The Best Joint Programs are not Joint Programs

BZ to the Army for selecting some excellent weapons to tweak a bit to suit their specific requirements, and then add to their weaponeering tool kit.

As covered by Syndey Freedberg at the end of last week;

...the Army has chosen to mix two very different Navy weapons together in its prototype MRC (Mid-Range Capability) unit: the new, supersonic, high-altitude SM-6 and the venerable, subsonic, low-flying Tomahawk.

“Following a broad review of joint service technologies potentially applicable to MRC, the Army has selected variants of the Navy SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles to be part of the initial prototype,” says a Rapid Capabilities & Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) statement released this afternoon. “The Army will leverage Navy contract vehicles for missile procurement in support of the Army integration OT [Other Transaction Authority] agreement.”

That is programspeak for, "We need to get this capability forward as soon as possible. No, we don't have two decades to make our own stuff. Navy has already done the hard part and has some nice kit. Let's slap a Army sticker on it and get this moving."

Though it was owned by the USAF at the time, at the end of the Cold War we deployed to Europe the nuclear BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM). Leverage that experience and modernize it, as the modern Tomahawk is to the old TLAM - but this time in a conventional mode - and you have a nice capability.

The SM-6 is already wired with a secondary anti-surface mode at sea, so this too should be an easy path.

Some of the usual suspects will get grumpy because, damblit, the US military has a new capability, but they should pack sand.

If you desire peace, plan for war - and these missiles play to our comparative advantage.

BZ to everyone on a sound decision.

A Midrats Post-Election Melee

 

The 2020 election is over … well, mostly over. 

Though there are a few threads to clean up, the fabric the next few years natsec policy will be sewn from is pretty well known – so where does that lead us? 

We’ll get to that – but once again we need to invest some time to talk about Midrats’s contribution to NavyCon! EagleOne presented a segment for NavyCon2020A, we we’re going to talk about that a bit … and then we’ll pick up where our pre-election left off.

Come join us for the full hour this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern as we discuss this and more with an open chat room and open phones if you want to join in.

It will be an open topic, open phones free for all ... so if you think our topics are bogus, bring your own!

If you use iTunes, you can add Midrats to your podcast list simply by clicking the iTunes button at the main showpage - or you can just click here.

Fullbore Friday

Most of your people slaughtered. In front of you is the land of your ancestors, a land you do not know, mostly desert and waste. You are surrounded by large numbers of a well armed enemy on the march. You have the option of going home, or to ride off to war in a cheap copy of an outdated weapon.

Of course, you gather around you fast friends, and head to the sound of rolling tanks.

WWhen Lou Lenart was growing up in a Pennsylvania mining town, he endured beating after beating because he was Jewish.

After he took a Charles Atlas bodybuilding course, he joined the Marines and fought in the Pacific. A few years later, he smuggled warplanes into Israel, helped found the new state’s tiny air force and led an attack on more than 10,000 Egyptian troops who had advanced to a bridge within 16 miles of Israel’s biggest city.

“It was the most important moment of my life, and I was born to be there at that precise moment in history,” he told the Jerusalem Post in 2012. “I was the luckiest man in the world that my destiny brought me to that precise moment to be able to contribute to Israel’s survival.”

Lenart, hailed in Israeli headlines as “the man who saved Tel Aviv,” died Monday at his home in Ra’anana, Israel. He was 94.
...
Lenart kept a home in Los Angeles as well as one in Israel. One of the planes he flew as a Marine fighter pilot is on permanent display at the Proud Bird restaurant complex near Los Angeles International airport.

But he is most closely associated with a 40-minute strafing and bombing raid on Egyptian columns that had marched up the Israeli coast from Gaza on May 29, 1948. With tanks and trucks, the troops were stalled at a bridge that had been blown up by Israeli commandos. In another day, they would have rolled into Tel Aviv.

With only a few hours’ notice, Lenart and three other pilots hopped into Czech Avia S-199s — small, rickety planes that had been pieced together with parts from German Messerschmitts, dismantled before being covertly shipped to Israel and reassembled on a makeshift airstrip.

“We had never flown the planes before,” he said. “We didn’t know if they would fly or if the guns would work.”

In fact, Lenart’s guns jammed. One of the planes, piloted by a South African named Eddie Cohen, went down in flames.

“We lost one-fourth of our air force that day,” Lenart later said. “It was like a piece of your heart being broken off.”

But, surprised by the attack, the advancing forces ultimately withdrew. The bridge where they had bogged down is still known as Ad Halom — or “Up to Here.”

Mensch.

 

First posted in July 2015.

Diversity Thursday

So, the day after the election, what does the USCG really want its officers performance evaluated on?

Of course. Para 3 covers it.

