High & Right .... and Wrong

As described at BLACKFIVE;

Now, unless your military dog tags identify you as of the Muslim faith, you cannot obtain a copy of the Quran from the military chaplain. The exception is if your commander stops fighting the war long enough to write up a memo requesting one for you including the reason why you want a Quran.

And, if you are a Muslim and obtain a Quran, it will be accounted for like any other sensitive item.

I can understand the desire to do something; but now and then it is better to just sit there. Why is this is a classic case of overreaction and digging a hole deeper?

The books were used by Afghan detainees being held at the base to propagate extremist messages and were considered to be sensitive material.
...
... there are two methods of disposing an unusable Qur’an and Islamic literature:

(1) Wrapping them in a piece of cloth or something pure and burying them respectfully in a place where people normally do not walk upon.

(2) Fastening the items to something heavy such as a stone and placing it respectfully in flowing river.

If the above-mentioned two methods are not possible to implement, only then will it be permitted to burn the Holy Scriptures and then bury the resulting ash or drop the ash in a flowing river.

If Muslim prisoners were using them as a method of sending messages, then (1) & (2) are not an option. As with many things in all religions, opinions differ - but burning is/was the only option.

The only mistake was that the Korans should have been given to a Chaplain to dispose of with the ashes being given to an appropriate official.

What happened was an innocent mistake/oversight. This all sane people agree on. That should be our message - and for awhile it was. This memo however, throws all that away. It gives the impression that the Koran issue resulted by misuse by our military personnel by a conscience act, and in order to prevent more conscience acts - we must do all we can to keep Korans out of the hands of American because .... don'tchaknow ... even we don't trust our own people.

Whoever made this decision is tone deaf, never "war-gamed" the second and third order effects ---- and has poor skills in crisis management. When the other side is over-reacting and basing their over-reaction on false information, and you have the truth ---- always stick by the truth. When you attempt to embellish, obscure, or distract from the truth - the truth gets lost.

We are losing the one thing on our side here, the truth.

What a shame. Throwing gasoline on a fire - no pun intended.

Retro Wednesday: Those Innocent Soviet "trawlers"

All you old Cold Warriors ... remember those innocent "tattletales" that always seemed to want to collect "Electronic Intelligence" on our HVU?


What's a few torpedo tubes between friends? This was in dry dock in St. Petersburg in the middle of last decade. I am pretty sure this was just a test and development ship - at least that is what a quickie search about the hull number says.

I tend to believe that - because I really don't see how you could hide that for long. Remember what part of the world they were found in more than not? You see the underside of every hull eventually.

Still though .... Innocent? Sure they were!



Hat tip RS and other dudes in email.

On Redemption ...

OK; I give. I am still getting emails asking for my thoughts ... so here you go.

Capt. Timothy Dorsey is nominated for promotion to admiral despite a 1987 incident in which he intentionally fired a missile at an Air Force reconnaissance plane during a training exercise, nearly killing two aviators and destroying the aircraft, The Washington Times reported.

The official investigation into the shoot-down said the F-14 pilot’s decision “raises substantial doubt as to his capacity for good, sound judgment,” and the Navy banned him from flying its aircraft, the Times said.

He left active duty at first chance, went to law school and transitioned to Intel in the USNR.

From all indications he has served his Navy well in the reserves to include deployments in Iraq and elsewhere. Those who know him best have decided that he would be the best choice for promotion to Rear Admiral in the reserves (which BTW I think is goofy in the extreme. The only GOFO not on active duty should be retired or States' National Guard Adjutant Generals; different topic for a different day).

I know of many officers who by acts of commission and omission found themselves at an active duty dead end - but served with distinction in the reserves - being promoted levels higher than they probably would have on active duty. Some failed to even make LCDR on active duty find themselves as CAPT a decade or more later in the reserves.

Is this because of his family? I don't know. I would bet it was merit based. Does not matter.

I can think of more than one occasion in my career where I was seconds from making a life altering decision, but didn't. As a result of then LTJG Dorsey's actions - some very real people were injured ... but that happens in this line of work. Just ask the people involved in friendly fire incidents, or my friend the JAG who made the call on a strike ... and was responsible for the deaths of over a dozen women and children. She made a mistake - but she is a good officer.

I wish him luck. The easy thing would have been for him to walk away from the Navy - as he will always be described as, "Hey, isn't that the guy who shot down the RF-4C?" Instead, he steered in to the skid and served as best as he could. More than you can say for most.

“It was an unfortunate incident that occurred when I was a rookie naval aviator,” he told the Virginian Pilot on Tuesday. “I regret that it occurred, but I have worked very hard over the years since that time.”

Last week, the nominee for admiral declined to be interviewed by The Washington Times.

“I’m going to have to decline to talk right now, based on the kind of job I’m going to be taking,” he said. “I’m not really big on talking to press for anything."

I don't blame him. I will give him he benefit of the doubt and wish him well. There but for the grace of the Master Arm switch go many.

I thought Wyoming WAS the plan ...

Thing about a representative republic - sometimes your goofy second cousin get a representative too.

The Wyoming House has advanced a measure to study what the Cowboy State should do in the event of a total U.S. economic or political collapse, including possibly issuing its own currency, the Caspar Star-Tribune reports.
...
Under HB 85, the task force would study "potential impacts on Wyoming of, and preparation of the government and the people of Wyoming for, a potential disruption of the United States federal government including, but not limited to:"

(i) Potential effects of the rapid decline of the United States dollar and the ability to quickly provide an alternative currency;

(ii) Potential effects of a situation in which the federal government has no effective power or authority over the people of the United States;

(iii) Potential effects of a constitutional crisis;

(iv) Coordination between the governor's office, Wyoming national guard and any federal military in Wyoming;

(v) Potential effects of a disruption in food distribution;

(vi) Potential effects of a disruption in energy distribution.

I don't know. As a Southerner, if I was stuck in Wyoming, first on my list would be "shelter;" as in well insulated shelter. A boy would get cold in winter over there.

Here is teh funnie,

But lawmakers today dropped earlier proposals in the so-called doomsday bill to study raising a standing army, instituting a draft and acquiring an aircraft carrier.

Dude - get a map.

Hmmmm .... post apocolypse in Wyoming ... didn't they make that series about that?

Obama's Whirlwind

For they sow the wind And they reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; It yields no grain. Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up.
------ Hosea 8:7

It is time to revisit the second and third order effects of the President's 2009 speech at West Point.

This is just the latest.

The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan withdrew all international military personnel from Afghan government ministries in Kabul yesterday after two more Americans were killed on the fifth day of violent protests over the burning of the Koran at a coalition military base.

The two, a lieutenant colonel and a major, were both shot in the back of the head in the heavily guarded Interior Ministry, according to Western officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to disclose the information. The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying it was retaliation for the burning of the Muslim holy book.

Why? Simple: weakness.

The events of the last week are just another reminder that we find ourselves on a well worn path to defeat. We knew the path was there, but we took it anyway. The reason was simple - we picked the wrong point man.

Our leaders and their people live in a parallel universe. It is past amateur hour - this is professional malpractice writ large.

U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Robert Gibbs, Obama's former press secretary, said they believe Afghan President Hamid Karzai's fragile government could collapse and the Taliban would regain power if the U.S. were to walk away.

