Vessel Boarding and Seizure: a relic of the past?

Is it always wrong to sink a drug boat? Many, even on Capitol Hill, are concerned by the seemingly gung-ho attitude of military strikes on small boats. As the last of the Thanksgiving turkey is finished, I will ponder some thoughts. It is wrong to allow dangerous drugs into the United States? If we look to Asia and the Middle East, drug trafficking is considered a crime against the people and the state. The United States has not maintained that type of collective-minded culture: despite being on the books since the 1990’s, no one has faced the death sentence for large-scale drug trafficking in the United States. Drugs were something that happened in the inner-city, among the ‘other’ The opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis have shown how pervasive the drug problem really is. Sinking drug boats in international water: isn’t that an act of war? If we limited drug boat interception to territorial waters and the contiguous zone, a total distance of 24 nautical miles offshore, beachgoers would be witnesses to drug boat interception. On the other hand, the Exclusive Economic Zone for activities such as fishing and offshore drilling extends to 200 miles. I will leave the implications of international law enforcement on the high seas to the lawyers. It’s cruel to shipwreck a sailor! Indeed, assistance should be rendered to any sailor whose fighting capacity has been eliminated, regardless of nationality or group affiliation. Let me offer a personal perspective. Over the past several decades, American sailors, particularly the US Coast Guard and Special Forces personnel, have taken high level of risks in apprehending suspicious vessels on the high seas. Some may attribute this to milquetoast leadership, but I attribute the soft-touch approach of Vessel Boarding and Seizure to the realpolitik of host nation sensitivities. Two names come to mind: the USS Monsoon (PC 4) and USS Lewis Puller (ESB 3), both ships I have embarked. It is notable that both ships were homeported in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Both ships, albeit decades apart, had seen the loss of sailors’ lives when attempting to board hostile vessels. Shifting tactics, to apprehension from a distance, can save sailors’ lives. Wanton destruction for the sake of shock and awe, particularly if loss of life results after threat is neutralized, may hurt sailors’ psyche and morale.

On Renaming Ships, Part II

If you can recall, several years ago I disagreed with renaming the USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) for several reasons: Firstly, there should be no opposition to honoring servicemembers who perish in a “losing” battle- instead, the argument was framed as “celebrating a Confederate victory”. Secondly, the ship CG-62 was already scheduled to be retired. Thirdly, Robert Smalls, an African-American Civil War privateer, deserved to have his name on a brand new ship- a capital vessel at that. Our military’s tactical strength is in making a decision and following through, rather than re-litigating the past. In this regard, the very recent- and apparently unilateral- proposal to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a newly-built fleet oiler (T-AO 206), is a flyball. Before the ship’s keel was laid, it was the California congressional delegation that pushed for a ship named in honor of Harvey Milk, himself a Navy veteran. Among them was Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Fears of a “gay ship” led to the compromise of giving Harvey Milk an auxiliary ship, crewed by “professional” civilians, rather than a combat ship crewed by often-teenage sailors. The issues were discussed and a decision was made. On what ground should it be reopened, now that the ship is now in service? Were civilian mariners requesting religious exemption from working onboard the USNS Harvey Milk? I have seen no evidence of this. Did our military allies (particularly in the Middle East or Southeast Asia) request renaming of the ship? I have seen no evidence of this. Did notorious sexual acts happen more frequently on this ship, than on other Navy ships? I have seen no evidence of this. And if “frociaggine” (using Pope Francis’ term) occurred on the ship, the UCMJ, with its prohibitions on fornication, does not apply to the civilian crew*. The Secretary of Defense’s goal is to reclaim a fighting spirit, with a focus on “lethality, readiness, and warfighting”. Are you sure that renaming a fleet oiler ship contributes to that goal? * There are restrictions on intimate relationships between supervisors and their subordinates; and implemented within the last three years, between maritime cadets and other crewmembers. Views expressed are solely those of the author, and not the official position of the Department of the Navy or any of its subordinate commands.

