Drifting slowing from the pier at the Naval Station, the crew’s attention is focused on the many tasks at hand. The first priority is to get safely away from the pier and “headed fair” in the channel for the outbound transit of Charleston Harbor.

The trip to the sea buoy takes about 1.5 hours, which is not the longest or shortest Sea and Anchor details for the East Coast, but it’s the one every knows you have to keep your head in the game, for the channel is narrow, the landmarks for navigation are mostly man made and there is little forgiveness in this channel. The Conning Officer will keep his eyes on the series of ranges that populate the shores of the Cooper river and the harbor itself to guide the ship safely.

Once clear of the sea buoy, the Sea and Anchor detail will be secured and the deck crew will secure the anchor for sea, wiring the bale on the pelican hook shut and attaching a second turnbuckle as well, after winching the anchor all the way into the hawse pipe.

The general rule of thumb for transits to the Jacksonville Operations Areas (JAXOA) was to leave both LM-2500 gas turbine main engines on line and sprint south, providing a rendezvous time of late afternoon with helos from NAS Mayport, or, in this case, also with the USS JOHN F KENNEDY (CV-67).

Most likely the USS CARR (FFG-52) arrived on station and radioed the KENNEDY to report ready for duty. The KENNEDY would send the message back, assuming tactical command, and a message as to stationing as the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) escort would be next to be heard. The ASW “Module” on the KENNEDY probably, under the direction of the Ship’s Tactical Action Officer (TAO) would direct CARR as to the planned mission specifics, passing info as the last known position of the diesel submarine contact, and detailed tasking on how to best keep the threat at bay. Search plans would be developed to maximize the efforts of the KENNEDY’s air wing HS-3 Sea King helicopters, equipped with dipping active sonars, and the CARR’s embarked SH-60B Sea Hawk.

Diesel submarine hunting is a tough business and a large part of the Soviet Navy’s submarine force were powered that way. So were just about every other sub in the world that was not operated by the US, the Soviets, the Brits or the French. Even the Chinese didn’t have a nuclear sub force at the time. Practice in finding this type of threat was essential to allow our forces to be able to operate near the hostile shoes of an enemy, as a large number of diesel “boats” would be used for coastal defense duties, specifically well suited to the confined and shallow areas near land.

The duty of playing the role of the diesel submarine fell to the USS BONEFISH (SS-582), which was about our last diesel boat in the inventory, as the nuclear powered submarine force held sway with all design and building considerations. the BONEFISH and her crew were the surrogate Soviets, like the Army’s OPFOR at Ft. Irwin. Studied in the manner in which we could expect the Soviet boat skippers to maneuver, the BONEFISH was to provide the expected “profile” for our forces to become acclimated to for time of war.

The last of the day of the 22nd, the night and the day of the 23rd of April would be time for the KENNEDY and CARR’s crews to employ our best technology against a threat as old as the first world war, in order that in a real shooting match, we would return victorious.

Come the next day, the mission had to be re-focused.

(On the windshield of a Jeep)

From this month’s issue of Popular Science:

Javelin SpeedSled

No longer must drivers confine themselves to the limitations of conventional sports cars, with cramped interiors, aerodynamically compromised styling and body-battering ground clearances. The new all-electric sport cruiser’s performance-tuned suspension cuts aggressively through turns, while its four powerful hub motors—individual electric motors built into the wheels that generate a combined 450 horsepower—send it blasting down straights, reaching 60 mph in less than four seconds on its way to a top speed of 200 mph. But the real innovation is its aerodynamics: Instead of fighting high-speed airflow, the car takes advantage of it, channeling the air around the central, low-slung pod to generate huge downforce. Furthermore, the hub motors eliminate the need for a large engine, freeing space for three passengers to ride in a unique 1+2+1 seating configuration.

Modify your aerodynamics to tweak either speed, handling, or economy; change the paint scheme on the fly…I like!

It’s Monday morning, 1988. Location: Charleston Naval Station. Assignment: Underway to support USS JOHN F KENNEDY (CV-67) exercises in the JAX OPAREAS.

