This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Navy

  • Navy Backlogged on Reserve Retirement Pay

    Navy Backlogged on Reserve Retirement Pay

    Most of us have experienced many age-related milestones in our lives.

    I couldn’t wait to be 13 so I was technically a teenager and I could go see a decent movie.

    At 16 I could drive on my own.  At 18 I could drink – legally.

    Then, we transition to wanting to pump the brakes.  Life is speeding by too fast.  As you get older there are things you can’t do anymore.  I was disappointed when I reached 28, because I could no longer join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Not that I ever wanted to, mind you, but it was one less thing I life I couldn’t do anymore due to my age.

    Through the years, there were other milestones.  Some unexpected as when I got that dreaded letter from AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, when I turned 55.

    But alas, there was one milestone I was looking forward to and that was turning 60, because it meant I could start drawing my retirement pay after spending almost 30 years in both the Navy and Navy Reserve, retiring out of the Reserve.  The one time in my life I was looking forward to getting older.

    So, I was advised to get my package in since, oddly, one has to request to get retirement pay.  I did this many months beforehand hoping for a smooth transition.

    I never got a brochure or package welcoming me to the exciting and fun-filled world of Navy Reserve retirement.  There was no “Thank you for your service” letter signed by the POTUS.  There was no fruit basket.  I cared little about all that since cold, hard cash will keep me company on a snowy winter’s evening.  Cashing it all in for one dollar bills, throwing it all on my bed and rolling around in it naked.  That was the dream.

    But no, it turns out they are backlogged.

    https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/career/reservepersonnelmgmt/Pages/default.aspx

    I even missed the following article about it back in August of 2018, although there was probably not much I could have done differently.

    https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/08/17/navy-digging-out-of-reservist-retirement-backlog/

    The article had a bunch of examples about how long people had to wait – in some cases one year, but reiterate that you will get every penny when the eagle finally flies.

    I don’t know how the Army or Marine Corps is doing but if you are a “Gray area Navy Reservist” as they call it, put your package in a year early and hope for the best.  I have a friend that is still a drilling reservist and will reach 60 next year.  I broke the news to him that it’s a double-whammy for him: he will stop drilling and not get the check every month but has to wait until the retirement kicks in.  He said his wife is not going to like hearing that.

    They can keep throwing things at me but they won’t wear me down.  Time’s on my side, I hope anyway.

    Is this old sailor sour?  Not really… because I’m used to waiting.  Now I will look forward to turning 61 and not many people can say that.

    I would have really liked that fruit basket – I’m not gonna lie.

  • SECNAV Names Future Destroyer In Honor Of Navy Veteran, Vietnam War POW

    Arleigh BurkeArleigh Burke DDG

    (NAVY.MIL 04 JAN 19) … Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs

    WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer named a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in honor of U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran, Navy Cross recipient, and former U.S. Senator from Alabama, Admiral Jeremiah Denton.
    “Admiral Denton’s legacy is an inspiration to all who wear our nation’s uniform,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “His heroic actions during a defining period in our history have left an indelible mark on our Navy and Marine Corps team and our nation. His service is a shining example for our Sailors and Marines and this ship will continue his legacy for decades to come.”
    In 1947, Denton graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a test pilot, flight instructor, and squadron leader, and developed operational tactics still in use, such as the Haystack Concept, which calls for the dispersing of carrier fleets to make it more difficult for the enemy to find the fleets on RADAR.
    On July 18, 1965, Denton was shot down over North Vietnam and spent nearly eight years as a POW, almost half in isolation. During an interview with a Japanese media outlet, Denton used Morse code to blink “torture,” confirming that American POWs were being tortured. He suffered severe harassment, intimidation and ruthless treatment, yet he refused to provide military information or be used by the enemy for propaganda purposes.
    In recognition of his extraordinary heroism while a prisoner-of-war, he was awarded the Navy Cross. Denton was released from captivity in 1973, retired from the Navy in 1977 and in 1980 was elected to the U.S. Senate where he represented Alabama.
    Arleigh Burke-class destroyers conduct a variety of operations from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and power projection. The future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously, and will contain a combination of offensive and defensive weapon systems designed to support maritime warfare, including integrated air and missile defense and vertical launch capabilities.
    The ship will be constructed at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss.. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam length of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots.

    Damn it’s good to have adults at the helm again. USS Jeremiah Denton, DDG 129, will bring 6,900 tons of kick-ass to the fleet.

    SECNAV PAO Link

  • Valor Friday

    Hudner

    Today’s Valor Friday highlights Thomas J. Hudner Jr. (August 31, 1924 – November 13, 2017). He was an officer in the United States Navy and a Naval Aviator. He rose to the rank of Captain, and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.

    Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Hudner attended Phillips Academy and the United States Naval Academy. Initially uninterested in aviation, he eventually took up flying and joined Fighter Squadron 32, flying the F4U Corsair at the outbreak of the Korean War. Arriving near Korea in October 1950, he flew support missions from the aircraft carrier USS Leyte.

    corsair

    On 4 December 1950, Hudner and Brown were among a group of pilots on patrol near the Chosin Reservoir when Brown’s Corsair was struck by ground fire from Chinese troops and crashed. In an attempt to save Brown from his burning aircraft, Hudner intentionally crash-landed his own aircraft on a snowy mountain in freezing temperatures to help Brown. In spite of these efforts, Brown died of his injuries and Hudner was forced to evacuate, having also been injured in the landing.

    Citation.
    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a pilot in Fighter Squadron 32, while attempting to rescue a squadron mate whose plane struck by antiaircraft fire and trailing smoke, was forced down behind enemy lines. Quickly maneuvering to circle the downed pilot and protect him from enemy troops infesting the area, Lt. (J.G.) Hudner risked his life to save the injured flier who was trapped alive in the burning wreckage. Fully aware of the extreme danger in landing on the rough mountainous terrain and the scant hope of escape or survival in subzero temperature, he put his plane down skillfully in a deliberate wheels-up landing in the presence of enemy troops. With his bare hands, he packed the fuselage with snow to keep the flames away from the pilot and struggled to pull him free. Unsuccessful in this, he returned to his crashed aircraft and radioed other airborne planes, requesting that a helicopter be dispatched with an ax and fire extinguisher. He then remained on the spot despite the continuing danger from enemy action and, with the assistance of the rescue pilot, renewed a desperate but unavailing battle against time, cold, and flames. Lt. (J.G.) Hudner’s exceptionally valiant action and selfless devotion to a shipmate sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

    Fair winds and following seas, Captain Hudner.

    Refs.
    Wiki
    CMOH

  • Michael Salgado – Phony Senior Chief SEAL

    Michael Salgado – Phony Senior Chief SEAL

    The folks at Military Phony sent us their work on Michael Ray Salgado .

    He claims he was a Senior Chief and retired from the Navy.

    He even sports a SEAL tattoo…

     

    When asked about some of his claims, he became quite defiant toward “all the cock suckers,” “mofos” and “fags” that dared to question the accounts of his military service…

    Yesterday was quite a buzz with Team Guys in regard to Mike.  In fact, one might call it “The Day of the Salgado.”

    Reality always wants to be paid back, so Mike Salgado’s military records were ordered and they tended to be his harshest critic…

    Salgado should have been proud enough of what he actually did do.  Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Com with Valor Device and part of a Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewmember.

    What he did not do was go to BUD/S-SEAL training and he was never a Chief Petty Officer.

    He got out on a prior enlistment in 1993 as an E-5, then got out later in 1996 as an E-3, being discharged on the same day that he made the rank of E-3.  At that pace, he could have stayed for 20 years and may have made it all the way back to the rank of E-1.

    It seems that the Navy encouraged Mikey to find some other line of work.

  • GAO: Navy Training, Certification Improve

    flight deck uss rrAn aviation boatswain’s mate directs an aircraft on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 20, 2018. (U.S. Navy photo/Kenneth Abbate)

    But 100-Hour Workweeks Continue
    Stars and Stripes | By Caitlin Doornbos

    The relentless Pacific Fleet OPTEMPO and misguided “More with Less” attitude, combined with a leadership blind to realities, were direct causes of needless loss of life and trauma, millions of tax dollars for repairs, and careers shot down. Lessons have been learned, or better re-learned, in ensuring ships and their crews are able to perform the missions assigned. But the realities of life at sea hasn’t changed.

    YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Navy ship crews in Japan have seen a drastic improvement in training certification numbers, but some sailors report no change to heavy workloads cited last year as a contributing factor in two deadly ship collisions, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

    The report, published last month, said the Navy in Japan had “improved markedly” the number of surface ship crews with lapsed training certifications over the past year.

    In September 2017, about 41 percent of guided-missile cruisers and destroyers based in Japan were operating despite expired certifications. As of November, that number was down to 3 percent.

    These certifications are given in crucial areas such as damage control, surface warfare and navigation once crews complete required trainings and meet qualifications for their rates. They signify that a ship’s crew has met Navy standards and is ready to deploy.

    After three ships based in Japan were involved in collisions last year — two of which killed a total of 17 sailors — the Navy made it more difficult to issue waivers to allow ships to operate on lapsed training certifications. A new policy requires multiple, high-level officials to approve a waiver.

    “The Navy has [increased certification numbers] by pouring resources into what’s called the Afloat Training Group, and that means that folks are going out and working with the ship crews to make sure that they’re trained and certified before they deploy,” Pendleton said at the hearing.

    The ATGWP oversees maintenance, training and certification for the Navy’s ships in the Pacific. It was launched this year in Yokosuka to have an on-site team dedicated to working closely with ship commanders to ensure ship and crew standards are met.

