Compass Points - Radical Change
Change is needed but be careful
September 23, 2025
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US Navy Lieutenant Chris Rielage should be applauded for taking time while at sea to pen his recent CIMSEC article, "Sir, Be Radical" where he tells the SecNav that radical action is needed now and that the wardrooms of junior officers already know what needs to be done.
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The ideas we need to implement already exist. They exist in other services; in the battlefield experience of Ukraine, Israel, and the Red Sea; and especially in the thousands of pages of ink spilled thoughtfully over the last decade. The problem is not charting what the new Navy should look like. The problem is acting on it. This is the moment to be radical – for Admiral Caudle to lean fully into the “C-Notes” and make once-in-a-generation changes to how the Navy thinks and works. It is time for the CNO to steer us to the boldest course, despite the risks – we cannot afford anything else right now.
-- CIMSEC, "Sir, Be Radical"
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In his article, Lt Rielage cites with approval the Marine Corps' half dozen years chasing after Force Design as an example of the kind of abrupt and radical change the US Navy needs now. Lt Rielage is correct. The Marine Corps' Force Design is an example of abrupt and radical change. But it is not an example of anything any other service should emulate.
After nearly a half dozen years, the Marine Corps' effort to establish an operational string of missile units off the coast of China has resulted in zero operational missile units off the coast of China. Instead, after all the years, the Marine is left trying to brag about the most simple and minor accomplishments. The Marine Corps recently went so far as to celebrate simply loading one Marine missile launcher onto an Army support vessel.
Naval News reports, "New U.S. Army Watercraft Transports Marine NMESIS in Test." The Marine Corps could be celebrating, "Marine Corps adds another dozen operational missile units off China's coast." Or, the Marine Corps could report, "The 10 Marine Missile units off China receive another 100 missiles."
In reality, nothing like that. Instead, all the Marine Corps can brag about is a simple transport exercise.
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The U.S. Army’s next-generation landing craft transported a Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) in a cross-service test in Hawaii to enhance their interoperability and transport capabilities of the Marine Corps anti-ship launchers across the Indo-Pacific.
Last week’s beach rehearsal at Marine Corps Base Hawaii involved the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment – one of the service’s units dedicated to countering threats from China – and the 7th Transportation Brigade.
-- Naval News
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After nearly a dozen years, this is what the Marine Corps' own abrupt and radical plan is reporting, one launcher on one landing craft in Hawaii. By nearly every measure, the Marine Corps' ability to conduct worldwide crisis response is less than it was six years ago. The Marine Corps has cut or eliminated its own air, armor, infantry, artillery, snipers, and support. This was all done to acquire an operational string of missile units off China's coast. The operational string of missile units still does not exist and most likely never will.
The military services need the passion and ideas of junior leaders. But the military also needs the creativity and experience of senior leaders.
Do not despair Lieutenant. The SecNav is already moving forward. Just one example is Navy Secretary Phelan is setting up an acquisition quick reaction office.
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Navy Secretary John Phelan said the Navy established the Naval Rapid Capabilities Office, which will dismantle and absorb the Maritime Accelerated Response Capability Cell, Disruptive Capabilities Office, NavalX and the Navy’s execution of the Defense Department’s Replicator activities, according to an Aug. 19 memo obtained by Military Times.
“The NRCO will serve as the single accountable organization spanning all naval warfare domains, responsible for the rapid assessment, execution, fielding and transition of urgent solutions within a three-year timeframe to ensure U.S. maritime supremacy,” the memo said.
The new office aims to support Trump’s executive order entitled, "Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base,” which sought to overhaul the defense acquisition system to “deliver state‐of‐the‐art capabilities at speed and scale.”
Phelan, in the memo, stated the new office will help the Navy identify operational gaps and provide quick solutions, as well as enable the service to respond to emerging threats promptly.
-- Navy Times
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Secretary Phelan wants, "rapid assessment, execution, fielding and transition of urgent solutions" to "provide quick solutions, as well as enable the service to respond to emerging threats promptly."
Change is constant. Military forces are always adjusting to new threats and new technologies. New ideas and new solutions are always needed. But beware of radical, abrupt changes. If the radical plan turns out to be off course, the military service can be put in a deep hole. Once in that hole, the military may have to celebrate minor things like merely loading one missile launcher on one landing craft. You don't want the Navy to be in that deep a hole Lieutenant.
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CIMSEC - 09/22/2025
Sir, Be Radical
By LT Chris Rielage, USN
LT Chris Rielage is a SWO and ASW/SUW WTI onboard USS CARL M LEVIN (DDG 120) in the Pacific.
https://cimsec.org/sir-be-radical/
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Naval News - 09/22/2025
New U.S. Army Watercraft Transports Marine NMESIS in Test
By Aaron-Matthew Lariosa
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Navy Times - 08/26/2025
Phelan establishes new Naval Rapid Capabilities Office
By Riley Ceder
Ya know, being radical for the USN in 2025 means:
1) Stable personnel policies
2) Coherent Shipbuilding Policy and Execution
3) Coherent Ship Maintenance / Repair Policy and Execution
4) Coherent Ship Operations
5) Ability to fully network with Joint Domain (including Marine Forces...again)
6) At least 4 months between Arrests of current/retired Flag Officers for embezzling, misappropriation, poor command climate, ship(s) catching fire and some other weird thing (exception made for public brawling with Marines).
In January 2023, General Charles Wilhelm (USMC, Ret) published an insightful article in "The National Interest" online with the title, “Transforming the Marines for an Uncertain Future.” The article essentially compared and contrasted the approach taken by General Alfred Mason Gray to transform the Marine Corps with that taken by General David Berger. According to General Wilhelm, “Now, the Marine Corps has embarked on another transformation, one that is, in many ways, the antithesis of the former [Gray]. While the previous transformation was largely intellectually based, the current one is primarily structurally oriented.”
General Gray’s approach to transformation led to a renaissance in warfighting, professional military education, and tactical and operational relevance. The current approach to transformation has led the Corps down a dark path of divisiveness and crippled combat capabilities. It’s never too late to change course. Radical change is needed now.
You can read General Wilhelm’s full article at: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/transforming-marines-uncertain-future-206131