"This is not the time to decide that we're done here," said Crocker. "We have got to redouble our efforts. We've got to create a situation in which al-Qaida is not coming back."

Added Gibbs, "What the president's trying to do now is get us to a point where we can hand off the security of Afghanistan to the Afghans and that we can bring our troops home."

Do they actually listen to themselves? To the AFG ear - we have already announced that we are walking away. The President has stated he wants to walk away. We are not redoubling our efforts - we are shortening our withdraw timeline; AKA retreating faster.

The Obama Administration was given a path to success - the uplift of forces in '08-09 that would help create the conditions to have a better chance of victory - but they threw it away. The AFG people live in a world of actions, not words. Crocker and Gibbs should both be ashamed of themselves.

As we are not acting like we are in it to win it - is it too early to ask the question: When is the point where we question the morality of asking one more family to give their son or daughter's life in AFG?

From the President to the uniformed Commander in Kabul - I see nothing but weakness. We show nothing but weakness to those who value nothing more than strength. In a way - I don't blame the AFG people from turning on us. They have to live there - and if they know we are leaving and in our wake we put the Karzai government to sort things out - they would be a fool not to start to accrue some street-cred with those who seem to be the power in waiting.

Weakness and defeat. We signal it in AFG - and we signal it at home.

This afternoon, Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) President Imam Mohamed Magid hosted an event featuring senior Pentagon officials and U.S. Military Chaplains. The event served as an opportunity for the Department of Defense (DoD) to deliver an official apology for the actions of American soldiers in Afghanistan who unknowingly burned Qurans at Bagram Airfield on Monday.

Speakers included Dr. Peter Lavoy, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia and Pacific Security Affairs, ISNA President Imam Mohamed Magid, and U.S. Military Chaplain Lt. Col. Abdul Rasheed Muhammad.

Assistant Secretary Lavoy apologized on behalf of the DoD to the American Muslim community and assured attendees that the Quran burnings were an unfortunate mistake. He highlighted the many diverse faiths represented in the U.S. military and the strong commitment by the DoD to respect each and every one of those religious beliefs equally. He also assured attendees that the military is investigating the incident and all troops are being retrained in the handling of religious materials.

Bask in the Dhimmitude. Video is here for your pleasure.

That is an unforced error in the extreme. Diplomacy isn't about an unending apology tour. When we act in this way; all we do is advertise a passive-receptive attitude that has never commanded respect. The Romans had a term for it, Cinaedus - look it up.

... and yes, about that pic on the right; it begs the question:


Of course - they are no women of any type to be seen because ISNA is a home of radical Islamists; misogynistic, backward looking, supremacists who have no desire to join the Western ideal of openness, freedom, and equality.

Oh, but to say that is judgmental ...

That visit to ISNA is sad and a disservice not only to our nation as a whole - but to the good, modern American Muslims we live, work, and go to school with.

We deserve this whirlwind that is only now starting - we voted for it.

How many years did I spend on AFG ... only to find myself here?

I shouldn't blog this early ... maybe I'll feel better by lunch.

---

UPDATE: Well, I've had lunch and feel about the same. Oh, and did someone say "weakness?" Yepper's. Uncle Jimbo at BLACKFIVE smells it too.

Tut-tut'n the Greeks?

Umm .... maybe not a good idea.

Via The Weekly Standard;

The office of Senator Jeff Sessions, ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee, sends along this chart, showing that 'America’s Per Capita Government Debt Worse Than Greece,' as well as Ireland, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain:

Act of Valor: The Review to End All Reviews

Sure, Hollyweird refuses to make any good movies about the last decade of war. Screw them. NYC doesn't want to hold a parade. Screw them too.

We'll take what we can get .... and I think we've got a good one. Yesterday Act of Valor opened up. If you didn't see it, but want to know if you should - then I've got all the review you need.

If you get the vapors easily - you can read other reviews here. If you want a review that talks to you as an adult - from our friend Alex Martin.

I give you this Review of Win.™

Alex, its all yours.

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Act of Valor: The Hot Chick Wins, Again.

In their upcoming war film, Act of Valor, Directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh deliver the must-see action film of the year. They succeed in leveraging the tactical dexterities of authentic Navy SEALs and stunning cinematography to produce a spectacular action movie that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Before I get into the film’s finer points – and many nuances struck me – I must establish the appropriate architecture for this review: the immutable paradigm of the hot chick versus the ugly chick.

The Hot Chick Paradigm and Why Harry Belafonte Was Right After All.

On my second deployment to Iraq we were conducting counter-insurgency operations west of Baghdad. One night a Navy SEAL task force attempted to enter our battle space without coordination. Our Company Commander quickly protested this attempt.

For one thing, it would be dangerous to introduce their presence that night without prior deconfliction of our current patrolling forces, indirect fires plan, and explanation of our existing operations and theirs. Deconfliction would take only minutes.

For another, the mission, he argued, would be more effective if we worked in support of them. It wasn’t that they couldn’t come into our battlespace (no doubt they worked for a senior authority)…it was that they shouldn’t come unannounced. And it wasn’t about ego. It was about safety of the Marines on the ground and overall mission effectiveness.

My CO’s argument won out that night; NSW relented and conducted the appropriate coordination measures. They now had our support, and we had theirs. They conducted their mission and, to the best of my knowledge, it all worked out.

When I asked my Company Commander about the event he told me his thought process in detail and later, anecdotally and over a nocturnal cigar in the arid Anbar summer, about the difference between the hot chick and the ugly chick…or, the difference between the Navy SEALs and the US Marine Corps.

The ugly chick is ugly. She does the dirty work. But she does it well. (Harry Belafonte’s “Get an Ugly Girl to Marry You” pretty much says it all). The ugly chick puts in the long hard, thankless, unsexy hours. The ugly chick is always there when you need her. She never complains. She never compromises. She just performs. And she treats you right. The Marine Corps is our nation’s ugly chick.

The hot chick is the hot chick. She is incredible at what she does. Everybody wants her. She can pass on opportunities when the conditions aren’t just right, and everyone gets it. When she decides to work her magic, she crushes it and she gets the headlines. She’s a sight to see, for sure, but boy is she high maintenance. Navy Special Warfare is our nation’s hot chick.

Don’t believe me? Ok, try this quick exercise in hot chick versus ugly chick mission assignment calculus:

Ugly Chick Task, example: Seize and hold Al Anbar after it was declared “unwinnable”.

Coordinating tasks:
-Take back Fallujah, Ramadi and Haditha from the hands of murderous Al Qaedists; next, create the conditions for successful constitutional elections
-Each day, hand out candy and start schools on one block, dodge an IED on the next block, and conduct an all out assault on the third.

Sex Appeal: Very, very low.

Duration: Years and years.

Hot Chick Task, example: Kill Bin Laden.

Coordinating Tasks:
-Kill anyone else who gets in your way
-Get back for breakfast the next day (it’s pigs in a blanket day!)

Sex Appeal: Prodigiously high.

Duration: Like we said, get back for breakfast.

See what I mean?

This isn’t a complaint. This isn’t a lament. This is just the way it is. The hot chick gets the prom king. The ugly chick sits at home in her pajamas and does the hot chick’s homework.