Naval Base Shuttle is no Squeaky Wheel

I’ve used up several blog posts to discuss buses, bus networks, bus system funding; and thankfully, this effort has paid off at Naval Station Norfolk. The crux of the transportation issue was severe gate traffic, as 50,000 daily commuters in mostly single-occupancy vehicles needed to pass through a limited number of Entry Control Points. In addition, 12,000 junior enlisted sailors live onboard ship or in barracks onboard the Naval Station. The local transit provider, Hampton Roads Transit, had until 2017 served the Naval Base at the end of several regular routes. Because gate traffic, and gate closures, were so unpredictable, Hampton Roads Transit ended on-base service as part of a “Service Reliability Plan”. Some rush-hour commuter routes continued until COVID-era restrictions in 2020. Without reliable transit service, the junior enlisted sailor heads to a car dealership on Little Creek Road to sign an expensive lease, or make a purchase at a high interest rate. While there was no base-wide transit coordination, some ships and shore commands did take their own initiative to furnish vans for the convenience of their sailors. These were often funded by profits from onboard ship’s stores. I performed research into furnishing similar service to the predominately-civilian Military Sealift Command. It all came down to funding: due to “prevailing maritime practice”, beer, cigars and other “vice” items could only be sold at a 10% markup; in contrast to the market price allowed for warships. Another option was the commuter benefit program, but that would require close cooperation of shipboard supervisors, who are preoccupied with other ship’s business. Nevertheless, I had a plan on paper. While on-base transit service is usually paid for from facility operating funds, Naval Station Norfolk restored on-base shuttle service with a three-year grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Rail and Passenger Transportation. With 50,000 commuters, the lack of on-base transit was of statewide significance. Ironically, the service was contracted to James River Transportation, the same firm I had identified in my own transit plans. Hopefully, a permanent funding mechanism will be identified before the grant money ceases. Our sailors deserve it.

Going Rogue? Unlikely

 Someone posed the question online, as to the likelihood of a Navy ship’s captain going rogue. I speculated that it is an unlikely scenario, for the following reasons:

My experience is onboard civilian-operated supply ships for the US Navy. The Captain and other department heads have spent years fully indoctrinated in the Navy way of thinking. From the moment they are hired as Third Officers, they are given extensive training on various tactical and leadership topics. (In contrast, many engineering officers pay for 100% of their own training). Small amounts of responsibility, such as handling small arms or being the Flight Deck Officer, are given early, but can be revoked. That would be a red flag. The Admiral must personally approve promotions of civilian Captains. The more unconventional officers (pacificists, conspiracy theorists) are not placed on critical ships, such as the ammo carriers. And yes, Special Forces practice on how to get from the helicopter deck to the ship’s bridge.

On a combatant ship, as OP notes, all of these precautions, and more, would be utilized very rigorously in the selection of COs and XOs.

Has it happened in recent times? Yes. The privately-managed SS Columbia Eagle was taken over by entry-level crewmembers in a 1970 munity, as protest against the war in Vietnam. As far as government vessels go, the aforementioned measures are an insurance policy against barratry (by a ship's captain) and mutiny (by the crew). 

Heads Up: John Warner; Exxon

The Virginia Senator

John Warner’s career in the US Senate bookended the Republican Party’s short era of dominance in Virginia. He was narrowly elected in 1978, in a state which favored conservative Democrats; and retired from the US Senate in 2009. He was certainly part of the Defense establishment, which once held economic and political power in Virginia; the submarine USS John Warner (SSN-785) is named in his honor. He drew support from across the political spectrum, running unopposed in 2002. Before his retirement, the nascent Tea Party movement branded this popular moderate as a RINO (Republican in Name Only). John Warner was indeed a RINO: “Reasonable, Intelligent, Nice and Open-minded”.

Warner's death comes at an inflection point as the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) attempts to rebuilt from a lost decade of nominating Tea Party and Trumpist candidates, who failed to win any statewide election since 2009. If proof is found in pudding, these rural hardliners typically lost their November elections by 10 points or more; while mainstream candidates in 2013 and 2014 fell just one point short of victory. The RPV is optimistic for this year’s races, as the nominees are both diverse and chosen by suburban voters, who have marched towards the Democrats in the past decade. John Warner was richly eulogized by the nominees, showing that the late Senator is a model to be followed. 

 

Exxon Going Green?

This one is personal to me, as I dumped this laggard of a stock last year. Shareholders put Jeffrey Ubben of Value Act Capital onto Exxon's Board of Directors, in hopes of bringing the large corporation up to par in the future of energy. Ubben's unique thinking is that an "oil company" can be part of a "Responsible Investing" (ESG-focused) portfolio.  For other petroleum companies, the transition to green energy is nothing new. BP (British Petroleum) had long styled itself as "beyond petroleum", embracing a green sunflower as its logo.

