Ahoy, Americans! If you thought the sea was safe, think again. The Biden-Harris administration seems determined to make the high seas about as perilous as a walk through a sketchy neighborhood at midnight.
The latest misstep? The Navy is looking to sideline 17 support ships because they simply don’t have enough qualified mariners. That’s right – our mighty Navy, tasked with keeping global waters secure, is running aground due to a shortage of sailors.
Great reset or great regret?
Enter the Military Sealift Command’s latest maneuver: the so-called “great reset.” Spoiler alert – it’s not about making America’s fleet greater. This plan, reported by USNI News [1], involves shuffling mariners around like deck chairs on the Titanic, sidelining two Lewis and Clark-class replenishment ships, a fleet oiler, a dozen Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transports, and two forward- deployed sea bases.
These aren’t just any ships; they’re key assets strategically placed in regions like the Middle East and Europe. But who needs a strong naval presence in geopolitically sensitive areas when you’ve got plenty of press releases touting your commitment to national security? Not to mention a possible new incoming Democratic president who has absolutely no idea what she is doing and will only make matters worse.
Work-life balance or walking the plank?
The root of the problem? A deplorable ratio of mariners to billets. With barely enough personnel to keep things afloat, sailors are trapped in an unsustainable cycle of four months at sea for every month at home – if they’re lucky.
In the Navy, a “billet” refers to a specific job or position assigned to a service member. It denotes a designated role within the ship’s or command’s organization, specifying the duties, rank, and sometimes the qualifications required for that position. Each billet is tied to a certain number of personnel authorized to fill it, which helps structure the manpower and organization of the unit or ship.
And just like everywhere else in America, these ships are short-staffed as a result of Biden-Harris administration incompetence because of their tyrannical and inept governance.
For junior mariners, time off isn’t even paid unless they’ve accrued leave. It’s no wonder mariners are abandoning ship faster than rats on a sinking vessel. For an administration that loves to talk about workers’ rights and well-being, their commitment to our civilian mariners seems about as sincere as a politician’s campaign promise.
Retreating from readiness.
The effects of this debacle aren’t confined to the decks of sidelined ships. By pulling mariners from crucial positions, the Navy hopes to redeploy them to newer vessels, like the John Lewis-class fleet oilers that are currently more ornamental than operational.
But this reactive reshuffling doesn’t address the glaring systemic issues. It’s a band-aid on a bullet wound – a quick fix for a problem that requires long-term vision and competent management, both of which seem to be missing from the Biden-Harris administration’s playbook.
What is the status of this plan?
The “great reset” initiative is still on hold as it awaits the green light from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, according to USNI News.
A course correction on the horizon?
It’s time to right the ship, and there’s only one captain who’s proven he can navigate these turbulent waters: Donald Trump. Under a Trump presidency, America could see a decisive pivot from the reckless abandon that currently plagues our military’s leadership by giving us a commander-in-chief who prioritizes strength, readiness, and the unwavering commitment to our nation’s defense over hollow press releases and empty gestures.