[GreenKeys] OT - was Oil, Navy, and well greased operations... (or something like that)

[Randy or Sherry Guttery]

Don Robert House wrote:
> Yes Randy.
> 
> MSC has already taken over all of the fleet oilers as well as other 
> service fleet vessels.

Yes, but I have no problem with most of these ships being operated by 
CIVMARs. They do a fine job of moving cargo (be it stores, ammo, fuel, 
oil, etc.) - and can perform mapping services, etc. just as well as Navy 
personnel can.  The issue in this case, though are much more complex.

First: Technical:  As noted I have no problem with CIVMARs running a 
ship getting it and it's cargo from place to place - the merchant 
marines do a fine job of that.  However - thats only one of the two 
primary purposes of a submarine tender. The other is technical support - 
and the CIVMARs can't do that - as such specialists are NOT part of the 
crew.  The DOD is not willing to pay what civilian technicians would 
demand- cheaper to use Navy technicians.  So the CIVMARs can't do most 
of the high skilled support jobs even if they wanted to (like the 
CIVMARs - certain jobs in the Navy require trained and certified 
individuals).

Second: lack of personnel to meet the demand: The "ship's company" is 
being reduced from 800 - 1000 officers and crew to approximately 452 
(i.e. half) only 292 of which will be Navy "technicians" which will work 
on "tended units".  Before Emory S. Land left Italy, her crew (about 
900) was working "long and hard hours" - primarily on tended units 
(that's why she needed a year's long yard overhaul). How is the Navy 
crew of only 292 technicians going to be able to meet that kind of 
workload?   Obviously, they can't. So services that were available from 
Land (and Cable) won't be available from them after this transition.

Third: Friction: The quarters that are assigned to the CIVMARs are being 
upgraded during the overhauls... much nicer than the quarters for the 
Navy Crew.  The disparity is so bad that any CIVMAR that has to be 
assigned to Navy quarters (do to a lack of CIVMAR space) is paid an 
additional $30 PER DAY for their "inconvenience".  You think that the 
Navy personnel might not resent that? Not to mention that job for job 
CIVMARs make considerably more than Navy personnel... And if the DOD 
were to decide to bring some trained / certified CIVMAR technicians 
aboard (considering jobs where a TS or better security clearance is 
often required) their pay would be significantly more than their Navy 
counterparts. Recipe for some real trouble, IMHO.

I just heard from a (just retired) Navy Captain.  Though he was never 
was a tender Commanding Officer - being a Mustang - and having served on 
a couple of tenders as both an enlisted and an officer - he noted he 
thought the Navy was going to have a time finding 06s willing to CO 
these floating potential disasters.  He noted that while all good 
officers (which anyone having achieved 06 has pretty much established 
themselves as such) will accept whatever assignment given to them - they 
do have ways of lobbying and "requesting" certain duties - which would 
likely take them in another direction.

Some of the best officers I ever served under were Mustangs...  they 
knew the Navy from "both sides"... and knew how much their people were 
capable of - and how to get it out of them without resorting to being a 
jerk. And believe me - I've also worked for more than one 01 to 06 Jerk!

Just my .02 - and the last on this OT subject...  sorry for venting - 
but I'll admit to feeling a bit better know "the word" is getting out...
-- 
randy guttery

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