And it’s with that little bit of mil-culture architecture that frames my review of this film, in 5 parts.

1: Navy SEALs as Actors (or, Why the ‘Hot Chick’ Always Play Well)

Say what you will about the hot chicks - they’re hot; they don’t care what you think. All they know is they don’t have time to think about what you (ok, we the ugly chicks) think about them. Scoreboard baby. They get the sexy missions. The sexy gear. The sexy feature film. And, quite frankly, that’s the way it should be.

What made Act of Valor so powerful across the entirety of its story line was that it was utterly unapologetic about the use of the hot chicks exclusively (yes, all real live hot-chick-SEALs) to carry the action above the plot. Would the story have been better with Ryan Gosling playing the platoon commander? Hell no. Jason Statham? Perhaps. Clint Eastwood. Absolutely. But he’s already played an Ugly Chick (Heart Break Ridge) and pretty much incapable of playing a hot chick, so he’s out.

All that said, I have to admit, even with the acting being done by “non-actors”, they did a very good job. Much better than any Marine-ugly chicks would have done in their stead. And more importantly they didn’t need to “act” as the action commenced. As the violence unfolded in each sequence I found myself excited by the soundness of the tactics – door entries, room clearances, breaches, shot prosecution – all artfully unfolding on the screen as a tactical ballet of elegant violence. It’s what you would expect from real live gunfighters, but never get to see.

2: Cinematography (or, The Art of Hot Chick Photography)

The first rule of photography is that nothing matters more than the prettiest person in any frame. This rule was strictly adhered to in Act of Valor as every frame in every scene was full of Navy SEALs. Navy SEALs jumping out of airplanes. Navy SEALs diving out of submarines. Navy SEALs killing tons of bad guys. Navy SEALs talking about being Navy SEALs.

The second rule of photography is that the only thing that matters than the first rule (or any other rule) is that a picture, especially a moving picture, must never be boring. Here Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut uses his cameras to immerse the audience on one of the most stimulating adventure rides I’ve seen in a military film since the cockpit action of Top Gun. Using only a series of Canon EOS 5Ds and 18mm Zeiss ZF’s mounted on the SEALs helmets, we see close quarters battle and special operations exploits from the shooter’s perspective.

The cinematography in this film was a demonstrative undertaking that allowed the real live exploits of our nation’s elite frogmen to be consumed as they happened. And, for the record, I am not bothered that every mission specific detail was not adhered to – the action carried us forward and the story moved swiftly. Also, it should be said, this film does well to avoid the third rule of photography: avoid ugly chicks whenever possible in order to both preserve beauty and avoid dullness.

3: The Story (or, More Hot Chick Human Interest Perspective Needed)

Act of Valor follows one Navy SEAL platoon on a single deployment that carries them around the world on various missions that highlight their many mission capabilities, from a covert operation to rescue a kidnapped CIA officer, to Asia and the Pacific to interdict known terrorist masterminds, to Mexico for an action packed final sequence in which they attempt to take down lethal enemies who plan to launch attacks on America.

Beyond the above plot, which had all the requisite alarmists foundations necessary to require such constant op-tempo from a single SEAL platoon, I found myself wanting more narrative, more storyline about the characters. More about the Navy SEALs themselves. Their lives, their family. Something. Just a bit more. Maybe 10 more minutes just to highlight who these guys are or where they came from. What made them want to be a hot chick in the first place? And perhaps some narrative or perspective from the actual hot chicks that marry these guys.

4: Roselyn Sanchez (or, The Redemptiveness of an Actual Hot Chick)

Roselyn Sanchez plays a captured CIA agent rescued by the platoon in the early minutes of the film. She seemed to be a talented actress. Roselyn Sanchez is also excruciatingly hot. That’s all.

5: A Point of Order (or, Why the Hot Chick Needs the Ugly Chick)

During the invasion of Granada, a group of SEALs took up security in the Governor's mansion when they realized they had forgotten their SATCOM on the helicopter. Surrounded by Cuban and Grenadian troops, they called in fire support from an AC-130 using the mansion’s landline. Through the night the SEALs were holed up in their defensive position until extracted by a platoon of Force Recon Marines the next morning. You understand my point.

In the End (or, Why When this Hot Chick Wins, America Wins)
Act of Valor is a first rate high speed action that presents a story worth sharing delivered by a cadre of elite gunfighters who serve as unique custodians to the story’s ultimate point: a tribute to the sacrifice and commitment of the men who go down range. Damn few.

What Was That Little Brother?

Often if you want to find out where you are in life - you have to rely on the opinion of others. The best opinions are from those friends and relatives who are close to you so they know you well - but also care enough for you to be honest.

I think Canada fits that bill. A Canadian think-tank has their strategic paper out with an interesting perspective on their big brother to the south.

I'm pondering it over at USNIBlog. Come visit and ponder with me.

Fullbore Friday

A lot of new readers may have missed this back in '07. A good FbF encore.

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Jefferson DeBlanc, Col. USMC. Awarded the Medal of Honor. I'll let the man speak for himself.

Diversity Thursday

More great news on the (D)iversity front - more chance for progress on the way towards a true color blind society based on character and accomplishment - and not on something as meaningless as where your haplogroups come from. We've got to flush them out in to the light and fresh air - they can't survive it.

First: TO THE BARRICADES!

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of Fisher v. University of Texas, a new challenge to the use of affirmative action in university admission policies. The case, which will be argued in October, may finally end the racially based admission policies that universities have used for decades to achieve “diversity” in their student bodies. Diversity, as used by university officials, is neither conceptually coherent enough nor constitutionally compelling enough to justify explicit racial classification.

This would force all the Kabuki dancing and Newspeak to end from USNA to USCGC - and hopefully everywhere else - and let us stop forcing people to "pick" their ethnicity for gain and profit. Stop dual entry systems. Stop telling ourselves little lies.

Second: Dude, you let the mask slip.

Northwestern president Morton Schapiro and three other top administrators led a panel discussion on Sunday about improving cultural education and safety at NU. The discussion continued for more than three hours.

About 250 students attended the discussion, which was sponsored by The Coalition of Colors, an organization that includes Alianza, For Members Only, the Asian Pacific American Coalition, the Muslim-cultural Students Association and South Asian Student Alliance. Weinberg sophomore Benjy Leibowitz moderated the panel, which took place in McCormick Auditorium.

John Marquez, assistant professor of African-American and Latino/a Studies, introduced the panel with a discussion of what he has learned as a professor from his minority students. Several students in attendance snapped and applauded at points during Marquez's statement.

"They feel like this university is a white university," Marquez said. "It seems as if they perceive themselves as mere props in a political game."
...
"While we can say that undergraduates will be listened to when deciding course offerings, that's not the history of this institution," Bloom said. "We have African-American studies because students in the ‘60s took over the Bursar's Office because no one would listen to them and we have Asian-American studies because students staged a multi-week hunger strike because no one would listen to them."

After the discussion, Howard said it was "good to hear what students were thinking" and positive for students to hear from the administrators, who are capable of making changes.

That was the college newspaper report. This one is better.

Top administrators at Northwestern University convened a panel discussion earlier this month to address a recent incident of racial harassment on campus.

