Go ask the chief

Congratulations to the US Navy's newest Chief Petty Officers. BZ

Cute babies -aaawwww!

Sometimes JCIDS sound like they're written by these guys

What are our priorities?

OPNAV N87's Undersea Warfare magazine for Fall 2006 has an article about changing the officer career path. Apparently the submarine force leadership has responded to the numerous problems in operating submarines, such as with the SAN FRANCISCO, MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL, AND NEWPORT NEWS, by deciding that we need to make submarine officers more competitive for flag rank.

Both now and in the future, the professional submarine officer must not only be an expert in our submarine core competencies and mission areas, but also be able to effectively lead Navy, fleet, and joint operations.

To enable this we are adjusting the sea tour lengths.

To guarantee submarine officers are competitive for “Big Navy” or joint assignments, major command tours should start at 22 years commissioned service (YCS).

To meet the 16 YCS PCO gate, the prospective executive officer gate will eventually move from July of 13 YCS to April of 12 YCS (for May graduates).

And to accomplish this feat, we're giving the XOs and COs of the future submarine force much less at sea experience than we had before, directing that "JO/DH/XO tour lengths be shortened to 32/32/20 months respectively. This represents approximately a 10 percent reduction in at-sea experience."

The author says that we'll ameliorate the effects of giving up this at sea experience with use of shore trainers (during those same shortened sea tours). Just be sure to take advantage of the resident and non-resident JMPE phase I and II education opportunities. Not that they will do much good if you run into anything because of lack of experience.

Proud of this Marine

Guess that Hooters Airline didn't fly that route

Southwest Airlines says they don't have a passenger dress code.

Kyla Ebbert, who was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight two months ago for wearing an outfit far less revealing than a bikini top.

Ebbert, a Mesa College student and Hooters waitress, was allowed to stay on the plane, but only after she put up a fight and, she says, was lectured on how to dress properly.

Let the young lady dress how she wants, these guys haven't taken over yet.

Wasn't Barksdale in Dr. Strangelove?

AF can't keep track of their nuclear cruise missiles. The AF PAO called it an 'isolated incident'

The US Air Force has launched an investigation after a B-52 bomber flew across the US last week mistakenly loaded with nuclear-armed missiles.

It follows reports in the Army Times that five missiles were unaccounted for during the three-hour flight from North Dakota to Louisiana.

The air force said the cruise missiles were safe at all times.

Army Times said the missiles were to be decommissioned but were mistakenly mounted on the bomber's wings.

The W80-1 warhead has a yield of five to 150 kilotons, the paper said.

The flight took place on 30 August, from the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to the Barksdale Air Force Base, near Bossier City, in Louisiana.

This is a monumental screw-up and an example of why nuclear weapons are best left to the pros: US Navy SSBNs.