Before the sun is up, the crew is busy taking care of the multitude of things required to get a ship away from a pier, down a narrow channel, past the sea buoy near Ft Sumter, and to a rendezvous with an aircraft carrier off the Georgia/Florida border. The Operations Officer, LT Franz Ritt has tow major areas of concern: Operations and also deck seamanship. While his title has been changed from “Ship Control Officer,” the original billet title for the FFG-7 OLIVER HAZARD PERRY Class FFGs, to Operations Officer, he retains the responsibility for the Deck Force and all that comes with it. He makes sure the tugs and pilots are on track, that LTJG Scott Brown has the communications up and operating in accordance with the COMM PLAN for the exercise, that LTJG John Jenkins and OSC(SW) Mike Bennett have the Combat Information Center (CIC) online, ready to provide support tot he CO and the bridge by collecting, analyzing, evaluating and disseminating information. That’s fancy words to say they are the center of the plan and make sure everyone keeps on task.

LT Robert “Bob” Threlkeld and his engineering team have the gas turbine powered plant, and the supporting diesel powered electrical generators on line, with shore power disconnected. The “Snipes” have been laboring for a few days now, making sure all services they provide, from electricity of two types to chilled water and conditioned air, to fresh water and sewage removal are working, not only for the comfort of the crew, but more importantly for the support of the ship’s combat systems equipment.

LT Robert “Bob” Powers, as the Combat Systems Officer makes sure the MK 92 Fire Control System, and the Mk 75 gun and MK 13 missile launcher are ready, along with the SQS-56 Sonar, which will used in the exercises to help locate the submarine. STGC(SW) Hatherly and his division officer are in charge of this.

LCDR Thomas “Tom” Brown, the Executive Officer, has made his rounds of the ship, as a second set of eyes, and takes his station on the bridge to receive the readiness reports for getting underway and to keep the Captain, CDR Wade C. Johnson, advised of the status of getting to sea. In addition to being the XO and thereby second in command, Tom Brown is also assigned duties as Ship’s Navigator, in accordance with a COMNAVSURFLANT directive all ships will have at least a LCDR assigned as XO, and if there is not a LCDR in the billet, then the XO of the ship will be assigned those duties. This requirement was the fallout of a few too many groundings occurring aboard SURFLANT ships. The Admiral decreed the assignment of XOs to this duty to get greater experience behind this important job on the vessels. So Tom was monitoring the laying out of the charts on the bridge and, at some point prior to this morning, had also checked the work of CIC to make sure their charts were updated and had the exact same planned track for departing the harbor laid out and understood. As Navigator, all navigational responsibilities in other parts of the ship where part of his purview.

The Officer of the Deck would directly manage the Getting Underway Checklist, which he would have received from the Quarterdeck Officer of the Deck. The Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD) would be on station, focusing on the tides, currents, prospective track away from the pier, then down the channel, as well as stepping to the bridge wing periodically and looking for and aft to survey the state of the mooring lines. Affixed to the pier by six standard mooring lines, doubled up, all twelve lines would have to be removed from the pier’s bollards and hauled aboard the ship at some point.

The Captain, the XO, and the Officer of the Deck make frequent trips to the outboard bridge wing, checking for other ship movements in the vicinity, looking for the tugs, and scanning for any thing in the water next to the ship that may pose a hazard in leaving the pier.

Are the APU (auxiliary power units) deployed? Is the CHT line disconnected from the pier? Are the phone lines disconnected? Have the Bridge-to-Bridge radio comm check been run? Is the pilot on his way? How many tugs are coming? What’s the state of the current and tides?

Things are checked and re-checked, eyeballs are used to check other eyeballs. It’s not taken personally, it’s become a practice adopted to prevent failure points based on the failure points that men going down to the sea have learned over centuries. The “I’d rather be told twice than not at all” philosophy is in place. The crew functions as one, sometimes verbally, but the critical items are placed on the checklist, just to make sure.

The pilot arrives, the tugs pull up along side, Code Hotel is hoisted on the signal halyards, the Officer of the deck reports to the XO: “Underway Checklist is complete.” The XO approaches the CO and says ” The underway checklist is complete. Request permission to get underway.” “Very Well” comes as the response.

“OOD, permission to get underway!” are the next words heard, which are followed by “Take in all lines. Boatswain’s Mate of the Watch: Standby the 1MC!”

With several key things happening next, the general announcing system (1MC) blasts out a sharp whistle and the words “UNDERWAY! SHIFT COLORS!”

To be continued…

Tracked back @: Yankee Sailor

Today would have been a Sunday, those many years ago, preceding the even. Holiday Routine is the normal situation on the ship. Revillie is delayed, and only the Duty Section (on coming and off going) is required to muster. Chow is much more relaxed and extended, allowing the duty section to get a little extra sleep.