A student named Tonantzin Carmona was walking home when several intoxicated female students jeeringly said to her, “What, no hablas ingles?” Since then, members of the university community have organized several events aimed at making the campus more tolerant and culturally sensitive. University President Morton Schapiro was present at this most recent panel on February 12th.

The event was introduced by John Marquez, an assistant professor of African American and Latino Studies. He began by dedicating his comments “to those indigenous peoples who were displaced or obliterated to build Evanston and Northwestern.”

“I hope their ghosts haunt us,” he said.

Marquez argued that students of color often feel “manipulated and exploited” by the university, and that at times, Northwestern’s commitment to diversity seemed like a public relations tactic, rather than a genuine desire for change.

“It seems as if the students perceive themselves as being mere props in a political game,” he said. “Dignity is more valuable than a diploma.”

Wow - what ignorance of American Indian history - almost as great as his ignorance of the challenge to highly selective schools looking for (D)iversity from different high school graduation rates by ethnicity - but those are more icky facts. People like this don't like icky facts. They get in the way of emotion. Back on topic, he really should study up on pre-Colombian warfare and migration, but that would require a curious intelect. Can't have that either.

Wait ... I'm wandering in to other topics. There is more fun in that article,

... some students demanded that the university initiate wide-ranging diversity policies, such as making a “cultural competency” class a requirement for graduation. Administrators appeared reluctant to take that step.

Schapiro argued it was virtually impossible to implement a cultural competency class due to Northwestern’s many different schools and faculty-governed curriculum.

“Certain things the faculty can and should decide,” he said.

Another controversy arose when Provost Daniel Linzer responded to a complaint that Northwestern needed a “chief diversity officer” to be responsible for diversity-related matters on campus.

Linzer said that such a person had already been hired, but that the job had been titled “assistant provost for faculty development,” because with a chief diversity officer, diversity would be seen as “somebody else’s job.”

Hayley Stevens, president of a group for Hispanic students, was skeptical that this employee existed.

“As president of Alianza, I have never heard of this person until now,” said Stevens.

Northwestern’s most recent method of encouraging diversity was the creation of the University Diversity Council, which grew out of the Faculty Diversity Committee.

Linzer announced that the new council would have five task forces, with students working on each one: Faculty, Academic, Campus Life, Pipeline (which will deal with further diversifying the student body) and Lifetime Connections (which will deal with alumni relations.)

Linzer also touted other initiatives as proof of the university’s commitment to diversity, including Northwestern’s own Center on the Science of Diversity.

The Occupy movement - or at least the useful idiots in it - wants to complain about the cost of higher education? Where do they think the money is going to come from to create these positions - and the real estate and infrastructure to support them - comes from. Non-value added to the extreme.

At first it looks like a bad news story, but it isn't. True, the Diversity Industry and the Diversity Bullies are using the same Mau-Mau'n tactics they have for the last few decades - but though the reasons have been documented for decades (push for ethnic studies departments in order to institutionalize a job market for professional grevience mongers and proponents of segregation and sectarianism) - in the modern sense (see previous DivThu about the new "structures" - it should be clear to all that this is one thing and one thing only - the otherwise intellectually unemployable trying to force the creation of jobs that actually fit their resumes.

Speaking of the wholesale fraud for gain that is going on here - and the fact that so much of the dogma these racialists cling to, this is great! Sometimes even an organ of the Left like the NYT has an OPSEC violation. They unintentionally remind everyone the truth.

Every decade, the Census Bureau spends billions of dollars and deploys hundreds of thousands of workers to get an accurate portrait of the American population. Among the questions on the census form is one about race, with 15 choices, including “some other race.”

More than 18 million Latinos checked this “other” box in the 2010 census, up from 14.9 million in 2000. It was an indicator of the sharp disconnect between how Latinos view themselves and how the government wants to count them. Many Latinos argue that the country’s race categories — indeed, the government’s very conception of identity — do not fit them.

This argument over identity has gained momentum with the growth of the Latino population, which in 2010 stood at more than 50 million. Census Bureau officials have acknowledged that the questionnaire has a problem, and say they are wrestling with how to get more Latinos to pick a race. In 2010, they tested different wording in questions and last year they held focus groups, with a report on the research scheduled to be released by this summer.

Some experts say officials are right to go back to the drawing table. “Whenever you have people who can’t find themselves in the question, it’s a bad question,” said Mary C. Waters, a sociology professor at Harvard who specializes in the challenges of measuring race and ethnicity.

The problem is more than academic — the census data on race serves many purposes, including determining the makeup of voting districts, and monitoring discriminatory practices in hiring and racial disparities in education and health. When respondents do not choose a race, the Census Bureau assigns them one, based on factors like the racial makeup of their neighborhood, inevitably leading to a less accurate count.

Did you catch those two nuggets? First, even the Harvard gal says the question is bad - the question of race. The second jewel - if you are like many of us who have a variety of things in the woodpile - if you choose not to be a racialist and pick one bit of your DNA over the other - then some guv'munt fonctionaire will do it for you. That is right - you will be assigned a race - got to keep those metrics up dontchaknow.

... critics of the census questionnaire say the government must move on from racial distinctions based on 18th-century binary thinking and adapt to Americans’ sense of self.

But Latino political leaders say the risk in changing the questions could create confusion and lead some Latinos not to mark their ethnicity, shrinking the overall Hispanic numbers.

Ultimately, said Angelo Falcon, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy and chairman of the Census Advisory Committee on the Hispanic Population, this is not just a tussle over identity, it is a political battle, too.

“It comes down to what yields the largest numbers for which group,” he said.

... because if you can avoid a people from being one - you can divide them into little groups that can be controlled and manipulated by others; pitted against each other in order to preserve power to those to promote division.

There are so many nuggets in that NYT's article to share with someone new to the conversation about the Potempkin Village Cancer Cluster that is the Diversity Industry, or for those long engaged in the battle against discrimination and bigotry - a reminder that, yes - you are on the right side of the battle.

As more and more people decide not to play - you are on the right side of history too; a trend towards equality and unity and away from division and sectarianism. For the Navy family - we should be at the lead of that move - not with the retrograde forces typified by the Diversity Bullies and their ilk.

Someone once had a dream, let's keep working towards it.

Hat tip WRM.

Putland Marine Police Force - Antipiracy

Interesting report on a small but worthwhile effort. Everything look a little too well painted and fresh - but let's hope this has some legs.

The Funny Math of Service Assignments at Annapolis

What does it take to have the best success in aviation? What value is the word from those you trust? Time to return to a topic we've discussed a couple of times a year here; the Navy's unnecessary institutional bias against non-technical majors. We've plowed this field before - so I'm just going to hit the high points.
Yes, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math majors are good to have in the wardroom, and are nice to have to keep your Engineering Duty Officers, NAVSEA, SUPSHIPS etc with enough mellon-heads to keeps things running, I guess. Thing is - that is not something that necessarily makes the best officer, and if unbalanced, creates and intellectually unbalanced officer corps. Too many EE majors is bad; too many Art History majors is bad. From USNA to NROTC - the bias entering the door is well documented. Before I go on though - ponder this with me. In the war we have been engaged in over the last decade-plus; what have we been the most in need of? Has this been a war of cutting edge engineering or tactical needs that made a math-nimble mind almost a requirement? (VAQ NFOs ... get back in your box, I'm not talking to you) From the PRTs in AFG to Arabic FAO, to the need to think deep on how a Navy responds to budgetary crisis ... shouldn't there be a little more intellectual - dare I say - (d)iversity? There is another issue too - once people get through the door, shouldn't there be an expectation that there will be fair treatment? Shouldn't we have a system that reflects if not our values ... then at least our words? Aviation. Something that people plan for years to just get an opportunity, shouldn't we at least give them the outline to success so if they really want it - they can follow that line and improve their odds to reach their dreams? Well - read the below - and if it does not come up on your system, you can get it here.