The Real Problem with Warrior Culture: a Cult of the Self

 In certain parts of the commentariat, it is now common to criticize the large presence of recently-returned veterans in the police force, which stands at 1-in-5. Supposedly, they bring home the rules of war: to occupy and to conquer. I do not see veterans in the police force as a problem in itself, since citizen-soldiers have routinely joined the blue line for generations. Where I see room for concern is in how the professional soldier-turned-policeman divorces themselves from life in the civilian world.

During the Cold War, military service- as a servicemember or family member- was a shared experience in every tier of society. The average enlistment was 2-3 years. A soldier would return to his community ties, and find employment with honor established through performing his national duty.  

Today, because of advanced military training requirements, a single enlistment lasts 4-6 years. The world moves faster, the average citizen more mobile, and social media divides geographic communities into tribes. The soldier, especially the combat vet who served multiple enlistments, becomes part of the Warrior Community, mentally separate from the civilian world. This identity applies whether on active duty, on disability pension, in the national security sector or local police. This virtual community has its memes, jokes, common understanding, and values. In contrast to warrior classes of past societies, the American warrior is somewhat detached from the real-politics of institutional power, a holdover from the age of the citizen-soldier.

There are veterans who eagerly reintegrate into civilian society. This has been a national priority since the demobilization after WWII. As a result of GI Bills in 1944 and 2005, the veteran today brings resources to the economy that few younger adults have. Their college education is paid in full, and they have access to good mortgages and business loans. Meanwhile, America's general workforce readiness is in decline: fewer citizens are ready, willing and able to perform in the workplace. Veterans today are hired for the right reasons: proven reliability, hardworking, fit, and with transferable skills. 

The Warrior Community is then one  for a sense of belonging. In previous conflicts, a two-week ocean voyage demarcated the return from the warzone to the homefront. Dislocation was first observed in Vietnam veterans, the first to return home alone on airplanes. Today, the distance is even shorter, as a veteran at home can Skype his friend on the frontlines; and he himself could be recalled to the war zone on 48-hour notice, as a contractor, expeditionary civilian, or reservist. While these post-deployment opportunities are often financially rewarding, the mostly invisible war comes home to the kitchen table. 

Beyond this reality is self-identification. I have curated small libraries onboard warships. Beside the yellowing dime novels were leadership titles with troubling themes.  

-There is the identity of the sheep-dog, protecting sheep (regular people) from wolves (terrorists abroad, street thugs at home). 

-Belonging to a "tribe" is characterized as a binary, all-or-nothing subscription: an 80% ally is nonetheless a traitor to the cause. 

-You are either a superstar or a mediocre failure. 

-One must have a brand of the self. 

- Glorification of lone Special Operations Forces

-"Agile Project Management", with a focus on small, high-performing teams, is taught in STEM colleges. 

Even the Army put out a short-lived campaign advertising "An Army of One", forgetting that only large-scale teamwork liberated Europe and Asia from tyranny. 

In reality, each person works within a larger system of society, and within which is an amalgamation of overlapping communities, tensions and motivators. The Warrior Community operates in a vacuumed ideal. Military housing today reflects the perfect but fictional Mayberry of yesteryear; and beliefs in spartan autonomy can only be practiced in unspoiled wilderness areas. The culture of the warrior must evolve away from the cult of the individual, but reflect the individual as part of the team as part of the whole.

How does this work into present day policing controversies? Many of the shocking misuses of authority, against suspects and innocents, were caused by individuals insulated from wider community interests. Neither were they team players within the police force, who would heed peer advice. As much as it is important for police departments to use community-based policing to integrate with the communities they serve; it is important for individual officers to truly join the community, whether they gained life experience in Baghdad or in Boston.   

     

Guam Hands: Coronavirus

As high value assets with geopolitical importance, Aircraft Carriers and Ballistic Missile Submarines mythically have a “direct line to the President”. An enemy had incapacitated the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt; not the Iranian Navy, who practice sinking American warships on simulator; nor was it an explosive garbage skiff, the kind which sent USS Cole home early from deployment. The enemy is coronavirus, waging its war on the crew of USS Roosevelt.