The day is not without work, and I’m sure there was extra activity, given the short notice of the operational requirement, and the shorthanded status of the crew during stand down. Stores and other supplies, delivered to the pier would have to have been broken down off of pallets and hand carried below to the store rooms, magazines and refrigerators. While there is an ammunition elevator in the center of the ship, most items still require “working parties” to be called away to get the job done.

The Command Duty Officer would be busy making sure the events of the Getting Underway Checklist are on track. Despite having easy to start and operate gas turbine engines, basic machinery still drives the propulsion plant and things like heating up the lube oil for the reduction gears, purifying fuel for the filling the service tanks and such things still require a long lead time. Communications checks would be in the works for the day, and checking the message traffic to ensure the request for tugs and pilots from Port services has been confirmed for the sailing times. walks about the ship, for basic cleanliness and to check that spaces are secured for sea are part of the routine. Making sure all the trash gets off the ship, and doesn’t build up are part of the duty of the CDO and the Duty Department heads, as well as the Divisional Petty Officers on Watch.

The Officer of the Deck and his watchstanders monitor the comings and goings from the ship and are the keepers of the Ship’s main phone line, relegating the Messenger or the Petty Officer of the Watch to receptionist duties. Some calls are easy to handle, some are not.

The Duty Engineer has a more extensive checklist and carries most of the responsibility for the efforts on the day before underway to assure the plant is “online and ready to answer all bells” when the Commanding Officer gives permission to get underway the following morning.

By the end of the day, some of the crew not living aboard and not having duty will arrive, choosing to spend the night aboard, so they are not caught in the traffic the next morning. They have their goodbyes with wives and children and head to their berthing space to stow their gear, and then usually go and check to make sure their spaces or work for the dawn are on track, or maybe even complete a few things early, so the next day is not so much of a rush of activity.

The thoughts of many of the crew are not exactly charitable, regarding the sister ship of the squadron, which has been stateside for several months, is not going to sea, and they will be, 31 short days after doing their forward deployed assignment, but they are professionals and sailors, and we all know a happy sailor is a complaining sailor…

Tomorrow: Underway enroute a meeting with notable history.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II has long been the red-headed step child in the Air Force Inventory. Maybe military mythology, but back in the early 70s, I heard the plane being referred to as being shoved down the throats of the USAF by Congressmen, with interests in keeping jobs in their districts. Later, I heard the USAF was scrapping it and the Army enthusiastically stepped up, wanting to take them over. The “Mission Envy” entered the argument and the USAF informed the Army that offensive fixed wing stuff was the domain of the blue suiters and the Army couldn’t have them.

So, here’s the good news: The USAF finally gets it (geez…what slow learners they are!).

Well, after years of a fighter mafia dominance that kicked the A-10 to the curb, Air Force officials finally woke up and realized all anyone cares about these days is putting warheads on foreheads, not shooting down MiGs from 10 miles away. So the blue-suiters have finally given the Hog its due and funneled some much-needed money to the workhorse CAS platform. And now they’re accelerating the Warthog renaissance.

More news at Defense Industry Daily on the details of the A-1oC Precision Engagement Program. I like that sound of that. Too bad Capt Lex is retiring and won’t get the pleasure of precision engagement with the GAU-8.

As I pondered the question asked on talk shows and around the blogs: “Why didn’t he MSM show the beheading videos, but they showed this [Cho’s homegrown work]?”, this is what I believe is an underlying cultural current:

This video, horrific as it is, is yet another way to help describe how “bad” America is. The <a href=”http://amboytimes.typepad.com/the_amboy_times/2007/04/islam_beheading.html”>beheadings</a>, if shown, have the possibility of a backlash that would make the perpetrators look “bad” and then by derivation, America would look “good.” Can’t have that…

Disable reality for a moment and forget that Cho was raised in South Korea in the critical years of youth when personality is developed, according to he experts. Just pretend he has been affected by all that has been railed against in this nation for a few decades, it will make it easier to buy into the MSM’s subconscious efforts.