Aviation OOM

I'll let one of my spies at Annapolis flesh this out for you. For those in the know - if you have a different take - let me know. I'll change some of his/her email to anonomize it and shorten - but here are the meaty parts.

Something is and has been rotten at USNA about service assignments to aviation for 1/C midshipmen.

This all came out within the few weeks when an excerpt of the guidance for ranking aviation candidates surfaced. Apparently, this guidance has been used for at least two years, if not longer.

There is a very good chance that this weirdly skewed aviation ranking system was unknown to the deputy commandant, commandant, and superintendent.

Some highlights:

Midshipmen are told repeatedly by the administration (academic and military) that academic majors are irrelevant when it comes to screening midshipmen for service assignment. However, like the animals in Orwell, Animal Farm, some are apparently more equal than others when it comes to Wings of Gold.

Engineering majors (Division I), including those who flunked their way into the General Engineering major, are awarded 20 points in their rankings but math and science majors receive only 15 points.

Humanities majors, which include history, English, economics, political science, and languages & culture (Arabic, Chinese, etc)‚ the bastions of those things like historical and cultural knowledge touted as necessary in, "Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower." These hapless midshipmen receive only 10 points.

So, lets look at the aviation ranking matrix and have some fun with some hypothetical Airedale wannabes.

All other things equal, an Arabic major with a 4.00 GPA equals a

- General Engineering major with a 3.50 GPA and one honor offense

- General Engineering major with a 3.50 GPA and one major conduct offense (e.g., sexual assault)

- General Engineering major with a GPA of 2.50

- General Engineering major with a GPA of 2.0 but a PRT score of 90 (when our Arabic major missed a few seconds on the run and only scored an 89)

Apparently, the instruction/note (COMDTMIDNNOTE 1301) that sets up the service assignment review boards (SARB) for each warfare specialty leaves the ranking system up to each community.

One wonders why the need for engineers in aviation. This isn't the AEDO selection board. It also brings to mind veteran combat aviator and VCNO ADM Stan Arthur's comment in The New Yorker about 15 years ago that flying was "... nothing more than monkey skills."

What is also ironic is how the current USNA Superintendent, VADM Mike Miller, a veteran, combat-decorated, tactical aviator, would have fared under the current, secret, and biased aviation SARB guidelines. He was an international relations major and would have been 10 points in the hole because of it.

It's time for VADM Miller to take steps to insure that all midshipmen not live in an Orwellian world and are indeed equal when it comes to their academic major and opportunities for service assignment.

Fair. If this is a policy - it should be in the open. I am sure even the most engineering minded but fair 13XX would like to discuss the weighted measures, because whatever it is being used for - honors offenses and majors have little to do with success in aviation - or any warfare specialty - from what I've seen.

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UPDATE: As a perfect match to this discussion, I highly recommend the post at USNIBlog from last year by LCDR BJ Armstrong titled, HH104, WWATMD….

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UPDATE II - Electric Boogaloo: I would also recommend an episode of Midrats from last year discussing the general topic of how you educate leaders. Our guests were Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller, USN, the 61st Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, for the first half of the show.

For the second half, Dr. Victor Davis Hanson, PhD, author, professor, nationally syndicated columnist, and the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow in Residence in Classics and Military History at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

Listen to internet radio with Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

The Smart Bomber

Say what you want about the USAF - but they are thinking and planning right to meet our long range strike needs.

The U.S. Air Force chief of staff says the service is not going to go through the B-2 experience again—overdesigning a bomber and then having to buy fewer of them.

Analysts suggest the requirement for the Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) program could be as high as 200 aircraft as the aircraft begins to replace aging B-1s and ­B-52s.


The problem is how to take advantage of the new technology without breaking the budget or generating so much political backlash that the bomber program is reduced or canceled. The B-2s ended up costing more than $2 billion apiece because the program was closed down so early.
.....
“We are going to make our best effort to not over-design the aircraft,” says Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. “We are intent on ordering a capability that is not extravagant.”

Now, imagine if you will what we would have right now if we had the same idea inside NAVAIR circa 88-92?

We had a very good evolutionary product ready to go (in the face of the post-Cold War draw down) in the A-6F/G .... but noooooo .... had to keep up with the Church of the Stealth .... and we got butkus for deep strike.

With that range, payload, dwell time, and two person flexibility - imagine its utility over the nipple-feeding Hornets over the last decade. Oh well.

On a similar note - it is a shame that we could not keep the DDG(X) program going with the same "marching orders" that the USAF is giving its bomber folks. Hey ... even an FFG(X) would be nice .... but we don't live in that world.

Good call for the USAF - don't frack it up.

No, please ... no, not again ...

OK - this always cracks me up. Cracked me up the first time - cracked me up the second. I would cringe more if my mouth wasn't watering. Part of me cringes because depending on how something is done, who says it, and in what context .... it is just, well, uncomfortable. It shouldn't be, but it is. Maybe we're getting past things .... or if as it was last time; some people don't get it.

First of all, this is just Southern food, but that has always been "our" little secret - Soul Food is Southern Food; I grew up on this stuff. It is the great uniter. One of the great triumphs of mine was when I ran a N1 shop where there was me, a Chief of predominately European extraction, a Philippina civilian and six YN & PN's of predominately African extraction.

It was our turn to host the monthly "Pot Luck." My Chief asked me, "What is our theme?" Waiting for this moment all year, "Well, we're all Southerners but one ... so Southern Food it is."

My triumph was when PN2 took a taste of my collards (slices of boiled eggs around the edges, of course; you can get an idea of it if you want - I run a little more molassesesque and peppery version of the recipe in Bill Neal's Southern Cooking) anyway .... PN2 took a taste; pondered a bit and stated, "Not bad." No small compliment from a man so picky, he didn't like my turnip green soup; but he was from Alabama, so no accounting for taste.

Thing was, the Admiral was from the South and it was a spread and a half; even if my cornbread was a little dry. (Yes, I cheated and brought three dishes) For a brief shining moment, the N1 shop was actually popular.

That being said, PN2 would look at the below, roll his eyes, sigh, mumble about the patronizing and mildly insulting nature of it all .... before getting to the head of the line to see what these Border State folks were trying to pass off. About the same reaction I have.

You can't fix ignorant --- but if the ignorant want to put on a spread like this; Southerners of all stripes will go along to get along - mostly to watch the Yankees, Midwesterners, West Coast and other lesser Americans poke at greens and squinch up their noses at properly paced chunks of smoked pig fat.

What am I talking about? Well - abandon all cliche & BEHOLD!