As crewmembers fell ill, with cases outnumbering the capacity of the shipboard medical team, the Commanding Officer of the carrier would’ve sent Navy Pinnacle messages through classified lines, notifying the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense. Decision was made to bring the ailing ship into Guam to isolate the ill and provide the remaining sailors some needed social distancing.    

Loose lips sank ships in World War Two, but “Loose Tweets Sink Fleets” in the 21^st century. At sea, it is possible to secure non-essential communications in a maneuver dubbed “River City”. Loose messages sent by email or by satellite phone are held in queue. Meanwhile, the CTs (cryptologic technicians) can sniff out any renegade short-wave radio sets. But once the ship is in sight of land, personal cellphones fly out of pockets and into texting hands. Relatively speaking, it is better for an experienced Captain’s letter to leak to the press, than for a hundred crewmembers’ social media posts to become news of the day. “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”.

“Restriction of Movement”, the military term for coronavirus self-isolation, is a major undertaking on Guam. On a normal day, housing costs for sailors and airmen “living on the economy”- off the base- is overpriced. A single off-base event like Chief’s Gala or Navy Birthday Ball can sell out every mid-price hotel on Guam. To house thousands of sailors under restriction of movement, empty tourist hotels are being requisitioned for self-quarantine.

The infected sailors will lean heavily on the benefits of youth. Of greater concern is that a number of highly-skilled chiefs and officers are in their 40’s and 50’s; as leaders, maintainers and reactor operators, their skills are still needed onboard this ship. Healthcare facilities are limited in Guam. There is a sizeable Naval Hospital, which serves active duty and retirees. Many Guam residents travel three hours by plane to Manila, Philippines for specialized medical care; likewise Filipino veterans of the US Armed Forces are entitled to care on Guam. International travel has been curtailed: three Manila flights per day has turned into three flights per week.

Once the fog of war clears, the military or Congress owes Captain Crozier, USS Roosevelt’s relieved commanding officer, a hearing into how the regular lines of communication broke down. Shortcomings in operational security occur at the highest levels, to include then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who had some trouble with sensitive government emails on a personal computer. Assuming no prejudice is held, Captain Crozier’s future remains bright.

Command of an aircraft carrier is one of the highest accomplishments among US Navy officers. One must be a smart and tactical aviator, a competent ship’s skipper, and a trusted military leader. In general terms, an American aircraft carrier can be described as a city squeezed between a nuclear power plant and international airport, with the perimeter of a warship. This is a unique responsibility. Today, with the assistance of civilian mariners, commanding officers of hospital ships and submarine tenders do not cross-train as surface ship operators, which can take a decade in ascending billets; after accomplishing mastery in their primary warfare community. These traditionally were officer-of-the-deck, executive officer, and commanding officer of a large auxiliary ship. Aircraft carriers stand alone in years of a specialized preparation track.

(Between assignments supporting aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, and the Guam-based submarine tenders, this developing story is of interest to me.)

Hot Dogs and Handguns

Hot Dogs are sold in packs of six, and buns in packs of eight. I’m neither a hot dog nor a gun enthusiast, but I know the math doesn’t add up on a proposed 12-round limit for firearm magazines in Virginia. 12 rounds is an important number in a military-heavy jurisdiction, as it is the number of bullets needed to complete the Navy Pistol Marksmanship Test. Some legislator had their heart in the right place, but failed to ask an expert: the military’s preferred handguns use a magazine of 15 rounds, which would become illegal under proposed laws. This is the default magazine of Beretta’s M9, and the smallest NATO stock number, off-the-shelf magazine to complete the Marksmanship Test.  

The average sailor, who carries a firearm on duty, qualifies with live ammunition once per year on the Navy’s budget. Firearm instructors, however, recommend monthly practice to maintain marksmanship skills. Sailors fill this gap by going to the range after-hours with their personal handgun; this is an ingrained part of Virginia culture.

Then what about true high-capacity magazines? That question is answered. Virginia has long banned firearm magazines over 20 rounds: It applies in Virginia’s major cities and populous suburbs, when in public; and has been law since 1991*. This law is not worded in heavy-handed language used in the Northeastern states, but it nevertheless gives law enforcement the authority to stop a violent crime before it happens. If this ill-advised 12-round limit becomes law, lawful gun owners would be required to purchase slightly smaller magazines that won’t suit a legitimate and government-sanctioned sporting purpose. We will know that the legislature has placed virtue signaling over practicality and military readiness. 

