Britannia ruled the waves

This month marks the 236th birthday of the founding of our Navy. What an understatement to say we've come a long way. Today, we are without question the greatest naval power ever seen on this planet. It is also easy to get agreement that the men and women who are our Navy have never been better in terms of education, training, and overall capabilities. Certainly, they have shown those who bother to notice, Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Remember, most in a Navy uniform today knew that the country was at war when they raised their right hand and promised to Defend the Constitution of the United States.... Those who were already here in 2001 have had the chance to leave, but they reenlisted or chose to remain.

While we have grown as a Navy in quality and capability, that does not mean that we do not have serious challenges. We have ship and aircraft programs being watched very closely by Congress because of cost overruns and basic questions of affordability hang over the LCS and the F-35 to name two. We have challenges in shipboard maintenance/ readiness; challenges identified in both manning and parts availability which leads to high cannibalization rates. At a time when a war weary public and Congress are focused on national debt, we who are in the Navy or care about our Navy had better keep a weather eye on the situation. There was a century and more when Britannia Ruled the Waves. Today, the British Navy consists of twenty-three combat ships.

As I'm writing in early September, I have on my desk the 21 July preliminary report of the Defense Business Board titled "Modernizing the Military Retirement System." We touched on this subject in the most recent Irons in the Fire message and CAPT Puzon has mentioned it in legislative broadcasts. As an association, we need to get out in front of this issue. Please see our new "Happening in Washington thatMight Affect YOU" blog on this topic.

If you are retired already, your program won't change but your check might. If you are on active duty, this is hugely important to you. Everything will change if enacted as recommended! If you are just concerned about our military and national defense, you should pay attention because the future health of the all-volunteer force is at stake here! That is not an exaggeration. The changes being proposed are so fundamental that if they turn out to have been a mistake ten years from now or less, we will not have the preeminent military in the world. While AUSN is still formulating responses to specific points in the proposal, we will work hard to ensure that Congress treads very, very carefully. A debt-driven stampede will be catastrophic!! Go to our Web site at www.ausn.org, click on "Contact Congress" and use the CAPWIZ system to weigh in.

On the lighter side and to end on a positive note, this issue has an ad for our next Navy Now Forum event in Washington, p. 21. Information Dominance is our theme; and on the 17th of November, RADM Bill Leigher, Director of Program Integration for Information Dominance (OPNAV N2/N6F), will speak to our audience at the Ronald Reagan Building. If you are reading this in the greater Washington area and have business associates interested in the Information Dominance world, which now includes all unmanned vehicles, tell them about this opportunity. This month, LCDR Steven Rogers writes about your chance to get involved in his Government Affairs column. Find it on page 27. On page 12, our Senior Enlisted Voice, FLTCM LeVault, also timely, writes about the need for retirement ceremony.

As always, enjoy the read.