Relax after the 3-day weekend and forget about making a bag lunch on Tuesday . . . . . enjoy a home-cooked lunch at the Blue Jacket Cafe at NSA Annapolis in honor of Black History Month on February 21, 2012 from 1100 to 1300. Cost is $5.50 per person and includes live music provided by the Commandant's Combo from the U.S. Naval Academy Band.

Menu:
Barbeque Spareribs
Southern Style Flounder
Chicken and Dumplings
Glazed Sweet Potatoes Chitterlings
Black Eyed Peas w/Ham Hocks
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Southern Style Greens
Southern Style Corn Bread
Decorated Cake

For more information about the Blue Jacket Cafe, including next week's menu, visit this link or call 410-293-9120:

Tastes great I'm sure - but really. No RC Cola and Moonpies? You make me sad. No Ox Tail Soup with the little rice? What do you mean, "Southern Style Greens" & "Southern Style Corn Bread?" No. There are "Greens" and "Cornbread." Don't go confusing those from up yonder. There is no other kind. Oh, that Mac & Cheese better not be from a box. My Mama would wop you one for that.

Wait ... what was that? Morgan - is that you?




What he said.

We'll call in "Southern History Month" and move on.

Darn it, I forgot to mention - in the middle of that conference table long ago, full of all the good Southern cook'n our N1 shop could muster (YN1's ribs were beyond mention outstanding BTW) there was a plate - soon empty - of perfectly done Lumpia. Even Southerners aren't stupid enough to turn down Lumpia.

Yes - it is time again.

Why my blogg'n is a little light ...

Garden & Gun magazine has started a new video series; Behind the Bar.

I've been ... well ... inspired.

Skippy, we're talking about this ....

We had a wee conversation with Skippy-san last week that I quickly tired of, as to be frank - this totally contrived non-contraversy has almost left me looking to either retreat to my country acreage to wait out the rioting of the unworthy, or join James Cameron in the undying lands to watch to new Dark Age take hold.

The fact that some are trying to bring this non-issue up at this time in our republic makes me feel at times that this nation is not worthy of the generations of sacrifice that brought us here ... but that is crazy talk. This nation has gone through worse, and in the end all will be well.

The issue is not putting a sheep's bladder on your John Thomas; it is what legacy we leave to our children. This is an economic crisis we cannot fix with a peace treaty or a post-war boom; no, nothing that simple - but we need to fix it sooner more than later.

There is really no place else to go for me; my ancestors were chased here to this last place. This is ground worth standing on. It is a good place to make your stand. It is the last best hope; so I really should quite whining and get to work. Ignore the "church lady will steal your diaphragm" political Dadaists, and try to focus on those who actually can see outside their own short-term interest for solutions.

I'll be here when the music stops, and God willing will have a few decades to tell you, "I told you so. You owe me a beer; again." It isn't that I'm some genius with faith in my powers of reason - you don't need a scientist to tell you that if you stand in a fire ant mound you'll be dancing in about 10-seconds. Our existing and about to get worse economic crisis of debt is about the same - all you need is a basic knowledge of history and a grasp of simple economics; the coming economic meltdown is only a question of time and degree.

No, I just agree with the good analysis of my betters - I no genius for that. Compared to Mark Steyn, I'm a perhaps a subgenius; but naw - perhaps more of a Derbyshirist. Anyway - to quote the Master;

Testifying before Congress, Timmy Geithner referred only to “demographic challenges” — an oblique allusion to the fact that the U.S. economy is about to be terminally clobbered by $100 trillion of entitlement obligations it can never meet. And, as Chart 5-1 on page 58 of the official Obama budget “Analytical Perspectives” makes plain, your feckless, decadent rulers have no plans to do anything about it. Instead, the Democrats shriek, Ooh, Republican prudes who can’t get any action want to shut down your sex life! According to CBO projections, by mid-century mere interest payments on the debt will exceed federal revenues. For purposes of comparison, by 1788 Louis XVI’s government in France was spending a mere 60 percent of revenues on debt service, and we know how that worked out for His Majesty shortly thereafter. Not to worry, says Barry Antoinette. Let them eat condoms.

This is a very curious priority for a dying republic. “Birth control” is accessible, indeed ubiquitous, and, by comparison with anything from a gallon of gas to basic cable, one of the cheapest expenses in the average budget. Not even Rick Santorum, that notorious scourge of the sexually liberated, wishes to restrain the individual right to contraception.

Hat tip K-lo.

Sunday Funnies

More Broadside here.

Hat tip RA.

Costa Concordia bridge video

Wow. This is worse than I thought. Amazing. You could do an entire semester on leadership out of this.

Just ... wow.

Hat tip gCaptain.

Return to the Militia Model - on Midrats

The large standing Army and active duty military we have known in our lifetime may seem the norm - but it isn't.

Is there a way to maintain a strong military capability - available and scaleable if needed - without the structure we have become accustomed to?

Is there a better way to balance our Reserve and National Guard forces that is more in line with our economic, national security, and yes - Constitutional requirements?

Join EagleOne and me this Sunday, 19 FEB from 5-6pm EST, with our guest, General Ron Fogleman, USAF (Ret) for the full hour. Using his recent article in Defense News, Going Back to the Future: Militia Model Could Cut U.S. Expenditures as a starting point, we will discuss these ideas and more as we look for a way to maintain strength and options as the budget crunch starts.

Join us live if you can, but if you miss the show you can always listen to the archive at blogtalkradio - the best way to get the show and download the archive to your audio player is to get a free account and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Listen to Midrats

Fullbore Friday

"Like who?" That is a tough question; it seems easy, but it isn't.

What defines a leader and what qualities should a young leader emulate? Books have and will be written about such things - but often it is better just to point at a man and say, "This."

Over at USNIBlog, URR reminded us that we have lost one of "them." Someone who inspired people throughout his life.

The core of his character is perhaps best discovered in one of his best known acts. For the full story of The Warriors of Hill 881S spend some time here.

Like much of his generation - proper recognition of his actions took awhile - in this case 37-years, but at last he was rewarded with his much deserved Navy Cross in 2005. For here at least - I think that citation should do.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to:

William H. Dabney (0-80399), Colonel [then Captain], U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Commanding Officer of two heavily reinforced rifle companies of the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam from 21 January to 14 April 1968. During the entire period, Colonel Dabney’s force stubbornly defended Hill 881S, a regional outpost vital to the defense of the Khe Sanh Combat Base.

Following his bold spoiling attack on 20 January 1968, shattering a much larger North Vietnamese Army (NVA) force deploying to attack Hill 881S, Colonel Dabney’s force was surrounded and cut off from all outside ground supply for the entire 77 day Siege of Khe Sanh. Enemy snipers, machine guns, artillery, and 120-millimeter mortars responded to any daylight movement on his position. In spite of deep entrenchments, his total casualties during the siege were close to 100 percent. Helicopters were his only source of re-supply, and each such mission brought down a cauldron of fire on his landing zones. On numerous occasions Colonel Dabney raced into the landing zone under heavy hostile fire to direct debarkation of personnel and to carry wounded Marines to evacuation helicopters.