* See: § 18.2-287.4. Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.

Fragile Paradise

“Remember the ‘90’s?”, a gas station sign on Guam opines. Those were Guam’s glory days, when the Japan economic boom fueled construction projects and tourism; and sailors from Ronald Reagan’s 600-ship US Navy spent their paychecks on trinkets and entertainment.

Light and stylish, suitable for a wide range of activities, tropical shirts are ubiquitous in Guam. Designs range from floral, prints, to abstract designs, and shirts bearing the legendary DC-3 propeller plane of the 1930s and 1940s.  I have not yet seen a vintage propeller plane fly over Guam’s Apra Harbor into Won Pat International airport; just modern jets bearing the names of United Airlines, FedEx, Cathay Pacific and Korean Air.

The end results of consumerism is quickly evident on a small island. Gas stations and a six-lane arterial, Marine Corps Drive, line the waterfront of Hagatna, Guam’s capital city. Even industrialized and militarized Norfolk, Virginia keeps gas stations on the inland side of Ocean View Avenue. British-owned Diego Garcia, an atoll in the Indian Ocean, sends its “retrograde” garbage to mainland Asia for disposal. In American Guam, household waste too often ends up dumped in priceless and scenic parks. Brochures advertise weekend trips to "unspoiled" islands like Saipan, Chuuk and Palau.

Telling of the harried times of today’s military, coffee shops line the approach road to Guam Naval Base. Locals treat the speed limit- never exceeding 35 miles per hour- as a speed limit. Sailors often regard those signs as mere road decoration, as they whip and zag to work or home. Though our local contractors live on island time, we’re busy; we’ve made Guam just like home.

Then we sing “Old Maui”, an old sailor song. We’re singing about going to a tropical island, when we’re on a tropical island? Nostalgia for Paradise Lost was true even in 1890’s, when French painter Paul Gauguin encountered the Pacific island of Tahiti. As described in “The Art Wolf”: "Papeete -the Tahitian capital- was not the tropical paradise that it could have been in former times, the exotic and mysterious town found by great travelers like the legendary Captain Cook".

Today, Gauguin’s artwork is described as imaginative, even exploitative. So is Tiki Culture- that mesh of Chinese food, lush ambiance, and tropical drinks that once swept America- and is enjoying a comeback in the States. Nevertheless, Tiki Culture can be found in well-appointed Guam hotels. When the co-workers vent frustrations about the job, I recommend: Get on your motorcycle, ride past the waterfront gas stations, and within 15 minutes, find your paradise.

Reference:

http://www.theartwolf.com/gauguin_tropics.htm

Tobacco 21 in the Tobacco Colony

It’s late at night in Arlington, Virginia, Fall of 2010. My friend, then a high school senior, walks into the local corner store with five dollars, and buys a pack of cigarettes to kick off his 18^th birthday celebration. A high school kid, a social influencer perhaps, with a legal pack of cigarettes in his backpack. He drew a cigarette out of his pocket, after class at the train station, with the suave of a 1950’s movie star. That is the problem, Dr. Northam, then a state senator, would argue. At the time, most Virginia restaurants had just gone smoke-free, at the insistence of Dr. Northam. He had a larger agenda in his sleeve. 

While negative effects of tobacco use have been known for 50 years, youth smoking as a pathology has only garnered attention for the past quarter-century. The smoking age in the greater DC area, and much of the South, was 16 into the 1990’s. For a few years that decade, there was a five-year gap between a smoking age of 16 and a drinking age of 21. Smoking just wasn’t a big deal.

Who would’ve thought that Virginia, with its four centuries of tobacco history, and continued influence of Big Tobacco, would be among the first to raise the smoking age to 21? It’s more surprising in light of a political culture that makes the Commonwealth “behind the times” on legislating social issues, from clean government reforms, to LGBT issues, boater education, semiautomatic rifles and handheld cell phones while driving. This new tobacco law, passed in February, will take effect in July. It is a very comprehensive law- on the proportions of Singapore or Sri Lanka: this change raises the age to both purchase and use of nicotine.

