Navy operational commanders are all assembled in the auditorium, armed and ready to speak truth to power. “Big Navy” steps to the podium.
“We don’t have a manning problem,” he said.
But sir, the comprehensive review said we were short about 6,500 people at sea and people working 100-hour weeks.[1] Has that changed?
“That was two years ago. It used to be a lot worse. We don’t have a manning problem.”
OK, you didn’t answer my question, but I’m pretty sure it hasn’t changed. One of those ships that had a collision had a gapped quartermaster chief for two years which resulted in training and maintenance deficiencies. Don’t lots of our ships have that same gap in quartermasters, engineers, and key leadership positions today?
“Not near as many as we used to have back in the day. We don’t have a manning problem.”
But the Government Accountability Office said sailors are working 100-hour weeks and there are a lot of studies that show that crews are not getting enough rest.[2]
“SECNAV doubts that.[3] Plus, the surface Navy signed out instruction for that.”[4]
Yes, but National Transportation Safety Board called the instruction “inadequate” and the crew endurance and fatigue training that was supposed to happen hasn’t become hasn’t materialized.[5]
“We don’t answer to the National Transportation Safety Board. We don’t have a manning problem.”
The other ship that had a collision in 2017 had a bunch of people cross-deck from other ships just before deployment due to manning shortages—and I think we’re still doing that right?
“We decided not to keep track or display that number. We don’t have a manning problem. Are there any further questions??
Sir, a lot of times when I look at the slides, my ship is red in manning.
We signed out a new manning notice—it adjusted the color change criteria for your manning levels so now we stay green.[6] Plus, if you are in the maintenance phase, we have decided to accept that risk.[7]
Thanks. Maybe that’s why we are all stuck in the yards. The comprehensive review was going to study two ships with different manning profiles.[8] It has been almost two years. How did that go?
“Pretty good. So, in summary what I’m hearing is, we don’t have a manning problem. Thank you.”
***
The next day, each of the commanders went back to speak to their crews.
At each command, the commander stepped to the podium to address his crew with only a small catch in his throat and staring slightly above their heads so as not to catch their eye. He started his commanders call:
“We don’t have a manning problem .”
“Any questions”?
Endnotes
[1] USFF Comprehensive Review dtd. 26 Oct 2017, (p. 143)
[2] GAO, Actions Needed to Address Persistent Maintenance, Training, and Other Challenges Facing the Fleet, Sep 2017
[3] USNI Report, “SecNav Questions Reports of 100-Hour Work Weeks for Sailors”, Dec 2018,
[4] CNSFINST 3120.2 Comprehensive Fatigue and Endurance Management Policy, 30 Nov 2017
[5] NTSB Accident Report on Fatal 2017 USS John McCain Collision off Singapore, Aug 2017; USFF CR (p. 55)
[6] USFF/CPFNOTE 1000, Sea Duty Manning Levels, 16 Aug 2019
[7] USNI, Fleet Commanders Holding Firm on Readiness Standards for Surface Ships, 26 Feb 2019
[8] USFF Comprehensive Review dtd. 26 Oct 2017 (p. 105)