Lehman rocks Navy with complaints about political correctness

The Washington Times ^ | September 18, 2011 | Rowan Scarborough

[jazusamo]

The Navy’s former top civilian has rocked the service in a military journal article by accusing officials of sinking the storied naval air branch into a sea of political correctness.

Former Navy Secretary John Lehman, himself an ex-carrier-based aviator, wrote that the swagger and daring of yesterday’s culture has given way to a focus on integrating women and, this year, gays.

Pilots constantly worry about anonymous complaints about salty language, while squadron commanders are awash in bureaucratic requirements for reports and statistics, he added.

“Those attributes of naval aviators — willingness to take intelligent calculated risk, self-confidence, even a certain swagger — that are invaluable in wartime are the very ones that make them particularly vulnerable in today’s zero-tolerance Navy,” said Mr. Lehman, who led the Navy in the Reagan administration.

“The political correctness thought police, like Inspector Javert in Les Miserables, are out to get them and are relentless.”

Navy pilots privately have complained for years that a post-Tailhook-convention push to clean up conduct by aviators went too far.

The 1991 Las Vegas convention has stood as a black mark for the Navy because some naval aviators engaged in lewd escapades and excessive drinking.

An ensuing Pentagon investigation ballooned into one of the government’s most extensive probes as scores of officers were targeted and had their careers shortened. Feminists used the scandal to demand a change in Navy culture.

Now, Mr. Lehman, a New York investor who served as a bombardier navigator in A-6 Intruders, has aired in public in what active duty pilots dare not say.

His lengthy article adorns the home page of the magazine Proceedings, a forum for active-duty and retired personnel on naval issues. Proceedings is published by the U.S. Naval Institute, an independent association located at the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

[paterfamilias]

Well, it’s about time that somebody with stature has spoken out.

Maybe, under the next administration, this will filter down to the Admissions Office at USNA.

[maddog55]

[RobbyS]

Unlikely.Their stars should be painted brown.

[Dick Bachert]

I believe it was Lehman who said this to a graduating class at the Naval Academy while SECNAV:
“You will soon be looking across several hundred yard of open water at some of the most sophistocated military hardware in the world. Unfortunately, it will be on Soviet ship.”

The guy’s too truthful to survive in the current DC culture of lies and deceit.

[vetvetdoug]

Choosing Ray Mabus as the Secretary of the Navy just added to the realization that Obama is clueless or has a death wish for the US. Mabus is not a man of honor and would sell his Mother for political correctness.

[sjmjax]

"We will Barry you!" Good one, LOL. Maybe that is what Kruschev had in mind all along.

Wonder how many outside of this forum would "get it"?

[jazusamo]

Agreed, he’s a political hack. Him naming a Navy warship after John Murtha is pathetic.

[Madame Dufarge]

Back in 1998, Florence King wrote a review of Empire by Default: The Spanish-American War and the Dawn of the American Century by Ivan Musicant.

Here's an excerpt:

"Anyone who is disgusted with Pat Schroeder's politically correct navy will get a thrill up the spine and a lump in the throat reading these descriptions of a time when America's sailing men were wind-whipped, not pussy-whipped, and morale was in the stratosphere. Be prepared to wipe away a few tears.

At Manila Bay, the moment Commodore George Dewey's immortal order, 'You may fire when you are ready, Gridley,' was passed to the fleet, 'bands in the Olympia and Baltimore began playing 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' At the last note the men gave a rousing cheer and the firing commenced.

It was not the only music heard that day. Aboard the Raleigh a young lieutenant went below deck to check on the crew in the powder division and found them singing a new popular song. He had never heard it before but his instincts told him it would do for this war what the rebel yell had done for the last one:

'Men, we've got 'em on the run. I don't know what that tune is you were singing but it's a corker; keep it up. I want the music to reach the upper deck.' And through the rest of the battle, the strains of 'There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight' rolled up through the ammunition hoists and cheered the men at the guns.

When plans were being made to blockade Santiago, Lt. Richmond P. Hobson conceived a plan to block up the harbor by sinking a collier containing 2,000 tons of coal, 'corking the Spanish like a bug in a bottle.' The mission, which involved setting off explosives with split-second timing, would be carried out today by Navy Seals, but Hobson had to do it with seven volunteers:

The signal had gone from the flagship seeking volunteers 'for a desperate and perhaps fatal expedition.' From the Iowa came the reply, 'Every man on this ship wants to go"; the Texas responded with, 'Two-thirds of the...crew are fighting for first place.' Hobson was besieged with junior officers begging for a chance at death or glory."

[US Navy Vet]

John S. Lehman was my first re-enlisting officer(1984/USS Independence CV-62). I miss the Reagan Military!

[jazusamo]

Thanks for your post.

Every man on this ship wants to go

Morale doesn't get any better than that!

[Travis McGee]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks jazusamo.

[MasterGunner01]

Shortly before I retired, I was doing AcDuTra in Norfolk, VA. Another GMCS and I were coming back from a job aboard USS YORKTOWN (CG-48) and we were passing by the harbor tugs’ nest. At the time, the tugs were almost the exclusive domain of females. They ran and crewed the tugs. The amount of cursing and foul language that originated from those so-called “ladies” was astounding. Both of us were embarrassed by what we heard and it far surpassed the kind and quality that any of the men could do. When you have chiefs embarrassed by women's language, this PC culture the Navy has imposed on the men is total B.S. That these poor little shrinking violet-type females could be corrupted by the salty language of male peers is garbage. My experience has been the exact reverse — the women are WORSE than the men.

The B.S. that comes out of the Navy these days makes me ill. This mixed-gender crewing is ridiculous. Now they want to put women on SUBMARINES! And how many friendly “torpedoings” will happen and unplanned pregnancies? There's always a spate of “unplanned pregnancies” by females who don't want to deploy for long times with their carriers. Once Suzie is diagnosed as pregnant, she's flown off to complete the rest of her pregnancy ashore, but her billet aboard ship is not filled, and everyone has to shoulder her load. Once transferred ashore, Suzie is allowed to remain in the Navy as a single mother. In less “mature” days, Suzie would have gotten an administrative discharge (General - under honorable conditions).

Also, ever try to work for females who are trying to make flag rank? Not good. Navy CAPT Holly Graf that was relieved of command from USS COWPENS (CG-63). She was abusive to her crew and a real PITA. She was kept around the Navy and not retired because she was “connected” by family connections. Eventually, she was forced to retire. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Graf )

[reed13k]

Was asst 1st lt on the Indy 1992-1994 out of Yoko she was a fine lass though somewhat showing her years by then. Was at USNA when Lehman turned over

[kalee]

God bless him for speaking the truth.

[yldstrk]

If men could just learn to keep zipped up, a lot of problems would solve themselves.

[yldstrk]

Like they said in the old fat Army: Fat men kill people too

[yldstrk]

Well he was wrong about the Soviet ship. Les incompetents

[robowombat]

Then Mabus is in good company with the current Chairman of the JCS.

[Madame Dufarge]

You're very welcome!