Idears - we've got us some idears 'dair....

Over at his home blog and USNIBlog, ADM Harvey asks,

What are some of your ideas concerning how we ensure our warfighting capabilities like ASW / BMD / Strike, etc. keep pace with the threat, while we also ensure we are prepared to combat “irregular” threats like terrorism, cyber-hackers, and piracy? And how do we best accomplish all this during a time when the great pressure on our budgets will not allow us to just “buy our way” out of the problem?

Well, in comments, Grampa Bluewater had some "out of the box" thinking going on. They don't directly address all of the points ADM Harvey raised - but they do address some macro issues that are part of the problem/context.

I'm not onboard with all GB's ideas - but those I think that should be considered I have in bold/underline.

Retire every even digital lineal number flag officer. Abolish billet for same.

Delay all promotion flow points 2 years.

Retire every third O6 at 25 years.

Allow no officer on the staff 05 and above to have more than two commissioned subordinates.

Send no LT to a staff. (Editorial note: I would make this "Reduce LT Staff billets by half. Of the remaining half, only half of those should be line officers." On the same theme, I would remove all LT and LCDR from JPME and/or War College requirements/orders. Save that for post-CDR Command.)

Make every shipboard DH a 3 year tour, XO's 2 year, CO 2 year.

Send no one but successful post CO's to CSO. Change title to "Staff XO."

Ens and JG go to sea except for family hardship or medical cases.
If problem unfixable in 4 years max, hardship or medical discharge or in rare cases LOA, slipping back a yr gr for every year on LOA.

Result, much smaller, smarter staffs.

Ponderable as a cost savings, efficiency focused, forward looking concept.