Navy has a new chief named Lisa

If you read Neptune’s Inferno, the description of being on board a ship in the midst of battle, being pummeled by opposing naval riflery, is genuinely terrifying.

 

And, she very well may be qualified. As I said “good for her”. Biden has made a point to nominate people with a vagina ( as we cannot define what a “woman” is ) to various posts specifically because of their genitalia. So, as I said, MY HOPE is he’s not doing it again.

 

Of course, it is different. And it isn’t in terms of what I consider. The Navy has its own definition of that. The Navy and Marine Corps, for instance, both have the same Combat Action Ribbon. Pictured here:

The two services have much different standards for how you earn it (I’ve seen one situation, for example, where an entire ship’s crew was awarded a CAR, except for the Marine detachment; the USMC’s position was that it did not count) consistent with the differences in service culture. That’s one indicator. Another is a lack of campaign medals for either Iraq or Afghanistan. A naval officer of her seniority would usually have done a joint tour in a combat zone at least once over the past 25 years. A third indicator is no combat devices (C or V) on any of the individual awards she is wearing. Taken on the whole, without knowing another thing about her apart from those awards, my assessment is no combat experience. Doesn’t mean she isn’t a top-notch officer, but if she does not have any combat experience, then that will make her different than her peers probably.

 

Does the Navy really do combat tours right now? The only ones I personally saw overseas during combat tours were Navy Seals or the SeaBees. Obviously, I’m excluding Marines here. I don’t think that her lack of combat tours is a big deal since she’s Navy. Maybe I’m just ignorant, and if I am please correct me.

 

Saw this after my question to you.

 

My limited understanding, and I will defer to those more knowledgeable, is that at the Joint Chiefs level, it is highly political. It's also administrative, but almost any command level is highly administrative.

And even lower level commands require political skills. Successful commanders and the Pacific Theater during World War II would often head to Washington after a big campaign to request more resources. Often times their primary rivals were their fellow service and officers who had their own claims to scarce resources.

But it is still invaluable to understand actual combat to the extent possible.

A non-military analog. Back in the mid 80s, when I was selling non-ferrous metals, our sales manager required all salespeople to work in the warehouse a day, sometimes more, so you understood the logistics behind whatever order you sold, whether it be fabrication, shipping, etc.

Edited to add upon further reflection.

Colin Powell may be a great paradigm. He was a consummate political actor, who unfortunately sacrificed his long amassed credibility when Cheney made him sell false intelligence.

But long before he was a political actor, he was on the ground in Vietnam. His experiences and those of a generation of Junior officers there helped form the Powell Doctrine or the Weinberger Doctrine or whatever you want to call it, as well as other needed reforms. They may not have recognized the need for those reforms but for experiencing the impact of then current doctrine on the ground.

 

One other thought on this issue as I ruminate more. The main way to have gotten combat experience as an naval officer during her career would have been in the Middle East, with the greatest risk in transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which is where I believe her predecessor got his combat experience.

But for her generation of service, the primary US military mission has been under Centcom and Socom, with land-based aircraft and special operators bearing the brunt of the burden.

For our next generation of military missions, the primary challenges are anticipated to come from the South China Sea. I would submit that conducting freedom of navigation exercises transiting the South China Sea within the 9 Dash Line, while not qualifying this combat experience, may be the most relevant direct experience for a future Naval chief. Especially commanding a carrier strike group.

Just some thoughts.

 

C'mon, man. Totally unfair statement. He'll nominate anybody unless they are openly male from birth. It's the new don't ask, don't tell.

 

If we did pull the Dragon’s tale and were soundly defeated, it would only prove that China’s transphobic.

 

Yes, every joint task force overseas has Navy officers on its staff. Having sufficient joint time, usually in combat zones, along with Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, is a statutory requirement to become a general or admiral. Her joint time must have not been in a combat zone.

 

1st question: WTF is a “woman” Joe Biden?
2nd question: How is being a “woman” relevant to her ability to take this position?

 

Now that I think about it, I did make good friends with a Navy Lieutenant who was in my unit inside of a combat zone. Cool dude. Was so long ago I forgot! Yeah there were a few floating around there who weren't SEALs or SEABEEs. I also have come across many in other joint environments.

 

I thought I read this position is largely administrative though she’s obviously an Admiral. I really doubt there are women achieving elite ranks and honors in the military who don’t deserve it. For example, there still isn’t a single woman Navy Seal as I understand it although some have tried.

I went to the Blue Angels’ summer show here in Pensacola few weeks ago. First woman pilot came onboard last year. Her selection wasn’t woke. If these pilots make one mistake, they’re dead. Watch a video of them and see if you can tell which plane is hers lol.

I know a guy who graduated from the Naval Academy and served as a pilot in the Marines Corps. He can be a little cocky and he has told me that even in his younger years, he would not have been crazy enough to fly in those close formations. By definition, this woman is super smart and has nerves of steel. I’m sure most grunts could beat her in a fist fight, but that’s not the job so who cares.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels | Officers

 

Those would be called 'bureaucrats', though traditionally, in the military, you don't get to play bureaucrat, until you've earned some combat cred.

I believe that's Taipan's point, but yours is well taken too. Bureaucrat doesn’t actually require combat experience; her subs n peers can enlighten her on the combat informed perspectives.

 

Of course, my faux pas. Thanks for correcting me.

 

To many Andrew Dice Clay types are commenting.

 

Nah. Andrew Dice Clay was at least somewhat clever