On Sat, 3 Sep 2005 11:50:52 -0700, "presley"
argued:
No, I'm saying that there were 8 naval bases
along the gulf coast -
(nine actually, bases/stations/facilities. Several have no mission
involving ships E.G. Pensacola is an Air Station, Gulfport is a CB
Base, and others have a basic problem viz-a-viz ship basing---they are
not ports and are not on the water)
3 in the
affected areas and 5 outside them. I'm assuming that any ships at the 3
affected bases were sent in the direction of the other bases when word was
received about the anticipated landfall of the hurricane.
You got that right
`Substantial damage' reported at Naval Station Pascagoula
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centr...s/12555378.htm
If there were NO
medical ships, aircraft carriers or other large vessels anywhere in the gulf
coast, that doesn't make me feel as though my government has its priorities
in the right place. It's not necessary to have hundreds - but one or two
would be nice to protect one of the major coasts of our country.
Coast Guard's mission. Not Navy mission. Count their bases, and
ships. They do a super job, but y'all allow them to be grossly
unerfunded, year-after- year. But, please see the above story. That
means that your requirements were met. Actually, the requirments were
more fully met, not to protect the coasts, but to meet the pork barrel
needs of Congressmen---"See all the money I'm bringing to you". You
will note in the above story that Pascagoula has been nominated for
closure. These remote home ports proved to be horribly expensive and
a (ship) maintenance nightmare. Pascagoula endured in my mind because
Trent Lott has more horse power than most, and because there is a
private shipyard there that could help them (at great expense).
As far as the homeports in the Gulf, there are also a grunch of mine
sweeps in TX---great at what they do, very small, cluttered, and very
short legs.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/lists/homeport.asp
I was attempting to respond to the O.P.s erroneous statements that it
was going to take up to 2 weeks for the Navy to get there.
And I will refer you to this interesting article re the military's
performance in view of its relationship to FEMA:
Red tape keeping much of military on sidelines
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...me.xml&items=6
I couldn't agree with this more. Whose job was it to cut through that red
tape?
Not mine, nor the C.O. of any of those ships/units. My main purpose
in addressing any of these issues is that that bashing the military is
national sport for many. As a C.O. my job was to take whatever part
of national policy was assigned to me and implement it. We had a
deal, I didn't tell the then president how to run the country; he
didn't tell me how to run my ship. If folks don't like national
policy they should direct their comments to those folks who set
them---Congress and the President. (How many of you sent
letters/emails to them to not pass/sign the recent highway bill, which
had billions (of your money) of pork in it? In fact---how many of you
even bothered to vote in the last election?) Think---that money could
have gone along way to help sort things out on the Gulf Coast---an
effort now running between $#.5B-$.7B per day, for which we all will
be taxed.. Remember. the government has no money of its own, they
spend your money.
Everybody here, take a step back, and sent your vitriol to them.
http://www.virginianewssource.com/link-39.html
I leave you with this:
Sailors, Medics, Helos, Ships Join Katrina Relief Efforts
http://www.news4jax.com/news/4921404/detail.html
30
starrin