Navy too politically correct for ‘old salts’

[Liberal_in_LA]

Navy too politically correct for ‘old salts’

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Whether it is policies on gays and women, or naming ships after social activists, the Navy is charting a course that has some “old salts” worried.

“It’s pretty dire,” said John Howland, a 1964 U.S. Naval Academy graduate who manages a web site on naval issues called USNA-At-Large.

“We’re back to ‘H.M.S. Pinafore,’ ” he added, a reference to the comic opera about English shipboard life. “The leadership of the military is pretty much politically correct kind of stuff. You like to think that we’re approaching hitting bottom, but these people are not through with us yet.”

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Earlier this month, Mr. Mabus riled some conservatives by reaching out to Hispanics and naming a supply ship after union activist Cesar Chavez, who served in the Navy.

“Mabus is an unequivocal disaster,” Mr. Howland said. “He’s done nothing but the straight social engineering play book. Women on submarines is a looming disaster that is sure to come. He’s done the ship naming things.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/may/28/navy-too-politically-correct-for-old-salts/

[KittyWampus]

1. Dinosaurs.

[sakabatou]

2. I guess these 'old salts' can't evolve fast enough

[mn9driver]

3. Howland is an asshat.

The last time I saw him pop up was when he was complaining about the prosecution of the Academy's star quarterback for raping a classmate after a few drinks.

[RainDog]

4. the next thing you know, those women will demand the right to vote!

the reality is that the army used to be segregated by race, as well.

but people got over being that stupid - at least institutionally.

[msongs]

6. or we will have a conservative black democrat as president lol nt

[lpbk2713]

5. Naming carriers after RayGun and 41 would have pissed me off.

But that was politically motivated. The other changes were for the right reasons and the old salts need to accept that.

[haele]

7. There's always grumpy old salts around.

Just like them, I was p.o.'d when the Navy decided to go COTS with everything and stopped doing the intensive training they used to so that the sailors would have to call out expensive contractors for anything above a simple issue with their gear.
And don't get me started on all this wimpy, lightweight,engineered to be comfortable combat gear the ground-pounders are being issued! Why aren't they given Navy Colts and M-16 rifles, heavy canvas rucksacks, and those big, clunky boots like they were when I joined up back in the 70's! How dare they get modern, ergonomically designed gear so they can carry twice the load at half the weight!
:sarcasm:
Bah...the military was always where "social engineering" really began, from WACs and WAVEs in WWI, to increasingly racially integrated ships and companies in the 1940's and 50's, and now to re-accepting "teh gay". The bottom line in the Navy has always been "What is best for the ship and mission". Doesn't matter what gender, class, religion, age, or skin color a sailor has, it's always been "Can he or she do the job they're supposed to do". 'Cause there's nowhere, absolutely nowhere to run, or hide-out waiting for rescue when you're out in the middle of the ocean, and you always want the best possible person when there's a problem, not pick up some knucklehead who slept through A school and only got the billet because the more qualified candidate didn't have a penis or didn't get hot when looking at girls...

Old salts are always pining for the days they strode the poop-decks.
And for those who are screaming about "DADT" repeal; if they didn't know they served with gays back in the day, I wouldn't have trusted them to be observant enough to keep track of the rust from developing on their water-tight door frames...

Haele

[4lbs]

8. The Washington Times is a politically conservative newspaper.

It's own by Mr. "Faux News" Rupert Murdoch and his News Corp.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Tail-hooking just ain't what it used to be

Being drunk in public, group rape, etc, it just isn't approved of anymore. Like drinking&driving, that kind of behavior is starting to have consequences, dammit.

I look forward to my grandkids serving on the USS Palin.

:hi: