Compass Points - Accountability
Accountable for the Navy / Marine Corps team.
Compass Points - Accountability
Accountable for the Navy / Marine Corps team.
February 28, 2025
.
Business Executive John Phelan has begun his meetings and testimony that most likely will see him become the Secretary of the Navy. As he is being honored and asked question after question, he should ask himself his own question: is he ready to risk the fate of Dave Snowden?
.
--------------
--------------
.
During his testimony, Phelan promised to take a holistic look at Navy contracts to understand the incentives for shipbuilders and other defense contractors.
“I intend to sit down day one, and we are going to go through every contract that we have and understand what exactly they say and what flexibility they do or do not give us, what contract needs to change or not change, and why,” he told the panel.
“I intend to do the same thing as it relates to an audit. I need to understand why the Navy cannot pass an audit.”
At multiple points during the hearing, Phelan said Trump has voiced concerns to him about corrosion on Navy warships.
“President Trump has texted me numerous times, very late at night, sometimes after one in the morning [about] rusty ships or ships in a yard, asking me, ‘What am I doing about it?’ And I’ve told him, ‘I’m not confirmed yet and have not been able to do anything about it, but I will be very focused on it,’” Phelan recounted.
-- USNI News
.
--------------
--------------
.
The US Navy is not where it should be. Nearly the entire fleet needs to updated, enhanced, and rebuilt. The Marine Corps needs more amphibious ships and more pre-positioning ships. There is wide support for efforts to rebuild the Navy. Success is not guaranteed.
It must seem like a lifetime ago to Dave Snowden. In days gone by Dave Snowden was being asked questions and honored before he embarked on his new billet. The future seemed unlimited. That was long before February 12, 2025, however, when the collision occurred.
.
--------------
--------------
.
In a statement last week, the Navy revealed that the Truman had collided with a merchant vessel roughly half its size, the Besiktas-M, just before midnight local time on Feb. 12 while operating near Port Said, Egypt, in the Mediterranean Sea.
The city, which sits at the northern opening to the Suez Canal, is an area of dense maritime traffic, with ships coming in and out of the canal, as well as others waiting to begin their transit.
The Navy, in its statement, said that the collision did not result in flooding or injuries aboard the Truman and later posted photos of the ship that showed some hull damage on its right back quarter.
In a social media post Sunday, the Navy said that most of the damage inside the ship was to the exterior walls of several storage spaces, while on the outside of the carrier there was damage to a space reserved for handling the lines that keep the ship moored when in port as well as some platforms.
The Navy noted that the aircraft elevator near the area of the collision was fully operational.
The Truman pulled into port at Souda Bay in Crete on Sunday and began repairs. Navy officials have not offered an estimate of how long they expect the repairs to take.
-- Military.com
.
--------------
--------------
.
As a result of the collision, the Captain of the USS Truman, Dave Snowden, has been fired. It is a tradition in the Navy that when a Navy ship runs aground or unexpectantly runs into nearly anything, the ship Captain will be held accountable.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth promises a new focus on warfighting and that includes accountability, "We're going to hold people accountable.”
Perhaps Hegseth could begin by holding accountable the senior leaders who let the US fleet decline.
Beyond the decline in the fleet, will Hegseth hold someone accountable for the decline in the Marine Corps' global, combined arms units, equipment, and capabilities?
Over the last five years, instead of getting stronger and stronger, the Marine Corps' ability to serve as the Nation's 9-1-1 force has been tremendously diminished. If one Captain is held accountable for some minor damage to one ship, someone should be held accountable for the major damage to the Marine Corps.
If confirmed, Secretary Phelan will find himself working to restore both the Navy fleet and the Marine Corps' crisis response capabilities. Together the Navy and Marine Corps make a powerful team and provide global options for US policy makers.
The strength of the Navy / Marine Corps team is nothing new. Decades ago, General Barrow wrote a letter to the Chairman of the House Armed Service Committee. Barrow saved his most important point for the end of his letter.
.
--------------
--------------
.
And so, Mr. Chairman, on this I believe we can agree: for the threats ahead, known and especially unknown, we need forces that are flexible, versatile, and available. Flexible -- go to more than one kind of place. Versatile -- do more than one kind of thing. Available -- do it now! Doesn't that describe the Navy/Marine Corps team?
-- Robert H. Barrow General USMC (ret) letter to Chairman, House Armed Services Committee. April 16, 1992.
.
--------------
--------------
.
Good luck Mr. Phelan. If confirmed, you will shoulder the responsibility for many things, including rebuilding the power and reach of the Navy and Marine Corps team. The task will not be easy, but the safety of the Nation depends on getting both the Navy and Marine Corps back to full strength. Remember the Captain of the USS Truman. Like him, no matter what happens, you will be held accountable.
.
- - - - -
.
USNI News - 02/27/2025
SECNAV Nominee Phelan Critical of Frigate Program, Stresses Shipbuilding in Confirmation Hearing
By Mallory Shelbourne and Sam LaGrone
.
- - - - -
.
Military.com - 02/20/2025
USS Truman Commander Fired After Collision with Merchant Ship near Suez Canal
Facts are stubborn things. The 38th Commandant radically reorganized and restructured the Marine Corps from an expeditionary global force in readiness to a toothless regional force in waiting. His ACMC was the biggest cheerleader for the changes. The 39th Commandant doubled-down on the madness. The record is indisputable. Read the 38th and 39th Commandants Planning Guidance, Force Design 2030 and the Force Design 2030 Annual Update of 2022, and the Concept for Stand-in Forces. Today's Corps has no operationally capable MLRs; no armor; no bridging; no instride breaching; no resiliency in infantry, aviation, or amphibious assault vehicles; insufficient cannon artillery and expeditionary logistics; and is inadequately supported by amphibious and maritime prepositioning ships. These are the facts.
I am concerned with the chatter of firing the CMC. Accountability has the support of us all, I’m sure. But, before we seriously speak of firing our CMC, we probably should have a “come to Jesus meeting” with ourselves, and ask uncomfortable questions regarding the “multitude of sins” that have landed us where we are today. The lack of Amphibs -just in numbers alone, much less needed upgrades - did not come about with the ascent of the General Berger tenure. We might recall the last time the Naval Service embarked a Marine Division was “Operation Steel Pike” in 1965. We have argued for adequate numbers of Amphibs for decades: deaf ears in terms of results. Of course, we deal in new and deadly technologies … but, so did our dad’s and grandpa’s in the 1940’s … anyone recall “Advance Force Operations”? Does the reduced state of Amphibious capability really rest on the shoulders of any one CMC when those who can make a decisive difference wears another uniform, or, a civilian coat & tie? I refer here to any number of SecDef’s, SecNav’s, any number of Senators & Rep’s who could have made a difference, perhaps DOS Statesmen who should know of our numerous NEO’s over the years, and leading
Academic & Intellectuals. So, it seems to me our current status has many fathers rather than a single CMC. If, after due consideration by wiser heads than mine, it is deemed appropriate to move on our CMC, so be it. But, we need to remember our plight has been brought on a multitude of players, and over a very long period of time. The foregoing is offered as food for thought. Semper Fidelis!