Neighboring Washington, DC raised its tobacco purchase age last year. Presumably, the many DC college kids interested in a tobacco fix would walk half a mile across the Key Bridge to Arlington, Virginia. Some of Georgetown University’s dormitories are actually in Virginia instead of DC. But this arbitrage in smoking age, a possible boon for small retailers, is nothing to be protected in what is an emergent science-driven economy. After all, Arlington, VA just snagged Amazon’s second headquarters. So legislation based on science (“smoking is bad for your health”), not superstition and presumptions (“protect tradition”) gets an upper hand in a New South state.    

Raising the smoking age in Virginia probably wouldn’t have happened if but for a perfect alignment of political power. A governor who is a pediatrician, a house majority leader who is a school teacher, and Big Tobacco (Altria of Richmond, VA) that approves the change. Dr. Northam, the Democratic governor, made changing the state’s tobacco culture a legislative priority. Kirk Cox, the Republican house majority leader, recalls the days when middle school students smoked in the school bathrooms, and is concerned about the current rise of the Juul e-cigarette. Other states are trying to pass similar bills to raise the smoking age, but they most often failed after passing one house of legislature: with apparent exception of Virginia, it is not a pressing priority outside of the Northeast and West Coast, places where “Nanny State” legislation is in vogue.

Virginia will allow active-duty military to continue purchasing tobacco at 18. With a carveout for military members, I predict loose enforcement of a higher smoking age in the military-heavy Tidewater region. It remains to be seen how this law will be enforced in college towns: the specific target of Tobacco 21 is high school smoking and vaping, while younger college students are merely “collateral impact” of the new laws. In the advent of Virginia's unique approach of a dual smoking age*, (18 for some, 21 for others), major retailers such as Walgreens and Wal-Mart have decided to stop selling nicotine products to young adults under 21, nationwide.

* California allows on-base sales at 18, while retaining minimum age of 21 "outside the gate". Maryland and Vermont will soon join Virginia with a dual smoking age

Two hours to Ramadan

“Welcome to the parallel universe” they told me as I took the ship into Bayonne, New Jersey.
What was once a bustling terminal in New York Harbor for Uncle Sam’s cargo was now a small suburban outfit. Most everything went in and out of Norfolk, Virginia; jet fuel and Navy beans. In Nee Jersey, you did things differently. “Going downtown” meant a fast ferry ride to Manhattan, instead of a 15 minute drive south on Hampton Boulevard. Your Uber driver knows where “Naval Station Norfolk” is, but would be hard-pressed to find the government pier in New Jersey.

Such is the feeling that I approach my first Ramadan in the Middle East. We’ve made some accommodations to cultural necessities: When preparing lunch, we settled for chicken, since there were both Hindus and Muslims working on the team (no beef, no pork). Muslims traditionally abstain from food,beverage, and water during Ramadan’s sunlight hours. The temperature is 100 degrees, Fahrenheit. Abstaining from water flies in the face of every health lesson in hydration. Then I thought about it more:  before the days of desalination, water was a rare commodity in the Gulf States. Abstaining from water trains they body to do with less, a survival skill in harsh climates. I’m hesitant about it occurring in my workplace, though. Will see how it goes.

Dubai, Today

When I got to Dubai, I thought I would be greeted by omniscient prayer calls from minarets, camel taxis, snake-tamers, pipists and belly dancers. This is not an Aladdin fantasy; indeed I had read stories of the Middle East from crewmembers onboard WWII Liberty Ships. In light of U-Boats roaming the North Sea, the Persian Gulf became the preferred route to bring supplies to the Soviet Union. And for decades after the war, the region was a quaint reminder of the past, with kings and the supremacy of religion; yet increasingly important on account of oil. 

Fast forward to the present day. The United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is one, is a diversified economy, focusing on international trade. There were no snake charmers greeting me, although the gold souks are reminiscent of fabled Arabian opulence. The working class is Southeast Asia- Indians and Pakistanis- who drive the buses and make the food. Foreigners are welcome, and coming from around the world, they take middle-class jobs and practice their Westernized or Orientalized lifestyles. The local elite are not ashamed to mention that the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, was designed by an American firm. If there was a country to describe America’s grim future in the minds of American nationalists, it might be the UAE. Transnational globalists do world trade and go sightseeing in Dubai; there is a strong Islamic influence; a religion shared by the nation’s elite and much of the immigrant working class. And furthermore, foreigners not only ‘take’ working-class jobs, but middle-class ones as well. This fact makes me very interested in how the UAE- and other Persian Gulf States- are able to maintain a good standard of living for their own people. In the US and Southern/Eastern Europe, one primary concern of nationalists is well-paying jobs for born citizens. Yet halfway around the world, there are nations, steeped in Islamic culture, which welcome foreigners, to allow set-asides for things like alcohol and western feminist thought.  

