Wharf Rat's Home - A Shipmate Who Never Made it to Sea.

Wharf Rat

Take a look at: High Schooler Does What Army Can’t

Wharf Rat

CHARLESTOWN, Mass (April 28, 2011) Sailors practice furling and unfurling a sail aboard USS Constitution for the first time since the ship began a restoration period in 2007. Sailors assigned to Constitution routinely work to improve seamanship skills in preparation for possibly sailing the ship for the bicentennial of the War of 1812. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kathryn E. Macdonald/Released)

Wharf Rat

Florida Returns from Historic Submarine Deployment

Wharf Rat

DoD identifies 8 killed in Kabul shooting - Air Force News News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Even though we are a navy centric blog, this is a heartbreaking story................we support the US Air Force.

Wharf Rat

AF leaders: 8 killed in Kabul were airmen - Navy News News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

I would hope that our guys were carrying weapons and just couldn't pull them out in time. If I find out that the locals could carry weapons, but our guys as trainers were not able to carry weapons, I will blow a cork.

I've had enough of fratriced stories that now I want our US service members to carry weapons at all times and not trust a single local. 9 US families are now going to bury their loved ones. And I don't give a rip about some Afgani service member who is experiencing stress, that brings him to murder. He had no right to do this. He's finding out right now there are no 'virgins' where he is...........

Wharf Rat

France Using 'Training Bombs' in Libya: Military - Defense News

interesting.................

Wharf Rat

ATLANTIC OCEAN (April 16, 2011) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) is underway with the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19). Bataan and the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group are deploying to the Mediterranean Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Julio Rivera/Released)

Kearsarge and Bataan Amphibious Ready Groups Complete Turnover

Wharf Rat

http://chinabystander.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/turning-the-pla-into-a-modern-joint-command/

Great read on China..........

The headline spending number we do know, from the national five-year plan: a military budget of 601 billion yuan ($92.5 billion) for 2011 and an annual increase of 12.5% for the life of the plan, restoring the double-digit annual growth derailed by the 2008 global financial crisis. But that is only the half of it. Also to be taken into account are off-budget items, spending done under the aegis of internal security and disaster relief, in both of which the PLA plays a significant role, and R&D in industries whose technologies have dual military-civilian applications. Together they likely double the formal budget number.

Wharf Rat

http://usfleetforces.blogspot.com/2011/04/uss-ponce-lpd-15-co-xo-relief.html

26 April 2011

USS PONCE (LPD 15) CO / XO Relief

Team,

On Saturday, 23 April 2011, VADM Harry Harris, Commander, SIXTH Fleet, relieved the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer of USS PONCE (LPD 15). I’ve provided a summary of events below to make sure you have the facts behind the decisions that were made and the timeline on which the Preliminary Investigation was conducted. I fully support VADM Harris’ decision – I believe he made exactly the right call.

Unfortunately, like PONCE, most of the Commanding Officers (COs) detached for cause on my watch were for personal misconduct. In every case, each Commanding Officer, whether through personal misconduct, negligence, or exceptionally poor judgment, lost the trust of their subordinates or their superiors and without that fundamental building block in place - trust - they no longer had the ability to command. Here's a summary of the ten Commanding Officer reliefs that occurred in 2010 and 2011 in U.S. Fleet Forces.

USS THE SULLIVANS- Multiple operational incidents culminating with a buoy collision that damaged the port screw while deployed.
USS JOHN L HALL - Collision with a pier while deployed
USS TRUXTUN - Inappropriate relationship with a junior member of the wardroom.
NCTS Bahrain - Inappropriate relationships with several members of the command.
USS GUNSTON HALL - Sexual harassment, maltreatment of subordinates, assault, drunk and disorderly conduct. Command Master Chief (CMC) also relieved for failure to take appropriate action for inappropriate/unprofessional behavior.
USS MEMPHIS - Cheating ring involving exams.
NMCB 21 - Failure to address inappropriate/unprofessional behavior by subordinates. CMC also relieved for failure to take appropriate action for fraternization and unduly familiar relationships.
USS ENTERPRISE - Exceptional lack of judgment while XO of ENTERPRISE.
USS STOUT - Failure to take action to deter unprofessional behavior in overseas ports, hostile command climate. CMC also relieved for failure to correct a pervasive pattern of unprofessional behavior by the ship's crew.
USS PONCE - Dereliction of duty, unprofessional conduct, favoritism, hostile command climate. Executive Officer (XO also relieved for being complicit by action and inaction in creating a hostile, unprofessional and unsafe environment onboard PONCE.

