Which reminds me of something I read regarding politicians throughout our history - up until most recently. Many of our most effective, respected politicians have had a military background. Some longer, some shorter, but I truly feel that having served should be a prerequisite for holding office, especially President. There's just a quality that's lacking for non-military members.

I agree.

I don’t think the good Admiral is charismatic at all. But reasonable people can disagree.

⁠@@bad2000ta I think that skill is “reality-orientation.” One then potentially sees first hand how much intensity is reqd and see the team burn out (as they “burn the candle at both ends and in the middle”), while also EXPERIENCING the true cost of “living with your decisions.”

Mooch pulls no punches.

There was a cut right after that line :)

As we used to say on Nimitz in the old days when we were on Pier 12 in NORVA. "BOHICA!" Welcome to the club.

Op Tempo for Squids and Airedales these days has to be gruesome and it does take a toll on families. It was high-tempo for Tin Can sailors in the 70's (height of Cold War) but nothing like today. Hats off to the men and women of today's Navy. FTM2, DDG-19, '76-'81

OPTEMPO pressures affect every service component. The Navy peaked at 594 ships in 1987; roughly half that now depending on what hulls you count. Missions didn’t go away. I’m retired Air Force; USAF is half it’s Cold War size. Our son is in the Army; they’re down by a third. Get the combat fleet to at least 355 dependable ships.

Hello, Serbia!

Well, Ward has an advantage over the aforementioned organizations. He served, unlike their correspondents and hence, he has a clue about what does what, who does what and why. All they know is what they learned in journalism school.

​@spvillano Which was mostly indoctrination.

@@la_old_salt2241 proving that you've never attended any form of higher education. Instead choosing to follow your robotic indoctrination by accusing others of that which you do yourself. That's also known of as projection. Journalism schools today share a flaw with management schools today, a lack of reinforcement of specialist knowledge in the areas in which their graduates are to operate in. We get a manager, general purpose, mk II for everything, who predictably fails due to a lack of comprehension of differences in fields and purposes for their organization's niche in the wider world. The same is true with journalists, we get the mk II journalist, expert in slinging words together, excelling in both siderism, even when one side is bullshit, making bullshit equal to fact in their coverage. That's OK, the manager mk II keeps trying to turn a profit in government and non-profit organizations, totally fucking those up. When we're fortunate, a rare gem will come along and learn the differences between theory and practice, seek out subject matter experts and actually listen to them and become highly prized, even if initially ignored by their leadership. I've known quite a few managers, did well in business school, got hired on and advanced as managers in various businesses that all failed and it was always never their fault - one would be regaled as to the phenomenal incompetence of the entire employee base of a formerly successful business. Never to recognize that all of the failures had one person in common - him. The same is true with reporters I've encountered, few go beyond scratching the surface of a story in the rush to publish first and frequently, facts be damned. Then, there was a reporter. He was fresh out of journalism school and send out as a stringer by the wire services to cut his teeth. He was assigned a story in New London, Texas, an explosion and fire in a town's school. He arrived, started trying to interview people and was told, "Mister, we don't need reporters right now, we need pairs of arms and backs to unbury the kids in this school" and at the risk of losing professional detachment, took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and helped dig the children out. Reporting on the gas explosion that claimed the lives of more than 300 students and teachers, no family was left untouched. It was so notable at the time and the coverage so heart rendering, even Hitler send a telegram of condolences to the town. Walter Cronkite went on to cover WWII from the front lines and later, the Nuremberg trials and become a nation's most trusted voice, not because he got there first, but had learned to tell the actual story - not both sides always, but the realities around and within a story. We've lost that since, now with tons of instant gratification of a story that's as often bullshit as reality, bullshit reported as credibly as facts, bothsiderism equated with reality and oh look, a shiny when someone says something outrageous, rather than ignoring the attempt for free publicity. I don't mind change, I do mind change for the sake of change and loathe changes that don't lead to improvement. My greatest successes in life revolved around embracing changes that improve. The greatest debacles I've witnessed involved resistance to beneficial changes and embracing of changes that move us backwards.

take the tinfoil off trumper @@la_old_salt2241

Shoot, that quote right there hit a lot better than most ads for the navy I’ve ever seen

Navy Pride!!

@@OlNoName Some advertising guy will muck it up.

@@mongoose388 *Join the Navy for a Porpoise* Yep, can see how that could happen quite easily

"Find yourself -- and heal inter-generational trauma -- in today's Navy."

I sense some reservations regarding AAG. I wonder if we could get some deeper intel on that.

