Is this related to the USS Fitzgerald and McCain incidents?

7 Responses to Is this related to the USS Fitzgerald and McCain incidents?

1. Devereaux says:

   1 Aug 2018 at 1257

   I don’t think so. Notice this applies to LDO’s, CWO’s and such. Those driving the ship in the two episodes you mention were regular officers. They were just apparently incompetent. In the Fitz case, the two officers who should have been talking to each other constantly didn’t trade a word for a LONG time. There were the officer on the bridge and the Tactical Officer, who is in the electronic command center and has access to ALL the electronic input from the ship’s various systems. Those two, rather than keeping up a running commentary about where threats were (and they were navigating in a busy channel) apparently were doing their nails or something. *Maybe making a “Dear diary” entry.)
2. MLH says:

   1 Aug 2018 at 2133

   I’m pretty sure that a couple of my former PT colleagues got their SWO pins. While afloat for 6 months.

   Perhaps this will set a precedent that only those who are actually going to be, oh let’s say, Rangers, can go through Ranger training. . .
3. Devereaux says:

   1 Aug 2018 at 2211

   Now wouldn’t that be a change.
4. Devereaux says:

   4 Aug 2018 at 1324

   There may be some significant differences in the two examples – SWO vs Ranger.

   I gather the former is an OJT rating which I presume the skipper needs to sign off on.

   Ranger training is a course. One can complete the course and get the benefit of whatever the course teaches without being a Ranger. To BE a “ranger” one needs to be accepted into “the Regiment”. There is only ONE “Ranger Regiment”. Getting in involves a lot of testing – and maybe someone who thinks you would be a good ranger, as there are not a lot of openings there.

   In the Army (at least in times past) promotion was affected by whether you took and passed the Ranger Course. It did not require you BECOME a Ranger.
5. Administrator says:

   8 Aug 2018 at 0425

   The connection is that the tourists from the other parts of the Navy suck up the bridge watchstanding time, and the attention of the mentors.
   The connection is perhaps not a direct one 9in the cases of these collisions, but I see it as a corrosion of the SWO culture — the mentors for the officers who failed were likely also stunted in their own development by pernicios forces such as bridge tourism.
   It’s not exactly hazarding the lives of a platoon for some 1LT CAB-chase, but it smells a lot like it.
6. MLH says:

   8 Aug 2018 at 0636

   If a friggin’ physical therapist can get a SWO pin what’s its value?

   If you need a tag to promote but aren’t going to be the designation you are wasting a space for someone who would.

   A civilian example: NAU accepted a blind student into their PT program. Of course he or she soon learned that PTs observe their patients and don’t just feel them. The student dropped out. I wonder what happened to the potential student who couldn’t get in the program. Maybe went to law school to stop such EO stuff.
7. Devereaux says:

   16 Aug 2018 at 1259

   The Navy is SO screwed. Only second to the Air Farce, which is leading the services in stupid positions.