R 041533 NOV 20

FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-1//

TO ALCOAST

UNCLAS //N01000//

ALCOAST 399/20

COMDTNOTE 1000

SUBJ:  GUIDANCE FOR TARGETED MID-TERM COUNSELING FOR OFFICERS

A. Officer Accessions, Evaluations, and Promotions, COMDTINST M1000.3 (series)

B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 041026 NOV 20/ACN 129/20

C. COMDT’s Guidance to Officer Boards and Panels

D. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 251640 JUN 20/ALCOAST 252/20

1. All reported on officers (ROOs) must receive mid-term counseling as

required by REF (A) and as updated by REF (B). This is the time to discuss

the ROO’s performance to date in the OER period, objectives to be achieved

for the remainder and the ROO’s broader career goals and best ways to achieve

those goals. In addition, rating chains must reference and reiterate the

appropriate section of the annual version of REF (C) in these discussions,

particularly for those officers who will be considered by a board or panel

in the current or next promotion year.

2. Upon promulgation, this ALCOAST applies to all OERs going forward. Mid-term

counseling already completed within the current promotion year does not need

to be redone.

3. In order to implement the Commandant’s vision of a fully inclusive Coast

Guard where all people are respected, empowered, and valued, and where every

single person can pursue and achieve personal growth and professional success,

mid-term counseling should also discuss intentional leadership topics including

diversity and inclusion (D&I). Suggested topics include influencing change,

leading inclusively and promoting inclusive behaviors as detailed in REF (D).

4. References:

   a. REF (C) can be found at: https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/psc/psc-opm/

OPM%20Reference%20Library/Forms/AllItems.aspx.

   b. REF (D) and other D&I information are located at:

https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/DIAP/.

5. POCs:

   a. For additional information regarding OER requirements, contact CG PSC-OPM-3

(ADPL officers) or CG PSC-RPM-1 (IDPL officers) or visit

http://cglink.uscg.mil/a74b65b8 for links to OPM-3 and RPM-1.

   b. For diversity and inclusion questions contact CGHQS-DG-lst-CG-127@uscg.mil.

6. RADM J. M. Nunan, Assistant Commandant for Human Resources, sends.

7. Internet release is authorized.

A reminder here, this is Donald Trump's USCG. He had over three and a half years to work towards an Executive Branch that does not divide its people by race, creed, color, or other equally useless description.

As we covered at the time, the USCG used to be the most equality-based service, but then a decade ago they removed the requirement not to discriminate on the basis of "sex, race, color or religious beliefs of an applicant" at the USCG Academy. It has been downhill from there.

That was done in Congress, and the Republicans have had power in the Legislative Branch for years since, and let is stand. Shame on Congressional Republicans as well, allowing this divisive and sectarian world view grow roots and strength.

Shame.

---

UPDATE: Well, looks like the Navy is taking the opposite tac.

BZ SECNAV Braithwaite.

UNCLASSIFIED//

ROUTINE

R 042137Z NOV 20 MID200000324008U

FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC

TO ALNAV

INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC

CNO WASHINGTON DC

CMC WASHINGTON DC

BT

UNCLAS

ALNAV 095/20

MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/NOV//

SUBJ/IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER ON COMBATING RACE AND SEX 

STEREOTYPING//

REF/A/MEMO/OMB/04SEP20//

REF/B/EXECUTIVE ORDER/PRESIDENT/22SEP20//

REF/C/MEMO/OMB/28SEP20//

REF/D/MEMO/OPM/02OCT20//

REF/E/MEMO/SECDEF/16OCT20//

NARR/REF A IS MEMO FROM OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) PROVIDING 

GUIDANCE ON TRAINING IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.  REF B IS THE EXECUTIVE ORDER 

(EO) ON COMBATING RACE AND SEX STEREOTYPING.  REF C IS MEMO FROM OMB ENDING 

EMPLOYEE TRAININGS THAT USE DIVISIVE PROPAGANDA TO UNDERMINE THE PRINCIPLE OF 

FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT FOR ALL.  REF D IS AN OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 

MEMO PROVIDING GENERAL GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON 

COMBATING RACE AND SEX STEREOTYPING.  REF E IS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEMO 

PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER ON COMBATING RACE AND 

SEX STEREOTYPING.

RMKS/1.  This ALNAV provides guidance to Department of the Navy (DON) 

personnel, employees, and commands on implementation of the EO on Combating 

Race and Sex Stereotyping.  In view of references (a) through (e), it is 

imperative that we protect the DONs most valuable resource  our people.  

Reference (b) affirms the Federal Governments commitment to the fair and 

equal treatment of all individuals before the law and expresses the policy 

that the United States will not promote race and sex stereotyping.

