The United States of America has been involved in many different conflicts, foreign and domestic, popular and unpopular, spanning across four centuries and all corners of the globe. From the warm coastal waters of the American homeland to the atolls of the Pacific, from the winding inland rivers of Vietnam to the chokepoint at the Strait of Hormuz, American sailors have valiantly stood up to defend America’s interests at home and abroad. The Navy has had to continuously update its vessels and technologies in order to keep up with the rapidly changing times, and ensure we not only stay competitive with but surpass the foreign competition. No other period in history has undergone the swift technological evolution that our troops experience …show more content…
This plan failed, however, as lawmakers were not able to come up with a bipartisan solution. After both parties failed to come up with a solution that would satisfy both parties, automatic budget cuts then came into effect. These automatic cuts called for a $109 billion to be cut annual. The weight of the cuts would be spread equally throughout the U.S. Government, being carried by both military and nonmilitary departments alike, meaning that the budget cuts to the military alone would total $55 billion annually each fiscal year. It is through these cuts that the Navy will have to operate on into the foreseeable future. As the budget cuts continue on into the future, the readiness of our sailors and ships are increasingly being put in jeopardy. The human aspect of the military is the foundation of everything we do, and without that vital part in the proverbial pyramid of defense, everything else is meaningless. The technology of the times is only as effective as the human element supporting it. Without the vital human aspect, all of the newest technology may as well be a useless pile of junk. Despite the importance of maintaining a strong human aspect, if we allow our Navy’s ships to fall into disrepair, not even the best sailors in the world could operate effectively. The most devastating effects of budget slashing will be felt the most by our hardworking sailors themselves. Although the Chief of Naval Operations has stated that military manpower will be
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plan. (2014, February). Congressional Research Service, 7-5700(RL32665), 75. Retrieved from h
At the height of the U.S. Navy’s involvement in the Vietnam War, the Navy’s coastal and riverine forces included more than 30,000 Sailors and over 350 patrol vessels ranging in size from riverboats to destroyers. For the Navy’s personnel, Vietnam was a watershed in many ways. It represented the first time since the Civil War that large numbers of sailors experienced riverine warfare in small boats—a combat experience more akin to that of an infantry soldier
The budget cuts being put into effect soon are all wrong. The government should not be putting the cuts on the military the cuts should be on something else. The military needs that money for a number of things. The government is coming up with the plan to cut the military’s money, cut a large sum of soldiers, make it to where the country will not be able to be protected, and puts thousands of soldiers in trouble because of increases in healthcare and decreases in pay.
With the numbers totaled the defense budget is currently sitting at a solid 3.5 percent of our GDP and there are still questions on how much more we can put in to make this country safe. The White House is calling for more money to be spent on national defense and their economists say that the United States can withstand a gross spending of somewhere around 9 to 10 percent of our GDP. The money to pay for any
The contents of this paper reflect my own personal views and are not necessarily endorsed by the Navy War College or the Department of the Navy
Ensuing the horrendous events of the Civil War, reconstruction and industrialization, America soon resumed its course towards expansion. Now that the United States is a unified country, it is not astonishing that America returns to amplifying its power in regards to the government, economy, and the military. This upsurge of power allowed the American navy numerous opportunities to grow, explore, and expand both in size and money. With improvements made to the ships, the navy is
Again through the use of the Battle Group featured in the image to draw upon historical context and knowledge to support its claim and draw in recruits. Navy ships have spearheaded most U.S. Military Operations since World War II, and have been routinely seen on news programs, articles, books, and movies. The symbol of the Navy strength will continue to be displayed throughout the American
Brodine, C. (2009). A Look at the birth of the Continental Navy. America’s Navy, Retrieved from: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=49113
As a developing civilian pilot and a future naval officer, naval air power is the most significant aspect of the Navy. Since naval air power developed after numerous ship-to-ship altercations, it is believed that the ideas of naval air power developed from the theories of Alfred T. Mahan. According to Professor Rubel, the Dean of Naval Warfare Studies at the Naval Warfare College, Naval aviation has established and developed “no separate theoretical basis for either its own justification or employment” (Rubel 64). Alfred T. Mahan strategies ranged from having complete and utter control of all movements across the sea, to having a large Navy that is capable of controlling and using force to either preserve our territories or deter enemies at all costs. Naval air power piggy-backed off of Alfred T. Mahan’s theories and strategies, and eventually composed three naval air power operations that “seize, maintain, and exercise command of the sea/air” (Rubel 64). Whether these operations are through long-distance missile attacks, bombardments, or even land-based amphibious attacks with the Marine Corps, NAVAIR has developed technology that allows the United States to be the world’s most efficient, effective, and active
The Department of Defense (DOD) must decide how to rebalance the armed forces general force structure to meet future challenges and opportunities in an austere fiscal environment. The general force structure and capabilities of Joint Force 2020 necessary to adjust the force based on current strategic direction and fiscal constraints is a smaller, efficient, adaptable and integrated joint force. The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) emphasizes US military forces will evolve and remain modern, capable, and ready while accepting some increased risk through force reductions. Rebalancing will require innovative approaches and solutions to protect the homeland, build global security, project power, and win decisively with a leaner force.
The Armed Forces of the United States stand at an inflection point. Fourteen years of sustained combat forged a seasoned force capable of success across the range of military operations from military engagement to joint and multinational major combat operations. Today, this seasoned force is tasked to reset from a decade plus of counterinsurgency operations and evolve capability and capacity to defend the Nation from an increasingly complex security environment. Furthermore, this transformation must be completed in the face of a stark fiscal federal budget.
As the recruiting goals in the Navy continue to increase it would seem as if the Navy’s numbers for First Term Sailor retention (Zone A up to six years) would increase also, this is not the case though. Senior Leaders need to be aware of the amount of Sailors that are discharging prior to or at their first term because it is causing the Navy to have a high turnover rate and not allowing for a strong fleet with continuity. This paper will discuss the attrition of first term Sailors, what is causing these Sailors to discharge early, and how the Navy can take a proactive approach to retain the best Sailors for the future of the Navy.
“We are the United States Navy, our Nation 's sea power - ready guardians of peace, victorious in war. We are professional Sailors and Civilians - a diverse and agile force exemplifying the highest standards of service to our Nation, at home and abroad, at sea and ashore. Integrity is the foundation of our conduct; respect for others is fundamental to our character; decisive leadership is crucial to our success. We are a team, disciplined and well-prepared, committed to mission accomplishment. We do not waver in our dedication and accountability to our shipmates and families. We are patriots, forged by the Navy 's core values of Honor, Courage and
Voyages marred by cracked hulls, technical failures and rusting are only a selection of the ship’s issues. The ship has also faced criticism of how vulnerable it is to an attack, and during testing on one ship, some of the engines responsible for propelling the ship forward were unusable for 45 days. As the Pentagon’s test and evaluation director bluntly put it in January, “The ship is not reliable.”
When one hears the word “Navy”, one generally thinks of ships and submarines, which is a correct but incomplete picture. Light aircraft, especially fighters, have been crucial to naval operations since the creation of the aircraft carrier (Taylor and Guilmartin). BAck in World War II, the United States Navy (USN) possessed three primary fighters. The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the Navy’s first and most basic fighter, with heavy armor, good maneuverability and decent performance at high altitude, but also with a slow top speed and climb rate. Eventually, General Motors’ FM-2 variant entered service as a more advanced version of the Wildcat, but it failed to overcome all of the original model’s deficiencies (Crawford). The F4F’s intended successor,