How many lies...

I have a memory. I remember the arguments. I remember the promises. I remember the PPT. I am still waiting for honest discussions. I am sick of revisionist history and excuses for professional incompetence and malpractice.

...the 313-ship fleet envisioned by Adm. Gary Roughead, the chief of naval operations, requires "modernization of our current ships, keeping them viable and getting our extended service life [out] of the hulls. " said Read Adm. James McManamon, deputy commander for surface warfare at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). "You can't get there simply by buying a lot of new ships all the time."

That is why we have so little credibility on The Hill. In shipbuilding, we have sold our virtue so cheaply that few believe anything said by anyone from the Potomac Flotilla - even when we eventually run out of lies to tell to ourselves and others.

Shame, there are good people trying exceptionally hard to make things work - but they are smeared by those who went before, gundecking via happy talk until their PRD came.

If we were honest with the taxpayers and ourselves about what costs were - if we didn't throw away a century of evolutionary success to chase the sexy revolutionary lie - if we maintained our ships better - if we ... well ... you know the story.

It's ugly when the music stops.

Sad thing is you can get there "..buying ships all the time." You just buy the right ship at the right price at the right time. That is what you get paid the big bucks for. No excuses - no one in the Fleet is buying it.

Hat tip Mike.