Navy and AIS?

Nov 13, 2013
723
Catalina 34 Tacoma
Sorry for not being clear. The thread is about the Navy. You may think it's not part of the Navy but it seems to have permeated everywhere else.
 
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
Whatever, lots of you guys seem to have great opinions on things you likely know little about. The military has some drug problems but civilians probably think its bad like civilian society. It's not! They don't last long in military disciplined environments.
Why am I so informed at my age? I am a regular Army officer who regularly receives info online from the US Army. I can technically be recalled until my death! I am not even retired, I am on indefinite inactive status.(recall is easier)
Chief
 
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Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
An interesting thing about this: few of you seem to realize that only 1% of us are Veterans. The other 99$ might not know much about military issues? Chief
 
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Oct 26, 2010
1,882
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Sorry for not being clear. The thread is about the Navy. You may think it's not part of the Navy but it seems to have permeated everywhere else.
It would help if those that make a statement like this have some first hand knowledge of the military and the Navy in particular. Every, and I mean every (officer and enlisted alike) are subject to random drug testing. A random number (sometimes two) are selected and if that is the last number of your social security number, you do the drug test. No outs, no excuses. You pee in a bottle observed by someone else to make sure you don't "cheat." Absolute chain of custody and you initial he sealed bottle. If you pop positive you are out. Do even remotely think merchant seaman are subject to this? Maybe and since I don't have a lot of knowledge about them I'll leave it to those who know or who want to widely speculate about this to chime in. But if you think the bridge crew on a ship is a bunch of pot heads and meth addicts you need to do a little research. Better yet, volunteer yourself to serve and be part of the the 1%. Even better, have your son or daughter volunteer and they can tell you about the training they have to undergo. I served and am proud of it and my son is currently serving. Did something horribly go wrong. You bet. I can't speculate but as upper brass has indicated, people will be held responsible. Was there a loss of "situational awareness" - absolutely! That should never, ever happen but we should wait until the investigation is complete before we make wild accusations or insinuate incompetence or willful misconduct like drug use.
 

WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,039
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
AIS is not foolproof yet. (They keep making smarter fools.) I've seen indicators traveling in reverse, I've ran across one that had malfunctioned and shutdown in a set of wiggles and once I ran across a tug with a different name painted on it than the AIS was broadcasting.

There is nothing better than the Mark 1 eyeball for making sure you know what is happening around you. I'm not going to comment on the NAVY portion of this discussion. But somebody is to blame and usually the commander is that guy, no matter where he was and what he was doing at the time.
 
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Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
smokey73: thanks for stepping up and clarifying the concepts used by our military to keep drug use controlled. Chief
 
May 28, 2015
275
Catalina 385 Long Branch, NJ
Chief: The New York Times ran a story either yesterday or today on recent changes to the training regimen ... I would genuinely like to hear your opinion of the info in the article if you have a chance. It was very concerning if true.
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
"But shipboard veterans had long seen signs of trouble. Factor in a shrinking Navy performing the same duties that a larger fleet did a decade ago, constant deployments that leave little time to train and relentless duties that require sailors driving 9,000-ton vessels to endure sleepless stretches that would be illegal for bus drivers, and avoidable accidents can happen, current and former officers said."

I have a nephew who just left the Navy surface warfare community. I can attest to the fact that they are driven way too hard, with 18 hour workdays, no days off. Everyone is always fatigued and do stupid things because of it.
 

Mikem

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Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
As ships navigator on a nuc carrier I have transited the strait of malacca day and night and I can tell you it is no walk in the park. That said we briefed the transit thoroughly, set a modified sea and anchor detail (had the anchors manned ready to let go) , set the lookouts for that detail had the radar teams on station and the captain was on the bridge. During details like that conversations are held to an absolute minimum. All members of the bridge team can hear all essential information including the captain. Until all investigations are complete all we can do is speculate. For the sake of our fallen shipmates they deserve an intensely thorough and merciless investigation.

Gunni, Chief, and Smokey thanks for your comments. Capta, there really is only one fancy uniform at the academy and we called it the monkey suit.
 
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
MO: I read the report and like you; it greatly concerns me. Lack of sleep coupled with shorter training times is a deadly combo. I didn't notice in that report who actually is manning the helm in such demanding times. It seemed to indicate the young officers were manning the helm and I think, not so. Unless times have changed a lot, the Gunnersmates, BoatswainMates, Signalmen and other deck hands were the ones on the wheel. Granted they took their orders from the on duty officer.
I personally experienced this short handed means of handling responsibilities when up visiting my grandson in law who is a Respiratory Therapist in Fairbanks. As an Army Sgt he caught hospital duties as night NCOIC for 7 days straight w/ 12 hr daily shifts! Got one day off and was also on call the entire time he was on duty as he is the only military Resperatory Therapist at the hospital!
Policies of the past years have definitely curtailed our countrys proper responses to military matters. My concern on here was the very unpatriotic remarks posted here. Healthy discussion is a much better approach. Many of our members are devoted veterans and need to be respected for that, plus you could get some strong reactions from some of us!
Chief
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
My concern on here was the very unpatriotic remarks posted here. Healthy discussion is a much better approach.
A healthy discussion would take unpatriotic remarks under consideration.
 
Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
There are a few on here whose posts I respect above all others: Chief, Gunni, plus a few others who have alluded to their service. I shall always hold you fellow servicemen in the highest esteem, There is one thing that sets all servicemen and women apart from all others: they all had the guts to take the Oath.
 
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
jviss: I hope you are cognazant of the preponderance of shipboard veterans who are, few officers and mostly senior noncommissioned officers who are 1st class and Chief Petty Officers. These are the men who have the experience and know the navigation and seamanship and are steering the ships! I was both a !st class and Army Maint. Officer and I can assure you that the Chiefs still run the US Navy! Chief Warrant
 
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Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
Justsomeguy: A healthy discussion need not be insulting to Veterans. Disagreeing can be worded to not so offend. Thats my contention as some of us just don't deal well with basically insulting our nation and our military. Grant us our bias: we earned it! Chief
 
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Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
That would be "...preserve, protect and defend the constitution..."?
Very similar, but basically, ' I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;..", and the rest depends on commissioned versus enlisted. Fundamentally, you are taking an oath to put yourself in harm's way.