The extreme difficulty of re-supply resulted in conditions of hardship and deprivation seldom experienced by American forces. Nevertheless, Colonel Dabney’s indomitable spirit was truly an inspiration to his troops. He organized his defenses with masterful skill and his preplanned fires shattered every enemy probe on his positions. He also devised an early warning system whereby NVA artillery and rocket firings from the west were immediately reported by lookouts to the Khe Sanh Combat Base, giving exposed personnel a few life saving seconds to take cover, saving countless lives, and facilitating the targeting of enemy firing positions.

Colonel Dabney repeatedly set an incredible example of calm courage under fire, gallantly exposing himself at the center of every action without concern for his own safety. Colonel Dabney contributed decisively to ultimate victory in the Battle of Khe Sanh, and ranks among the most heroic stands of any American force in history. By his valiant combat leadership, exceptional bravery, and selfless devotion to duty, Colonel Dabney reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Fullbore. For those so inclined;

Thanks to General Caulfield, we are informed that a memorial service will be held for Colonel Dabney at Robert E. Lee Memorial Episcopal Church, 123 West Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450 at 1400 on Sunday, 26 February, with a reception afterward at Virginia Military Institute. Col. Dabney has been cremated and internment will occur at a later time.

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As a final note, the more I read about what our Marines and others did in Vietnam, the more I think of the injustice our popular culture from DC to Hollywood did to them. It truly is a national disgrace.

The same people who smeared them are trying to do the same to this generation of vets - but they are having trouble getting traction. The reason they are having trouble is that the Vietnam generation have this generation's back. They are helping make sure that what happened to them will not happen to us. For that, we owe them another debt of gratitude.

As a reminder to new readers, if you want to give credit to the person who started the move to tell the truth about the Vietnam veterans which in a large measure is why there is a better pushback this time against the moonbats - get a copy of B.G. Burkett's Stolen Valor : How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History.

Roughead to the Food Trough

It is time to revisit the Salamander Rule (Rev. 2).

Congress should enact in to law that retired General & Flag Officers are not allowed to serve in a paid or unpaid position in any publicly or privately held company incorporated in the United States of America that have pending materiel or consulting contracts with the Department of Defense for 5-years from their retirement date. The time period will be 10 years for foreign held companies.

Penalty for violating this restriction will be full and permanent forfeiture of all pay and allowances.

Why? Well - we all know that companies are looking for one thing when they hire a 4-star; they are buying influence and a network of contacts. In this specific case, if you look at the rolling train wreck that is the Navy shipbuilding and maintenance record while he was CNO - it sure isn't anything related to performance.

Behold all that is unclean.

Former U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations Gary Roughead Joins Northrop Grumman Board of Directors.

Man has to earn a living ... right?

Have you seen how much we pay GOFO in retirement? They get a lot for a reason; so that they won't sell themselves to the highest bidder and add to an appearance of corruption and influence peddling; even if, as in this case, there is no reason to suspect anything untoward is going on.

If you want GOFO to have respect - they have to earn it. Standing on a street corner in Alexandria flashing your DD214 to passing cars won't do it.

Let's see. Gary is a retired O-10. He graduated from Annapolis in 1973 and retired in SEP 2011; 6-months ago. That puts him at 38 years of service.

Go to your retirement pay calculator. He is under the Boomer final pay retirement system, unlike you Gen-X, Gen-Y, and Millennial Serfs so ... wait for it ... that comes to ...

Gross Retirement pay:
$14,536.38 a month.
$174,436.56 a year.

That does not include whatever disability pay he is getting extra from the VA. Yes, he is getting pocket change from the VA on top of all that too.

How much is he being paid by NG? Doesn't really matter - does it? $0 or $100,000 - it smells the same.

Hat tip, beltway bandit.

Diversity Thursday

You can almost hear the echoes of screaming Staff Weenies still .... I love the "I've got all the answers but these 18 ... " and the "Hey, I know it is just after lunch on WED, but I need this by 1000 on MON. Have a great weekend!" ... bluefalcon nature of this.

For you thinkers out there .... look at the "To" list (which BTW has a lot of duplicates...). Add up all those manhours just answering this tasker .... and then multiply that by all the other Chains of Command out there.

The Diversity Bully's Valentines Day present.

----- Original Message -----
From: [redacted], Christine A LCDR NAVCYBERFOR, N13
To: [redacted], Cathy J ITCS NETWARCOM, NETOPS-1; [redacted], John F ITC NETWARCOM NETOPS-1; [redacted], Ralph L Jr ITCM NETWARCOM, NETOPS; [redacted], James R LCDR, NAVSOC, N01; [redacted]@ncdoc.navy.mil; [redacted], Robert E CTNCS NCDOC; [redacted], Daniel R ITCS(SW/EXW) NCDOC; [redacted], Robert D CAPT NAVCYBERFOR, N00COS; [redacted], Gary M, ITCM, Navy Cyber Forces, SEA; [redacted], Christine A LCDR NAVCYBERFOR, N13; [redacted], Richard K OSC(SW) Navy Cyber Forces, N431; [redacted], Taheshea A. ITC NCMS Washington DC, N3; [redacted], Joseph R CTR NAVAIR, 7.4; [redacted], Erica LCDR NCMS Washington DC, XO; [redacted], Jackie CDR CSO NCTAMS LANT N01; NCTAMS LANT - CMDCM Sheri [redacted] - CMC ; [redacted], Carolina L ITC N6, N6; [redacted], Eric ETC NAVSUBSCOL N83; NCTAMS PAC - CTICM Phillip [redacted] - SEA ; [redacted], Michael M LTJG NCTAMS PAC, N35; NCTS Bahrain - CMDCM Donald [redacted] - CMC ; NCTS Bahrain - ITC Frank [redacted] - DAO ; Sylvia [redacted]; Robert [redacted]; NCTS Far East - CMDCM Robert [redacted] - CMC ; NCTS Far East - ITC James [redacted]- DAO ; Howard [redacted]; NCTS Naples - CMDCM Gary [redacted] - CMC ; NCTS Naples - ENS Richard [redacted] - DAO1 ; NCTS Naples - ITC Clifford [redacted] - DAO2 ; [redacted], John; [redacted], Charles E ITCS NCTSSD, N3; [redacted], James H CDR NIOC Suitland, XO; [redacted], Jacqueline L CMDCM NIOC-Suitland; [redacted], Eddie L LT NIOC Suitland, N2; [redacted], Yasmin LT NCWDG; NIOC Bahrain - CTI1 Jared [redacted] - DAO ; NIOC Bahrain - CTICM Ronald T. [redacted] - SEA ; [redacted], Joshua ; NIOC Colorado - CMDCM Steven [redacted] - CMC ; NIOC Colorado - CTT2 Angel [redacted] - DAO ; Blake [redacted]; Michael [redacted]; NIOC Georgia - CMDCM Stephan C. [redacted] - CMC ; NIOC Georgia - CTIC Elizabeth [redacted] - DAO ; NIOC Georgia - CTIC Felix [redacted] ; [redacted], Mdbosle ; NIOC Hawaii - CMDCM Terry [redacted] - CMC ; NIOC Hawaii - CWO2 Christi [redacted] - DAO ; [redacted], Rachel CDR NIOC MD, N0; [redacted], John S CMC NIOC MD, N0; NIOC Maryland - CTRCS Anthony [redacted] - DAO ; NIOC Menwith [redacted] - CTI1 Jerrad [redacted] - DAO ; Christopher [redacted]; NIOC Menwith [redacted] - MCPO R T [redacted] - SEA ; NIOC Misawa - CTRC Melanie [redacted] - DAO ; NIOC Misawa - CTRCM Mathew [redacted] - SEA ; NIOC Misawa - LCDR Derek [redacted] - XO ; NIOC Misawa - LSCS Carlene [redacted] - DAO ; [redacted], Ken J CAPT OPNAV, N3N5/N310; [redacted], Donald J CMDCM NIOC Norfolk; NIOC Norfolk - CWO4 Susan [redacted] - DAO ; [redacted], Robert L FC2 CSCS San Diego, N7423; [redacted], Lemuel S LCDR NIOC Pensacola, XO; NIOC Sugargrove - CMDCM Homer [redacted] - CMC ; [redacted], Jason A LCDR NIOC Sugar [redacted], SGRV; [redacted], Eric W CTRCS NIOC Sugar [redacted] (N3), SGRV; [redacted], Albert ; NIOC Texas - CMDCM Tom Ayers - CMC ; NIOC Texas - CTIC Laura [redacted] ; NIOC Texas - CTIC Laura [redacted] - DAO ; NIOC Yokosuka - CMDCM Ed [redacted] - CMC ; NIOC Yokosuka - IT1 Malkia [redacted] - DAO ; NIOC Yokosuka - LCDR Sharon [redacted] - XO ; [redacted], Michael ITC - NMSC; NMSC - Mr. Thomas E. [redacted] - CO ; [redacted], Sadie M CIV NETWARCOM; [redacted], John W CAPT, NETWARCOM CDR; [redacted], Timothy ETCM NNWC, SEA; [redacted], Jaucelin OS1 NETWARCOM; [redacted], Heidi J CTNC NIOC Pensacola, N3
Cc: [redacted], Richard K OSC(SW) Navy Cyber Forces, N431; [redacted], Jaucelin OS1 NETWARCOM