    While the renewed emphasis on training addressed one causal factor identified in the collision reports, Pendleton said it did little to improve another factor: sailor exhaustion.

    My NATOPS was written in blood. So are these certifications. Read the rest of the article at: Military.com

  • John Casselman – Phony SEAL Team Six OBL Raid Commando

    John Casselman – Phony SEAL Team Six OBL Raid Commando


    The folks at Military Phony send us their work on John Brandon Casselman, who claims he was a Master Chief (E-9) U.S. Navy SEAL that participated in the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.

    Since Casselman promotes these SEAL stories on dating sites and Facebook, readers may not only get an insight into how the U.S. Navy SEALs work but also get to see a couple of pages out of Casselman’s dating playbook.  We don’t want to overhype it, but we assure you he brings his “A” game… you be the judge.

    If we can just keep the ladies on the sidelines and ask that you not run out on the playing field until the game is over and we finish presenting this case.

    On his Zoosk dating profile, he says he was a SEAL and in the Navy for 11 years…

    Casselman was not intimidated when Don Shipley’s name was thrown out.  No, he was more concerned about the lack of trust in a newly developing relationship – that was the issue.  Not his Navy SEAL-ness.

    Read about it below if you would like…

    I wonder if Don Shipley knows he is a living legend or if he likes running a dating concierge service with screening SEAL claims?   Long live The HAIR!  Don did take a timeout from tending his gaggle of geese long enough to confirm little Johnny  Casselman was never a Navy SEAL.

    So, we consulted with all of the logical resources.

    We could find no record of military service with DoD Manpower/SCRA or with the Department of the Navy.  Having no military records puts any claim of him being a Master Chief, a SEAL or on the Osama Bin Laden raid in a state of doubt.

    However, we did find that some other records do exist for John Casselman.

    And here: https://indiana.arrests.org/Arrests/John_Casselman_34497680/

    Now, we all would like to put our best foot forward, but honestly – which do you think is the more recent photo?   Or stated another way, the before and after?

    OK ladies and or fellas, here is your chance to date that Fake military hero with fantasy bullshit stories about his accomplishments and he comes complete with an arrest record.  Don’t miss your chance to be his next EX.

  • US warship sails in Sea of Japan waters claimed by Russia

    USS McCampbellThe guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell

    Trailing her coattails right in front of the home of the Russian Pacific Fleet? That sends an unmistakable message to Vlad and his cronies. Now if we could get something going in the Black Sea…

    By Lucas Tomlinson, Samuel Chamberlain
    A U.S. Navy warship sailed in waters claimed by Russia in the Sea of Japan on Wednesday as tensions increase over the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from a decades-old arms control treaty.

    A spokesperson for the U.S. Pacific Fleet says the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell sailed “in the vicinity of” Peter the Great Bay, a body of water off the Russian port city of Vladivostok, “to challenge Russia’s excessive maritime claims and uphold the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea enjoyed by the United States and other nations.”

    Vladivostok, in Russia’s far southeast, is home to the country’s Pacific Fleet. The last time the U.S. Navy sailed in the area was 1987, the same year the U.S. signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. will suspend its obligations under the treaty in 60 days, and he accused Russia of “cheating” on the deal.

    Did someone mention the Black Sea?

    The U.S. Navy is also preparing to send a warship into the Black Sea for the first time in a month to shore up support to Ukraine after Russian forces seized three Ukrainian vessels and 24 sailors aboard on Nov. 25.

    Read the entire article at Fox News

  • U.S. 5th Fleet Commander Found Dead in Bahrain

    Vice Adm. Scott StearneyVice Adm. Scott Stearney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet aboard USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) on Oct. 24, 2018. US Navy Photo
    By Sam LaGrone

    Mick brings us the sad news of Vice Adm Scott Stearney’s death. Unfortunately it looks like suicide. We may never know what caused his decision, but people there is help out there for the asking. Use it.

    Vice Adm. Scott A. Stearney, commander of U.S. 5th Fleet, was found dead in his quarters in Bahrain on Saturday, according to a statement from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.

    While an investigation is ongoing, the death of Stearney will almost certainly be ruled a suicide, a U.S. defense official told USNI News. An official determination on the cause of death is expected by mid-week, USNI News has learned.

    A Navy spokesperson didn’t have additional information on the investigation when contacted by USNI News on Saturday.

    “The Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bahraini Ministry of Interior are cooperating on the investigation, but at this time no foul play is suspected,” read a statement from Richardson.

    “Scott Stearney was a decorated naval warrior. He was a devoted husband and father, and he was a good friend to all of us,” Richardson said. “The Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bahraini Ministry of Interior are cooperating on the investigation, but at this time no foul play is suspected. Rear Adm. Paul Schlise, the deputy commander of 5th Fleet, has assumed command and is maintaining continuity in our responsibilities and posture in the U.S. 5th Fleet.”

    Condolences to his family, friends and shipmates. The rest of the article may be viewed here at USNI.org