I am familiar with the respect given on military bases to morning colors and evening retreat. Regular business stops, and so does traffic. I was ready to give this regard to prayer call, but by observing the regulars in Dubai, strict observance of the prayer call was not required.  The best prayer call I heard was inside the Dubai Mall, and few heeded its warning, as the ‘globalists’ continued dining and shopping while observant locals made their way to the prayer room.

All Boilers Firing (Part I of II)

The final trimester started in March with General Dempsey’s visit to the Academy, followed by St. Patrick’s Day and a celebration for 100 nights before graduation, all in the same week. License preparation books had been issued at the start of the year, and had been referenced on occasion to study for tests in other practical engineering courses.  But for now, the spiral-bound books, 1000 pages in total, sat on the shelf, as license exams were safely 75 days away. There were exact reasons why the festivities were packed into one week: Capstone and License Prep.

For senior-class engineers, Capstone in the third trimester is the culmination of a year’s worth of research, calculations and reports. Third trimester gives the opportunity to finish up on tasks left incomplete before Spring Break, as well as preparation of a presentation to industry specialists. We finished on April 9^th, and, with known intentions, the pace of License Prep picked up to fill the void.

The challenging part of License Prep was weekly tests. As engineers, you would aim to score an ‘A’ on Monday each week. That meant an exemption from the Wednesday test, so you had a full two extra days to study ahead for the next section of material. As we got acclimated to the material, the pages of studying each week increased from 40, to 60, to 80, and then 110 pages per week. Over the course of these 9 weeks, I took a day off for a high school reunion, and then a Saturday evening in the final week. Almost every waking hour was committed to productive use in the classroom, in the books, playing sports, eating, or it was mourned as lost. Midshipmen you never knew as studious were found in the library. As I had a private room, I took advantage of the sunlight and turned a dresser beneath the windowsill into a desk.     

As I mention in my last post, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is the only federal academy whose graduates must take these tests. In exchange, from the 1940’s to 2012, graduates received the equivalent of a warfare pin two years before junior officers from other academies. While graduates of the other academies had a relatively easy semester academically, and were now on “Post Graduation leave”, we were hunched over those license preparation books in our rooms, the library, or in the outdoor sun.  Saturdays were happy study days, as you’d feel as if you were prudent, and always hoped to get far ahead enough to enjoy the evening off-campus.

 Our license prep coordinator then prescribed a dose of rest and relaxation during Memorial Day Weekend, which started on Thursday evening after final exams. That was favorable news that I and a number of classmates took with a grain of salt. It was Fleet Week in New York. Haze gray ships were in the harbor, and Blue Angels were flying over the South Shore of Long Island. A question arose about saluting graduates of the same class, who happened to have an earlier commissioning ceremony. A bit of research uncovered that, in a change from days of old, Naval Academy graduates now share the same official commissioning date as NROTC graduates from other colleges.  

That rest and relaxation was anticipation for “self-disciplined 12-hour days” of studying. During the following week, I read through those three spiral-bound books again. I then read old notes, took practice tests, and read good textbooks on pertinent subjects: electric motors, diesel engines, and refrigeration. I even took a look at the sea projects I completed while sailing the world as a cadet. A strange mood enshrouded the senior class. We knew that the underclassmen were enjoying the sunlit evenings and neon nights with weekend passes, but we had a mission to pass these license tests that were 6-5-4-3 days away.  I never “talk shop” in the dining hall, but that was most of what I heard this week. To break the heavy mood, I’d ensure that I sat with a “deckie” major for meals, since we had no tests in common, and therefore had to talk of more pleasant things.