Sent: Wed Feb 08

Subject: Chief of Naval Operations Tasker for CNO Diversity Brief - HOT TASKER

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is that time of year again for OPNAV N2/N6 to do the CNO Brief so I am collecting data for that brief. I know that most of you fall under C10F for Diversity now; however, I am collecting the data and compiling it since Diversity fell under us until a couple weeks ago. Going through the tasker I have a lot of the data that is required to be turned around to them but there is data required that I do not have so I am sending this out to request that information from you. Please provide the requested data from your Command and any Commands that fall under your purview. I need this data call back by the 1000 EST on Monday 13 Feb to have time to compile the brief for review for RDML Herbert, that is the absolute drop dead time I can give to have enough time to compile all of the data, I am sorry that again this seems like a short turn around tasker, but again there was some time spent clarifying what the requirements actually were and what data we already had so we did not go out and ask for things we already had available here. Once the brief is completed I will be forwarding a copy to your Force Diversity Officer, Ms. Donna Lacy, up at C10F so she has the same data/brief I am forwarding to OPNAV N2/N6.

What is needed from all Commands (your command and commands that report to you). I will not be putting Command names on the brief, I will reporting as a Domain and reporting as Echelon levels. The more data I get, the clearer the picture will be for the IDC since we will have the data for a large portion of the IDC. Please be as honest as possible because the intent is not to put anyone on report, but to give Admiral Greenert a clear picture of our Corp and how we are doing with Diversity. He is digging into more data then what was historically asked because he really wants to see how the Navy is doing in Diversity and where we need to shift the rudder, he has asked the same questions of all the different Corps.

1. Compare your investment in diversity to other operational core competencies? (i.e what are you spending and/or investing on diversity compared to other operational core competencies percentage wise - diversity versus training, operations, supply etc).

2. What barriers do you see in our community (INTEL, IW, IP and associated enlisted rates) to Diversity? (example would be that we cannot do a direct accession in our communities like the URL can for officers, anything else you can think of why we do not have open access to whatever type of personnel we want in our community - officer or enlisted)

3. What do you do for outreach? What organizations do you support i.e. ANSO, SSLA, BEYA. Why do you support those particular organizations (need justification on why those organizations and not others, i.e. ANSO because that is where the TYCOM Diversity training was held last year, if a Command member is associated with an organization you may support that organization, we just need to know why)?

4. What is your Diversity budget? What is your training budget? ( I am aware that most commands do not have a separate Diversity budget, please annotate that but if the CO, XO, or CMC has traveled annotate how much that has cost and also annotate how much money was spent if someone else in the command has went to a diversity event and which funds you took that out of)

5. Do you have someone working Diversity full time? If so is that person remaining competitive for promotion? If you have a full time Diversity person, who do they report to? (Again the Diversity person is not the same as the EO person).

6. What K-12 or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) focused efforts do you have relationships with? Include the name of the school, the grade, if it is just K-12 and/or STEM, if a MOU is signed and also include any STEM college relationships established (only if the college is STEM based).

7. Do you have a separate Diversity communications plan? (May also be included in your strategic plan)

8. Do you have a Diversity webpage? (Most commands will not have a separate one, an example would be like our portal diversity webpage)

9. What do you do for internal/external Diversity communication? How often do you communicate your Diversity message internally/externally? Compare this with how you communicate safety/readiness.

10. What was the date of your last climate survey? (DEOMI survey)

11. What questions did you develop relating to Diversity? (Diversity only questions)

12. What significant variances did you identify? What actionable items resulted from these findings and what was the due date?

13. List any Diversity awards in the last year that you submitted personnel in your Command for.

14. Does your command have a formal feedback mechanism in place to measure mentor/protégé satisfaction for commands that are following NAVCYBERFOR Inst 1500.1, Mentoring Inst?

15. Do you have metrics in place for the formal mentoring program to see how your command is doing?

16. How much does your command spend annually (books, IT) on the formal Mentoring program IAW NAVCYBERFOR Inst 1500.1?

17. What training do you have in place for Diversity i.e. INDOC, Appreciating Differences, annual training, NKO, Executive Diversity training etc).

18. How do you ensure the training you offer is meeting your Diversity training objectives?

I have the answers to the rest of the questions they have asked. Please call me or email me if you have any questions about the above questions. I have tried to clarify what I am looking for. I really need the answers to all of these for you and your tenant commands by Monday morning Eastern time. They do realize that we will provide the best we can so if you just cannot get the information do the best you can by estimating for the Commands that fall underneath you and please let me know it is an estimate and not actual numbers. My work phone number is 757-492-[redacted] and cell phone number is 757-[redacted] if you need help with any questions. I appreciate your time and attentiveness in this matter. Have a great day. V/R

Do they really think this is a way to get a quality data call? Really? Odds are this data will be useless ... but it will be briefed to the CNO anyway. Amazing.

What sh1tty staff work - but not by the person who sent this email - just trying to do their job. The person who timed this though ....

Shame - I can actually see some "win" here - which is why having garbage quickie date is sad. I doubt they will capture the real cost or personnel numbers considering all the TAD etc that is going on to support that bucket of goo affinity group diversity support calendar and messages they put out all the time.