2.  In accordance with reference (e) and to ensure the DON is in compliance 

with references (a) through (d), effective immediately:

    a.  The DON shall suspend all civilian and military personnel training 

relating to diversity and inclusion.

    b.  I delegate my authority to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy 

(Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (ASN (M&RA)), currently Performing the Duties 

of the Under Secretary of the Navy (PTDO UNSECNAV), as our senior Department 

official responsible to certify that the civilian and military training 

curricula meet the standard of fair and equitable treatment of individuals, 

in accordance with reference (b).

    c.  Prior to resuming civilian training, it must be reviewed and cleared 

by the OPM for compliance with the EO and certified as compliant by the 

Secretary of the Navy.  The ASN (M&RA), PTDO UNSECNAV will submit all 

requests for preclearance of civilian training to OPM via the Under Secretary 

of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and certify the training.  Further 

guidance directing the certification process for civilian training is 

forthcoming by the Office of Civilian Human Resources.

    d.  Any expenditure by the DON on diversity and inclusion training for 

civilian employees must be approved in advance by ASN (M&RA), PTDO UNSECNAV.

    e.  For military training, the Services are directed not to forward 

training that is not compliant with the EO.  Prior to resuming military 

training, the Services shall submit their requests for certification to the 

ASN (M&RA), PTDO UNSECNAV through the Office of the ASN (M&RA).  The Services 

request for training certification shall include the following information:

        (1) Course name.

        (2) Course description, syllabus, and agenda, as available.

        (3) Whether the training is mandatory. If so, who or what directs 

this

            mandatory course.

        (4) Approximate number of Service Members trained.

        (5) Frequency of training.

        (6) Location of training.

        (7) Approximate cost per training session.

        (8) In addition to above information, annotate Service representative

            (General/Flag Officers serving at the grade of O-9 or above) that

            reviewed and certified the content of all military diversity and

            inclusion training request are compliant with the EO.

    f.  Diversity and Inclusion training for military personnel shall not 

resume until certified by ASN (M&RA), PTDO UNSECNAV.

    g.  Each grant issuing organization in the DON shall review its grant 

programs and identify programs for which, as a condition of receiving such a 

grant, DON may require the recipient to certify that federal funds will not 

be used to promote concepts prohibited by the Executive Order.

    h.  Further guidance related to training provided by contractors is 

forthcoming from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, 

Development & Acquisition).

3.  My primary points of contact in this matter are Ms. Kimberly Lane, (202) 

685 -6210, kimberly.lane@navy.mil for civilian personnel training, and Ms. 

Heather McIntosh-Braden, (703) 693-4489, heather.mcintosh1@navy.mil, for 

military training.

4.  Released by the Honorable Kenneth J. Braithwaite, Secretary of the 

Navy.//

BT

#0001

NNNN

UNCLASSIFIED//

So, We Had an Election

Everyone should just let the system work out. There is a lot of emotion on all sides, but don’t assume the worst of your fellow neighbors.

There remains a lot of slop and imperfection in our voting system. If you are unhappy with what your state does, then change it. Florida did over the last two decades after the 2000 debacle, your state can too.

It appears that there was no big wave or endorsement of either side, but hopefully we’ll have an answer by the end of the week at latest … worst case by Christmas. What we will have is an incredibly divided government – as close to a 51/49-49/51 nation as you can get. That can be a feature or a bug, but what it isn’t is a mandate for anyone. That doesn’t mean someone won’t claim one, but there isn’t one.

Irrespective, neither side, especially in the House and Senate campaigns, ran on larger defense budgets or any real unified military related strategic direction. Sure, if I tilt my head a bit, I could see with the right people a naval emphasis if Trump should pull a rabbit out of a hat, but just barely and a lot of other cards would need to come out of the deck.

Should Biden’s apparent advantage as of noon on Wednesday hold, there are two things in the natsec arena we could see come to the front:

1. Neo-internationalists will come back to State and DOD to pick up where they left off. Pressure on NATO nations will lessen, approaches will be made to Iran and other projects well in work prior to 2016. Mindlessly obtuse agreements that would never by passed as a treaty in the Senate will be signed and rejoined that are to the advantage of everyone but the USA/West.

2. One of the central philosophical underpinnings of the Democratic Party will come again to his Pentagon; identity politics. To the great shame of the Trump administration, until the last few months very little was done to dismantle the diversity nomenklatura. The commissars have just been hunkered down, waiting for a better environment. In the absence of important things to work on – and a Biden administration is void of such and Congress will be focused on their own issues – a Biden Pentagon will focus on those things it can do by fiat. All the social tinkering that has been in mothballs for the last three years will come back with pent up energy.

Trump or Biden – what you need to watch centers on this; people are policy. 

