For the Want of a Ship…

Priorities. Three data points.

First, remember this story from last month? Navy to Sideline 17 Vessels Due to Manpower Shortages.

So this an example of why the Navy is standing on the edge of a death spiral. We don’t have enough manpower to crew the ships we have, which means we need to take ships out of service, which means we put more pressure on the existing fleet with extended deployments, which means more problems with retention and recruitment. Rinse and repeat. When you see stories like the USS Eisenhower going on a nine month deployment through July of this year, this is the sort of thing that burns out crews and the fleet in general.

Second, I saw this story today, ”US Navy Replenishment Ship Sustains Damage While Operating in Middle East.” That replenishment ship was the only oiler in the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group which is currently operating near Oman in order to deter Iran. That oiler is now out of action and is being towed back to Dubai. There are no other oilers available in the fleet and the Navy is scrambling to find commercial vessels to service the Lincoln strike group.

A military force is only as good as its logistics and no oilers means the Lincoln strike group becomes a coastal force, tethered to ports for replenishment.

Of those 17 ships the Navy wants to take out of service? Two replenishment vessels and one oiler.

Third, Jill Biden reveals $500 Million Plan That Focuses on Women’s Health at Clinton Global Initiative Oh, really? Tell me more, like what problems are going to be addressed and where’s that money coming from?

First lady Jill Biden is unveiling a new set of actions to address health inequities faced by women in the United States, plans that include spending at least $500 million annually on women’s health research.

Biden was making the announcement Monday while closing out the first day of this year’s Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York.

The additional government spending will mainly come from the Department of Defense…

So when we don’t have enough men and ships for the fleet, the Department of Defense is going to spend nearly $500 million annually on women’s health research? Not HHS or NIH?

Also, why announce this at the Clinton Global Initiative, that well-known personal slush fund for the Clinton crime family?

Did I mention the Clintons gave Joe an award?

Bet you that $500 million could have staffed those 17 ships they are taking off-line, maybe even built a new oiler.

Priorities.