I can tell you just from my gut listening to this admiral that I feel safer just listening to his confidence and knowledge!

Definitely glad to hear that EMALS is working as always intended, it was concerning for a while there. An expensive development but my understanding is that it adds a lot of capacity to the Ford class by its reduced size.

I got a laugh, as Russian media and their bots kept going on and on about how EMALS, AWE's and AAG's were all failing and well, the entire ship was non-operational - while touring the Med and her aircraft merrily thundering overhead. I guess Scotty beamed those aircraft into the air or something. The naysayers obviously know nothing about technology, as linear induction motors aren't new. Hell, I remember them used in high end consumer electronics (specifically, a top of the line Sony CD player) back in the early '90's. Scaling them up to toss aircraft into the air and literally getting the switching timing and strength down pat takes time and in situ calibration that'll shorten subsequent installations and calibrations immensely. After all, the first steam cats weren't exactly spectacular in performance initially, despite a century of working with steam powered devices. And I'll continue to bite my tongue over one POTUS who wanted the vessel converted to steam... I would pay real money to look at their switching gear for the EMALS and AAG's though, as an old electronics tech type! The amount of energy that the snubbers alone toss around is immense!

@@psychohist a lot of that would remain sensitive, as it'd impact operations. I suspect that'll largely revolve around some turbulence issues causing delays in energy transfer and shunting, so to a fair extent, it'll be software resolved and some hardware tuning. Besides electronics, I also worked on hydro-pneumatic systems. A lot of the issues is, fairly old tech being implemented for novel uses in novel ways, so there are going to be some growing pains.

So True Sir.

I agree. Ward not only gives a true insider view but he has the trust of those being interviewed since they do not fear “exploitation” by taking their words and then twisting them in the report to support some absurd political/media spin/narrative.

Amen, Brothers. Ward, words fail me in praises and appreciation. 😊 Thank yous from top to keel.

Well put. Wish I knew then what I know now

Were you aboard CV -63 in 71-73? my Brother was on her for two operations and the riots.

CVN-68 and CVN-71 from '86-'89 here...copy much of that.

Sounds like an awesome Dad.

Great idea.

+1

As a former DDG-19 Sailor I approve this message.

Thanks, Dave!

Amen and well said!

It's often said the hardest job in the Navy is that of "Navy Spouse / family"

AMEN SIR!! I don't know how my Mother did it with 5 kids, and so much separation. @@scottcooper4391

Extended deployments are the leading cause of retention problems. I've been hearing rumbling of under-staffing on the Atlantic coast from NCO's re: sea-going enlisted. Other branches are having problems like the regular Army, prospects are leery of the current admin getting involved in some worthless quicksand. The Army Natl Guard got severely abused during the "war on terror" with chronic call-ups for more bodies. Five deployments was common, most I heard was 7. Some NG lost their jobs despite what Federal law seems to protect them from. Extremely hostile attitudes from former NG has permeated deeply through the society. So that causes kids to have second thoughts when every week or two brings another troublesome hotspot to attention. The horrible debacle in Afghanistan has not been forgotten either.

Going into Afghanistan or pulling out ? If out, you must mean how the entire Afghan "army" just dropped their weapons and abandoned their duties after 20 years of US training and how much funding ? If going in, why were we there in the first place .... was it due to the 15 SAUDI ARABIAN 9/11 hijackers ? @@LuvBorderCollies

Wow, thanks!

Just the thought that a grouchy old Sr. Chief has a proud dad at home is adorable. 😀🥰

Just FYI, I work at BIW and have done much work on the electrical design of that ship. I think she's in sea trials now or will be shortly. What is your son's rate, I know he's a Senior Chief (E-8) but what was his field, was he an ET, or EM or a GMG or GMM etc...etc...

@@chocolatefrenzieya Thank you so much.

That's outstanding.

@@jamesbrown5600 GMM.

Mooch is always mindful of keeping his questions inside the boundaries that his guests and sources have to operate and, in so doing keeps the dialog and prose flowing smoothly without adjustment pauses that break the dialog. Ward has crafted in his questions and the sequencing the whole of what we hear, with great clarity. This probably can't be taught as a single class. Or even multiple classes. We here are blessed. No notes, not an um or uh. The only similar experience is on Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson at Stanford's Hoover Institution, which is separate and distinct from the fallen Stanford University.

The skill with which Mooch handles the spoken word both technically and operationally reveals and reflects the seriousness of commitment to his post Navy F14 career, and his new one in media. We are so fortunate to have a self-made professional grade person who has taken over the role of the formerly great Fourth Estate. I can't pour out enough praise and gratitude.😊❤