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Ray Mabus

Can rational DC people squelch those folks who traffic in “gotcha” stories? Today’s AP story on Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus‘ travel habits–written by AP reporter Lolita C. Baldor–is just an outright smear-job. Shame on Secretary of the Army John McHugh and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments’ Bryan Clark (color me shocked Bryan […]

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Look, I’ve been a big cheerleader for SECNAV Ray Mabus getting a full bench of rough-and-tumble Navy Department Managers, and an advocate for increasing the proportion of females working in defense leadership roles, but enough is enough. As Defense News’ Chris Cavas hints, it is high time for the long-stalled nominee for Navy Undersecretary, Jo Ann […]

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It is high time to stop the proliferation of Portable Aircraft Carrier Killing Systems–or PACKS. There’s no need to sell PACKS–dangerous tobacco-delivery systems–at sea, and no need to subsidize sales of ’em at bases. Bear with me. We all know cigarettes are dangerous to individuals and hurt others via second-hand smoke. But I’ll bet you […]

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So, last week the Small Surface Combatant Task Force announced a call for ideas on a small future surface combatant, complete with substantial pricing and production information and–if a boat-load of pricing and production data wasn’t enough–operational concepts as to how the ship will fit and fight with the fleet. Goodness. Where does one sign […]

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In a paroxysm of hand-wringing and rending of garments, the U.S. Navy changed the way it counts the battle fleet, growing the active fleet a bit, to 290. Most observers were outraged, sensing the Navy was using an accounting gimmick to grow the fleet. But…I wasn’t too upset. Like most of my readers, I am […]

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After screaming about our absence for years, it is great to see U.S. government leaders start to offer some attention to the front lines of the next Cold War, those fragile states of the “Deep Pacific”. This Thursday’s visit to the Republic of the Marshall Islands by the SECNAV is primarily focused on an interesting renewable […]

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In an elegant bit of Washington subterfuge, news “leaked” this week that the Littoral Combat Ship program is to shrink from 52 to 32 ships. This is a fascinating example of underhanded Washington drama, and it deserves added scrutiny. BACKGROUND So here’s the deal. Sometime in the past ten days, somebody in the Pentagon leaked […]

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What happens when U.S. Navy priorities, Department of Defense priorities and and the Obama Administration’s National Interests are misaligned?  And what are the implications when the differing priorities each suggest a very, very different future for the Navy? There is a dilemma afoot here.  Think back to why the Navy lost the fight to keep […]

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Want to know why Tesla is trading at over 160 dollars a share?  It’s because Tesla’s boss, Elon Musk, fought for it. He took on critics. In public. Back in February 2013, when the New York Times came out with a negative “company-killing hit-piece” on Tesla’s new car, Musk went on a very, very high-profile offensive, forcing […]

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SECNAV Ray Mabus Needs A Full Bench

by admin on August 26, 2013

When SECNAV John Lehman transformed the fleet, he did so with the help of a committed, empowered staff.  SECNAV Mabus, for the lack of a full leadership team and fully-empowered staff, has, for all intents and purposes, been hamstrung, unable to implement ambitious environmental goals, plan ahead for the Pacific Pivot or–more ominously–protect the Navy’s […]

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