Should Trump squeak in a “W,” there will be changes in the natsec senior leadership. Who moves where will inform where DOD will go in a variety of areas. This holds true for Biden as well. I am of the school that Biden will be a weak executive and much of administration policy will come from his cabinet. Watch who goes where and practice your Kreminology of who sits and travels where after a year – that will help. Either way, natsec and FP were not part of the election and won’t get top billing should Biden hold.

That leaves Congress. After this election, I see no bi-partisan critical mass for significantly larger defense budgets. I most certainly do not see a strong enough navalist caucus to do what needs to be done – a barfight for a larger Navy.

If navalists want a larger Navy, they will need to fight for a larger piece of what will probably be a smaller defense budget pie. This will not happen overnight. This is a long struggle that needs a fighting force built for extended conflict. There needs to be a cadre of elected and appointed officials, of both parties, who are willing to rip through decades of habits, adhesions, an accretions. Enemies will be made, nasty political games will be played once the effort is made to attack entrenched positions decades in the making. 

It is a battle that needs to be joined if you believe the next big war is on the other side of the Pacific.

Let’s see whose banners, if any, are brought on to the field. My skirmishers and I are waiting in the swamps for an allied army to show up, but so far the field of battle is bare except for intermittent reconnaissance parties on horseback.

Regardless of who wins, the republic will be fine. If you are angry about the results, then move your anger in to action to get people you like elected to office. Work for the rule of law and accountability in elections. Ask hard questions.

If you don’t give a damn about politics, but what is going to happen in our national security arena … then watch people.

People make policy. It seems simple, but it is true.

You Know the Drill

OK folks, today is the day. You know what you need to do.

I already voted last week, so I've already checked the block. If you have not, go out and vote today.

I won't tell you who to vote for. Every man and woman needs to make that choice themselves ... and anything I may say won't change your mind one way or another.

We have issues with our voting here, that is true. Shame on our political class and self-identified "experts" that they - in their cowardice - have not implemented a voting system here that would meet international standards when it comes to voter rolls and vote counting.

That is immaterial. Such problems have been with us for decades and is on the margins anyway. If anything, it should make you want to vote more.

We may not know who was elected for days, weeks, or even months. I remember 2000, as do many of you. 

All I would ask is that everyone remain cool and kind with each other. 

If you haven't yet, vote. Too many have died to give you that simple act - and billions of our fellow humans on this little wet ball floating around the universe are denied it by force of arms.

As a side-note, I am checking out at noon Eastern Time. I won't be back online here or anywhere else until tomorrow AM.

Good luck everyone ... and we'll see you tomorrow.

Intentionally Choosing to be Deaf and Blind in Africa

More evidence that we need a new "elite" and our defense and diplomacy nomenklatura is worm-ridden with people better suited for anything else.

Few thing are more cost effective and strategically additive than our military attaché cadre. If anything, it should be expanded and being one made a top-shelf career enhancer than its status today.

When done and funded correctly, attachés can be instrumental in helping build partnerships and relationships throughout the world that can pay orders of magnitude greater returns down the road.  

We have a huge military and as a former manpower guy, I see this for exactly what it is - screwed up priorities and myopic leadership.

The Pentagon has quietly begun withdrawing top military officers from U.S. embassies in Africa and downgrading other such posts world-wide, a move officials say is necessary to shift resources to counter China and Russia on the geopolitical stage and meet congressional caps on the number of generals and admirals in the U.S. military. 

The position of defense attaché, the senior U.S. military representative in American diplomatic posts, is being downgraded in rank in eight key allied countries—including the U.K. ...

What a bullsh1t excuse.

I've held for a long time that at the Department of State and The Pentagon, we have too few leaders that have anything but a JPME-thin understanding of demographics and economics. As a result, we have a choppy and spotty record seeing larger trends that should inform our national strategy. Instead of setting a sound framework to prepare for what is clearly coming, we spasmodically run blindly through a field of rakes and wonder why our nose keep getting bloodied and teeth chipped.

Building partnerships in Africa and having our best eyes and ears there are the best ways to "counter China and Russia" on the continent. 

Our GOFO bloat is not from our embassies. In most of our allied countries (NB: those outside Africa), you have to be a General or Flag Officer in order to have any kind of diplomatic heft or to build the relationships you need at that level. Anyone who has served in such a capacity or for someone who has can tell you this, but it appears those people are not driving this clown car.

Give me the charter and a team of 4-6 that I get to choose, all the UIC manning documents I'll request, and I'll find the manpower funding in a weekend to make sure we have what we need to keep and expand this unalloyed positive asset. Better yet, the larger DOD won't even notice what I took away to do it.

A lot of unnecessarily stupid things have been done the last decade or so to hobble the future - you can add this own-goal to the list.