Eventually, it was Sunday night. I confided that I did the best I could with time I had to study, and said a prayer. License Week is when regrets come to hit, if you have blown away time. I prepared the materials I needed for the test ahead of time; placing calculator, ID, pencils, eraser, and a straight-edge in a Ziploc bag. In the morning, I gave fifteen cents to the Amphitrite Fountain, an age-old tradition. Someone had loaded the fountain with rubber duckies, each bearing the message “Good Luck”. That was a pleasant touch. We flocked under the Truxton Archade, and savored the moment, since one should not start a test in fear. We were about to cross a bridge that each graduating class has crossed, and complete the transition from midshipman to mariner. It was 7:45am on June 1^st, and we were ready to win this final game.

If I ran Annapolis

First, we should strike at the notion of the four-year do-as-you-please degree. Nowhere in the Code of Federal Regulations is Annapolis required to give history degrees. If you wish to study history, visit the library, which is open every day except Saturday. We will become a career-focused college, so kiss your physics degree goodbye. The Navy hires young brainiacs from MIT to figure that stuff out. You will finish three years on campus together as a class, then as you choose your warfare community, you will spend senior year learning your job. Surface Warriors will attend Kings Point in New York; Aviators will go to Embry-Riddle, and so forth. You can all come back to Annapolis for graduation day, unless duty calls. But first, second-semester seniors need to learn to keep their heads down, so we’ll give them a grand finale of tests right before graduation. Some of you like to play Division One Sports, and wish to be on campus for four years to do that. Well, let me tell you that you picked the wrong school if you’re here for sports. The needs of the service come first. Besides, you can apply all that free time to academics or the brigade.

There are a handful of exceptional midshipmen who do not enter one of the five big warfare communities. They go into intelligence, medicine, and graduate school, and will spend their senior year in Annapolis. As the last handful of seniors residing on campus, they can reminisce with older alumni about how things used to be in the past. Some of the dorm space left over will be used to house students of the new United States Public Service Academy. They’re the civilian-attired classmates in your classes. But there are benefits for you: Some more rooms will be given to midshipman officers to sprawl out. Also, If you like your roommates, you can keep them all year. Other dorms will be locked up, and become the source of ghost stories.

Month-long summer vacations are decadence that can be used to ready you for the fleet. For example, you Surface Warriors take a 6-week course after graduation. That should be completed as a midshipman, and you’ll still have two free summer vacations. To meet academic requirements from the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the United Nations, you will do some correspondence projects while on your training cruises. Make sure that your officer knows that it’s important that these projects get done; they should know not to work you more than 12 hours per day, so you have time to do your homework in the wardroom.

Plebes should learn how to handle mop and broom. You are never too busy, and there is dignity in all work. Midshipmen should say good-bye to Tricare benefits, and be required to carry their own insurance policy. They should also save up for senior year, when they might have to pay exorbitant New York rates. You should also learn how to fill out a worker’s comp. form, in case they are injured while playing sports. Be careful, though, as a bad-timed injury will cost you a fifth year at the Academy. Get used to more deep-fried food in the dining hall. It’s easier to cook, and saves money. Since you’re all active young men and women, you’ll be able to burn off the grease during the day. On that note, morning PT will be mandatory, since not everyone’s been going to the gym.

Johnson’s Rule of Scheduling states that Bancroft Hall (the dormitory) should be utilized year-round, and experience from Kings Point shows that teachers can teach 11 months per year, instead of 9 months. One-third of your class should do their summer training during Christmastime, while taking classes during the summer. Your superintendents should rotate on a 17-month cycle; likewise, other faculty and staff should retire or move on midway through the semester, since it’s easier to keep the classroom momentum going. To quickly implement changes without support of longtime staff, there are two phrases you need to know: “It’s WRONG!”, and if you need further explanation, mention the “Culture of Complicity”.

Some of these proposals are definitely controversial to those accustomed to doing things a certain way. As future military leaders, you have to adapt to changing situations. Annapolis, after all, is a leadership laboratory. That said, you also get to keep some of your quaint and arcane traditions that do not serve a training purpose, like climbing the Herndon statue. Make sure you do it in dress attire, to promote good order and discipline. As an outsider, you have to be mindful of existing institutions and cultural traditions. Risk of conflict is why it’s rare for the big-three service academies to let outsiders lead. Some of you brass captains have a length of rope, and wish you knew how to tie a knot around my neck. Here’s a deal: I’ll leave your Academy alone if you let my Academy keep doing its own thing.