Wharf Rat

go to Galrahn's place for the article - bottom line - CG is holding the line, as well they should

Wharf Rat

http://milblogconference.milblogging.com/2011-milbloggies/vote-now/

Vote Now!

The Milbloggie Awards recognize military bloggers for their contribution to blogging, news and information, and to the military over the past year.
Winners will be announced at the MilBlog Conference on April 29, 2011. The winner does not need to be present to be eligible for their milbloggie.
To vote, click on ‘Vote Now!’ or ‘See Nominees’, then click a checkmark in the circle next to your favorite military blog.

Read more: http://milblogconference.milblogging.com/2011-milbloggies/vote-now/#ixzz1KgDLy24m
Milblog Conference

Wharf Rat

http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/isaf-confirms-number-2-insurgent-killed-in-coalition-airstrike.html

Hat tip...............http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/207558.php ---- The Jawa Report.....

Wharf Rat

Daughter debunked ‘cover story’ of 1961 deaths - Air Force News News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

A story I'm glad to post here.................

Wharf Rat

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/apr/23/pendleton-marines-turn-the-tide-in-the-fallujah/

Photo by Nelvin C. Cepeda

Staff Sgt. Nathan Stocking escorts a prisoner back to Patrol Base Jamil in Sangin. The man was identified by Stocking as having tried to detonate an improvised explosive device on the Marines' vehicle convoy the day before.

Wharf Rat

Is China Developing a VSTOL Fighter? - Defense News

Wharf Rat

Review to Consider Consequences of Budget Cuts Defense & Security News at DefenseTalk

Wonder where the other cabinet members are? The only cabinet member that is actively doing this, to my knowledge is Gates.

Wharf Rat

China’s Aircraft Carrier: Some Observations from India Navy News at DefenseTalk

A carrier is a power projection tool, and prestigious, but the simple fact is US Navy carriers will be the queen of the seas because this Chinese carrier will carry 2/3 less air wing. What can you do with 16 aircraft. It's almost just a LHD then, w/out the well deck, and a cute ski jump.

Put 25 Harriers on an LHD, and it is stronger than the Chinese carrier................

Wharf Rat

http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2011/04/real-carrier-takes-shape.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12308437

Wharf Rat

After careful coordination and preparation of the rigging, Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber is aloft. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

A New Coast Guard Era Begins.........................and we like it!

The lead Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, enters the water for the first time on April 21, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber settles into the water with the rigging attached. For the first part of the launch the cutter was kept rigged while the an inspection took place. If everything is satisfactory, the rigging is detached. U.S. Coast Guard photo

Posted by: LTJG Stephanie Young

Earlier today, the first of the Coast Guard’s fast response cutters, Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber, entered the water and now sits pier-side in Lockport, La.
The initial entry of the new cutter into water marks the beginning of its journey towards operating in support of vital missions throughout the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, including port, waterways and coastal security, fishery patrols, search and rescue and national defense.
It took a total of three days to get the 154-foot Bernard C. Webber from the fabrication shop to the water. You can see the process play out in the photos below.
To keep up on the latest news on Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber click here. To learn more about the first 14 heroes the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters have been named for, click here.

Wharf Rat

CAMP LEJEUNE (April 18, 2011) Emergency crews assess damage at the Tarawa Terrance housing area at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejuene, N.C. after a series of tornadoes caused severe damage throughout the Southeast. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Master Sgt. Rhonda L. Martin/Released)

Wharf Rat

BETHESDA, Md. (April 19, 2011) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Todd E. Hammond shows his Purple Heart medal to his two-year-old daughter as his wife looks on. Hammond was presented the medal for wounds received in action while serving in Afghanistan. (U.S. Navy photo by Zona T. Lewis/Released)

Wharf Rat

YOKOSUKA, Japan (April 20, 2011) The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) returns to Fleet Activities Yokosuka after an underway period. George Washington departed Yokosuka in response to the complex nature of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan. George Washington is in a routine maintenance period and departed Yokosuka March 21 with more than 580 civilian contractors and shipyard workers embarked, who continued to conduct maintenance while the ship was underway and during two port visits to Sasebo. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Anthony R. Hayes/Released)

Wharf Rat

ARABIAN SEA (April 17, 2011) The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), left, conducts a replenishment at sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187). Boxer is underway supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Trevor Welsh/Released)

Wharf Rat

http://townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/2010/07/13/a_speech_every_american_high_school_principal_should_give

If every school principal gave this speech at the beginning of the next school year, America would be a better place.

"To the students and faculty of our high school:

I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.
I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.
The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American. This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans."

Please click the link and read the entire speech - Wharf Rat