In addition to the above remarks, consider the trend we see of easily jumping all over the ones who don’t pose a threat. Cho is gone. If he feels bad about any of the spin on his legacy effort, well…he’s not going to shoot anyone else. On the other hand, some jihadi, or jihadi copycat, might show up at your car when you are leaving for the early morning broadcast and doa Nick Berg on you. There you have it: Only pick on the weak, or those who have shown they will not retaliate. Sort of a “Media Bullying” approach to journalism.

Consider how anything that makes the President, Cabinet officials, or any Republican look bad hits the streets right away. Anything that has the potential to make America look like a bunch of gun toting, hood wearing, bigoted, whacked out society is quickly streamed and rolled over and over and over. Where is the news of heroism, sacrifice, persistent effort (vice instant gratification) to accomplish something meaningful? Yes, little snippets pop up, but then are not crawling across the screen of your TV, nor mentioned every 30 minutes for a week. well, maybe if a 6 year old takes it upon them selves to walk their neighborhood and collect money to prevent Global “Climate Change,” then you will see that story over and over…because, you got it: America, by derivation of that type of story, is “bad.”

News: It’s about America’s inherent “badness.”

I think it is connected to this, but is not just about the specific movement discussed in that book.

Connected thought: Just where does the “Self-Esteem” movement come down on this issue? It certainly seems to be absent in telling us we have the right to feel good about ourselves…

Here’s at least a 1000 word essay in compacted form:

By: Chip BokMaybe the best part of this alternative future is the Dems won’t have to take expensive junkets to a far off bit of real estate, stained with the blood of a volunteer force. They are doing the raising right on Capitol Hill. The many advantages include:

• You can stop at the memorial and then be in your office in 2 minutes
• You don’t have to suffer the disapproving stares of the military crews of the transportation command, while you jet half way around the world
• You won’t have to hike about in 130 degree heat to get there and smile while sweating rivers
• You won’t have to look the people in the eyes who’s families were slaughtered when the US military pulls out too early (you may still have to face the families of the dead and wounded service members on the way to your office daily)
• The money saved by not traveling can be used in the welfare system to buy more votes, because you can reduce the travel budget for DoD
• When Shar’ia Law becomes the law of the land, you’ll be worshiped as Heroes of the Caliphate

How convenient!

Now this certainly will come to the front quickly (NOT!) or there will be efforts to, at the least discount, at best, bury, any detailed looks into this report. Talk about and embarrassment at the party’s refreshment bowl, on any side of the aisle:

“I Found Saddam’s WMD Bunkers” from Melanie Phillips’s column in the Spectator.

The reported find of bunkers built under the Euphrates River bed doesn’t seem all that outrageous. Remember the reports about German engineering firms constructing elaborate bunkers for Saddam? No one disputes that. So, possible from a technical standpoint? Yes. Possible from the track record of Saddam? Yes to that, also.

Will we see more to help ferret out the truth? Not likely. Our children will most likely know, long after we go and books are written by historians.

H/T: commenter nuke gingrich at Little Green Footballs

Last year, about this time, I put up Operation Forward Pass as a blog with the intent to pass along lessons learned to those about to enter the service. It’s that time of year when the high school and college/university grads are ready to raise their hands and commit to service to the Nation. How valuable would some hard earned wisdom be to them?

I grew up around the military, then did my 20. Just about everywhere I lived since 1962, the “local” community had access to those who wore uniforms. Much of the understanding of what was going to happen when they get off of the bus and put their feet on the yellow footprints isn’t a mystery.

My perception of the current knowledge of our population is they don’t have many service members around to help the be pre-acclimated to the boot camp/officer training experience. It was exacerbated by the massive downsizing of the military through base closings during the mid-90s. Those heading into the military know what the MSM says, with the overworked recruiters being the first line of defense to help dispel rumors and make sure their charges are mentally prepared, and thereby increase the probability of a “satisfied customer” out on the front line a year from now. Add to that that the MSM isn’t kind in their presentation of the recruiters, trying to cast them as a bunch of people looking to cheat the system and take anyone they can. As we know all to well, that’s no where close to the truth.
Here is my request: Whether you would like to become an author on the blog, or would just like to send in some useful posts, I think we’d help the ones who are coming behind us get off to an accelerated start.

Contact me either via the comments section (here or there).

Thanks in advance. Let’s get the future warriors prepped for the next part of their lives.

While I’m on the subject, don’t forget that Jack Army sez we can help by getting names of sharp young men and women to our local recruiters…

Tracked back @: Yankee Sailor, Third World County