disturbed when I first heard of the event but went on with the rest of my day as normal and gave it little thought thereafter.  I can only speak for myself but it appears to me that the rest of the masses in New York had a similar reaction to the failed attack. They were interested in the brief news flash but then quickly focused attention elsewhere.  Reflecting on this, I have begun to wonder why this is the case?  Why isn’t the city that suffered the worst terrorist attack in recent memory more outraged by this?  ...

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Females Cleared for Submarine Service

May 3, 2010 – 6:27 am
The Navy recently announced its plans to integrate females into one of the few remaining gender segregated communities in the military.  The submarine service will see its first female officers reporting aboard in two years.  This subject has always been one of contentious debate among Navy personnel from past and present. I don’t believe the issue is whether or not women are up to the task.  It is clear from female service aboard surface ships that they are certainly capable.  The issue is more about the platform and how such a small vessel can accommodate the needs of two genders.  I spent most of my Navy time aboard ship and have only logged a few days underway on a submarine (USS LOUISIANA).  But even given my limited experience with the undersea warriors I can understand why this has been such an issue.  I was aboard a “boomer” or ballistic missile sub and ...

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

PowerPoint, Technology, and the Strangling of Junior Military Leaders

April 27, 2010 – 9:44 am
The New York Times recently published an article showing a messy Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that depicted the current enemies that the U.S. military faces.  The slide had a globe with arrows pointing all over the place to areas of text on the map.  It prompted much buzz online and even Gen Stanley McChrystal made jokes as he found the slide too confusing to be usable.  Gen James Mattis, a previous keynote speaker for IDGA, and the Commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command has been shedding light on what is at the heart of this issue and the comical PowerPoint slide presented at the Pentagon.  He has been issuing a near warning that the U.S. military’s technological advantage may indeed be our biggest weakness and lead to our eventual defeat at the hands of a more agile enemy.  He often refers to a “Single Point Failure” and that if the advanced technological systems that provide ...

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Free Speech and Military Service

April 20, 2010 – 6:46 am
A Marine Sgt. serving at Camp Pendleton recently made headlines for posting negative opinions about President Obama’s health care policy on Facebook.  This controversy stirs up an issue that has existed for members in U.S. military service for a very long time. Men and women in uniform are subject to a different justice system than their civilian counterparts (the UCMJ).  The UCMJ considers some acts criminal that are not found in the U.S. criminal code such as adultery.  And a service member can be prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced for these offenses.  But in some cases the UCMJ actually has advantages over the public U.S. criminal code.  This separation is well known and acknolowdged by service members from the day they enlist or are commissioned.  However, the right to free speech as protected by the first amendment, is a bit more of a grey area.  To men and women in the military it ...

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Navy Restricting Coveralls and Ballcaps

April 13, 2010 – 1:26 pm
It was recently reported in Navy Times that ballcaps and coveralls are going to be restricted for sailors stationed aboard ship.  The new regulations are stemming from the implementation of the newer blue and grey camouflage uniform called the Navy Working Uniform (NWU).  As an Ensign, my first duty station was aboard a ship that was a trial platform for the NWU, and I can say firsthand that it wasn’t very popular with deckplate sailors.  I believe the Navy created the NWU in an attempt to make sailors feel more like warfighters by wearing a uniform similar to their Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps brethren.  However, the blue and grey colors never felt quite right on this type of uniform and the flap style blouse always seemed to get caught on things in the small spaces that are found onboard ship.  Coveralls are a streamlined jumpsuit that just seems natural for ...

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »