Volume 9, No. 48 ©SS 2017
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2017
THE SACRIFICE AT HOME Military spouses bear economic burden in service to their country
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ILLUSTRATION BY BEV SCHILLING Stars and Stripes
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Spouses seeking careers face challenges BY DIANNA CAHN Stars and Stripes
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ARLINGTON, Va. fter her husband was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2015, Patricia Ochan set aside her career as a lawyer with a cybersecurity degree to become a full-time caregiver to her husband while raising their young child. She arranged for treatment for his physical and mental injuries and handled his doctors and his care at three hospitals as he transitioned from active duty to veteran. And, as healing began to take hold, she persuaded him to bite the bullet and go back to school. It became a rewarding journey for both of them, watching him succeed and start sharing his war stories. “Those are the joys of my life,” she said. But when she tried to return to the workforce part time, Patricia Ochan hit a wall. She said she would have great interviews but potential employers wouldn’t call back. Or she was told she was overqualified or they didn’t want someone to work part time. Her biggest challenge was explaining the gaps in her resume. “They look at your resume and see ‘caregiver’ and they assume you will be consumed outside,” Ochan, who is enrolled in a doctorate program for homeland security, said during a summit on military spouse employment. She has yet to convince a prospective employer that she can work from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., get home to care for her husband and child, and be fully present in each role. “It’s really very frustrating,” she said. Military families are far more likely to be struggling on a single income than other American families, with 43 percent of military spouses unemployed, compared with 25.5 percent of civilian spouses, according to a 2016 survey by the nonprofit Blue Star Families. Military spouses lag even farther behind civilians when it comes to underemployment, with 38 percent of military spouses underemployed relative to their level of education, compared with 6 percent of civilian spouses, the survey found. Of the 48 percent of military respondents who were employed, more than half earned less than $20,000 in 2016, and 39 percent earned less than $10,000. These trends are “having a crippling effect on military families — not just the spouses but the families as a whole,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. Douquet, along with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., led the Oct. 23 summit that brought together military family experts, nonprofits, spouses and
business leaders to examine the issue. The biggest challenge for military families is their frequent moves — many go every two years — making it difficult for spouses to build careers. They need portable work or flexible jobs they can do remotely. In addition, there are frequent deployments or time apart that sometimes demands gaps in employment. For many spouses, those challenges lead them to give up seeking employment, the survey found. The Blue Star Families survey found that while 51 percent of unemployed spouses said they would like to work, that number jumped to 64 percent after learning child care was available and 79 percent when they were told the in their field You keep job would be flexible a spouse — in other words, it would fit into happy, their military you’ll keep lifestyle. Katy Mills left a soldier her own military happy. career as a transKatie McMaster portation officer wife of National after she and her Security Adviser husband, also H.R. McMaster on active duty, spent four of their first five years of marriage apart. She became a yoga instructor but she found that moving so frequently made it difficult to sustain that work, she said. Each new place meant building new clientele. The high cost of child care creates an added, and sometimes insurmountable, obstacle. “Sometimes you are paying to teach if you are paying for child care,” she said. Long-term military spouses tend to be highly educated and skilled, the survey found, and they’ve learned from their unique journeys. But they often don’t see a way to translate their skills for prospective employers. Ochan described her work as a caregiver as similar to being a project manager — navigating her husband’s complex medical care in the military, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Department of Veterans Affairs, while being a mother, a wife, a student and a job-seeker. Kaine, after listening to her story, agreed. “Juggling what you juggle, that is a job skill,” he told her. “I don’t know how you put that on a resume, but if you think what it takes to be successful in the workplace, being able to juggle these multiple things you’ve done … that’s going to be a skill set that will be helpful in the workforce.”
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Under the radar A decade into the post-9/11 wars, data began emerging about servicemembers coming home unable to find work. Veterans’ organizations took notice and got to work educating employers and troops about translating their skills to the civilian workforce. The veteran unemployment rate has dropped below the civilian rate, according to Blue Star Families. Kaine, who spent much of his time on the Senate Armed Services Committee working on that issue, wants to turn the lens to the spouses. They’ve been along on this journey that is now more than halfway through a second decade at war, but still remain under the radar. They are also often unaware of just how much burden they carry, Roth-Douquet said. “Military spouses, being humble people who are service-oriented, experience each of these problems as, ‘This is my problem, there is something wrong with me that I am not able to solve this. And it’s my failing that I am not having my career and I am not supporting my family the way I want to and I am not having the future I want to,’ ” she said. “But it’s not. It is not because of you.” Sue Hoppin, founder and president of the National Military Spouse Network, said spouses don’t realize that they don’t have to “wait their turn.” “Statistics aside, it’s a lot of psychology — of feeling they are worth it,” she said at a business development conference she ran in Springfield, Va., in October. “It’s OK to want something.” Hoppin began working with military spouses seven years ago after recognizing that the traditional business boundaries that kept them out of the workplace were changing. Millennials often change jobs every few years, and with the advances in technology, telecommuting and portable jobs are becoming more common. In addition, she realized that spouses who managed to translate their skills and experiences into jobs and businesses created a built-in network for the others. As she began matching spouses to opportunities, that sense of community grew, she said. “We attract all kinds of women — people who come year after year, people who found a tribe,” she said. They realize they are “here to talk about my business goals, not about deployments. Nobody had ever made them the center of a professional development conference geared toward spouses.” Cyndi Meadows, a graphic artist whose husband is a Navy explosive
ordnance disposal tech, said she never thought to turn her skills into a virtual assistant and social media business until she met Hoppin. Now, she has a portable and profitable business that she’s moved four times. The first step, she said, was recognizing that she could be a supportive military wife and run a business. “I think it takes a lot, especially for a military spouse, to recognize that their career is as important as their husband’s — even if it is not as big,” she said.
An issue of readiness This problem is having an impact on more than individual families, experts say. It is affecting servicemembers and that, in turn, affects their missions, said Lt. Gen. Gwen Bingham, assistant chief of staff of installation management in the Army. “It’s a matter of readiness,” Bingham said. It’s also a retention issue, said Katie McMaster, whose husband of more than 30 years is National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. She’s moved more than 20 times, she said. Spouses will not wait forever to start careers, and if they can’t work while their partners are in the service, there will be pressure for them to get out. “You keep a spouse happy, you’ll keep a soldier happy,” she said. Hoppin agrees. “Decisions to stay in and get out are made around the kitchen table,” she said. “If a spouse can make more money and not have deployments and moves, that’s tough to compete with.” Sheila Casey, chief operating officer at The Hill website and chairwoman of the board at Blue Star Families, told the summit she was “one of the lucky ones” who maintained a career despite 25 moves. “If I had given up my career at some point and waited until (he) retired, it would have been impossible for me to begin today and have the career I am having,” she said. SEE PAGE 3
Correction A Nov. 3 article on a Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, protester contained incorrect reporting due to a translation error. It should have said a man who was dressed in black and standing outside the base was not a frequent anti-U.S. base protester.
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Crew errors led to deaths aboard two destroyers BY ERIK SLAVIN Stars and Stripes
The two collisions that killed a combined 17 sailors aboard the destroyers USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain resulted from sailors not following procedures and lack of communication between officers and the rest of the ship, a Navy report released Nov. 1 concluded. Watch standers aboard USS Fitzgerald were not paying attention to the right-hand side of the ship prior to its collision with the tanker ACX Crystal on June 17 in waters near Tokyo Bay in Japan, according to the 71-page investigation report on both collisions. Meanwhile, sailors in Fitzgerald’s combat information center — charged with providing the most complete picture of traffic in the area — weren’t watching considerable ship activity in the area. Additionally, Fitzgerald’s officer of the deck failed to contact the tanker, take evasive action or warn the commanding officer and crew of the hazardous situation, according to the report. On the John S. McCain, confusion led to five steering configuration changes in roughly three minutes before the ship collided with the tanker Alnic MC in the Straits of Singapore on Aug. 21, according to the report. The collisions have led the Navy to review its training, manning and operational guidelines throughout the fleet. Congressional testimony revealed what many in the Navy and the Japanbased 7th Fleet for years had come to accept: some deployed sailors were working up to 100-hour weeks aboard ships that often weren’t properly manned. Meanwhile, necessary training gave way to operational demands amid FROM PAGE 2
Solutions Translating spouses’ skills and lifestyle into sustainable careers will require changes. But some major technology and defense companies are recognizing the value. Amazon recruiter and military spouse Kate Viar said the online giant has hired more than 2,000 veterans and spouses. The company also has veterans and military spouses as recruiters, so when they are looking at candidates, “they understand resume gaps and what questions to ask.” Representatives from technology,
Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
An exterior view of the Officer’s Stateroom on the USS Fitzgerald. tensions with North Korea, China and others in the Asia-Pacific region. “Numerous failures occurred on the part of leadership and watchstanders” aboard the Fitzgerald before its early-morning collision, according to the report. They included failures to plan for safety, navigate, execute basic watch standing practices and respond appropriately during a crisis. At 1 a.m. on June 17, Fitzgerald approached three merchant vessels from its right side within a traffic separation scheme, which is a common setup throughout the world for ships approaching busy channels. According to international rules taught to navies
and pleasure craft alike, Fitzgerald was in a crossing situation, which obligated the ship to remain clear of the others. If it did not, Crystal should have taken “early and appropriate action,” according to the Navy’s account. “In the 30 minutes leading up to the collision, neither Fitzgerald nor Crystal took such action to reduce the risk of collision until approximately one minute prior to the collision,” the report stated. Fitzgerald commanding officer Cmdr. Bryce Benson was asleep at the time, leaving control to the officer of the deck. That officer failed to sound a danger signal or notify Benson of a
defense and management giants such as Sprint, Samsung, CACI, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton and others who attended the Kaine and Blue Star Families summit described ways in which they made their companies veteran- and military-friendly. Many said hiring spouses was a new area for them — and could open opportunities for technology companies facing a shortage of good workers. “We are all fighting tooth and nail for the same talent,” said Jerry Calhoun, of Vencore, an information solutions, engineering and analytics company. “This is a new pool for us.” Eddy Mentzer, associate director for
family readiness and well-being in the Department of Defense, said he runs a spouse educational career program, but he’s the spouse of an Air Force colonel transitioning to senior command next year. They likely will be moving again, he said. So, even as he runs the program encouraging flexible work opportunities for spouses, he expects to be looking for a job again next year. Mentzer said some companies were sharing good employees with rivals in the industry when they move. One military spouse, a Verizon recruiter, could not get a job with her company where she was moving in Mexico, so Verizon got her a job with AT&T, he said.
hazardous situation, both of which are standard Navy procedure. The officer also did not attempt to contact the Crystal on bridge-to-bridge radio prior to the collision. Meanwhile, teams responsible for watching the immediate area on and below decks failed to notify the officer on deck of the danger, the report stated. The resulting errors led Crystal to strike Fitzgerald on the right side, just forward of the middle of the ship. The bow struck an entry space that opens in to a crew berthing through a non-watertight door. Water quickly flooded one berthing and then flowed into a second berthing. Meanwhile, the impact knocked Benson out of his berthing entirely. “The rescue team tied themselves together with a belt in order to create a makeshift harness as they retrieved [Benson], who was hanging from the side of the ship,” the report stated. Benson was airlifted to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka for treatment and later released. Benson, who had been in command for about one month prior to being the ship’s executive officer, was relieved of duty during the accident investigation. Unlike aboard the Fitzgerald, McCain skipper Cmdr. Alfredo Sanchez had been on the bridge for about four hours when his ship collided with the Alnic at 5:24 a.m. in August. Sanchez and his executive offer were relieved of duty in October for their roles in the collision. The Navy concluded that the accident was due largely to lack of awareness and training. “Watch standers operating the John S. McCain’s steering and propulsion systems had insufficient proficiency and knowledge of the systems,” the report stated. SEE PAGE 4
“If we can get Verizon talking to AT&T — no matter what phone they are on — we are making headway,” he said. “And that’s where the opportunities lie.” Roth-Douquet said there are 25,000 to 35,000 unemployed military spouses in Virginia alone. “They are excellent workers and (there are) companies with need, but they are not the right shape to fit in the holes you’ve got,” she said. “We need to do some creative work. It’s really super solvable. It can be done.” cahn.dianna@stripes.com Twitter: @DiannaCahn
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McCain entered a high-traffic area of the Singapore Strait at 5:20 a.m., 40 minutes before the ship’s Sea and Anchor detail was scheduled to begin. The detail means more sailors on duty, including those tasked with navigation and ship handling. The ship’s executive officer, navigator and operations officer had recommended the detail begin earlier, but were overruled by Sanchez, who wanted to give his crew a little more rest. Meanwhile, McCain was operating as a “darkened ship,” with only its navigation lights on before sunrise, in accordance with Navy policy that some have questioned since the collision. Prior to the accident, Sanchez noticed a junior sailor at the helm having trouble. He let that sailor keep control of the rudder while ordering speed control transferred to a sailor sitting next to the helmsman. Instead, both functions were transferred, leaving the helmsman to believe the ship
had completely lost steering control. With no one steering or aware that they could do so, the ship veered off course. Sanchez ordered speed reduced to about 6 mph, but the sailor reduced speed only on the left-side shaft, leaving the ship to continue at 23 mph. The crew regained control just before McCain crossed in front of Alnic’s bow and collided. Neither ship sounded the five, short whistle blasts required to signal danger, nor did they attempt to contact each other, the report stated. The impact created a 28foot diameter hole, crushing two berthings. All 10 sailors who died were in Berthing 5, a 15-foot-wide space compressed by the impact to only five feet wide. “Based on the size of the hole, and the fact that Berthing 5 is below the waterline, the space likely fully flooded in less than a minute after the collision,” the report stated. slavin.erik@stripes.com Twitter: @eslavin_stripes
Chaos as Berthing 2 flooded BY STEPHEN CARLSON Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — For the 35 sailors in Berthing 2 on the USS Fitzgerald, June 16 was a normal night, with the deployed ship steaming in calm seas. All that would change within hours, as the Fitzgerald and a civilian cargo ship collided, killing seven. The ship was acting under “darkened” conditions after nightfall, with all exterior lights turned off except basic navigation lights meant to warn other ships that the vessel was present amid darkness. Interior lighting was switched from white to red to reduce the visual signature of the ship. It was under “Modified Zebra” conditions to facilitate crew rest, and all interior hatches were secured. By 1:30 a.m. June 17 the Fitzgerald was about 56 nautical miles from its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, when the collision happened, according to a Navy report released Nov. 1. The captain and most of the senior officers were in their quarters, and 35 sailors were in triple-racked bunks in Berthing 2. The ACX Crystal cargo ship struck the Fitzgerald under the waterline on the starboard
side near the bow, along an entry space near Berthing 2. It created a 13-by-17-foot hole and ruptured the non-watertight door to Berthing 2. The wall supporting the door bent to nearly 90 degrees, and seawater rushed in unimpeded. The ship immediately began to list to port, the report said. The situation in Berthing 2 was catastrophic and terrifying for sleeping sailors, who woke to the massive collision and the rush of seawater. An alarm was sounded for 2 seconds at 1:32 a.m., the report said. Berthing 2 was in complete chaos. The space flooded within a minute. Debris made evacuation difficult, but sailors lined up calmly to exit — despite being up to their necks in water — according to procedure. Twenty eight sailors made it out through the port-side scuttle hatch. Seven others died inside. Sailors describe trying to assist others climbing through the scuttle door, but rapidly rising water forced many of them to stop. The two sailors assisting others went on to help when it appeared water was running out of Berthing 1. carlson.stephen@stripes.com Twitter: @swcarlson1
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Free treats for vets, active-duty military on Veterans Day Stars and Stripes staff
There are many ways to honor former servicemembers on Veterans Day — parades, salutes, all-you-can eat pancakes or a free cup of (G.I.) joe. To mark Veterans Day on Nov. 11, restaurants around the country are offering free or discounted food. Some offers are strictly for vets; others include active-duty and retired troops. Call ahead to make sure your local places are participating — and ask what you need to bring to identify yourself. Many will ask for a DD-214 or other proof of service — or you can come in uniform! Check to make sure what exactly is included in the offers. For example, beverages and gratuities are often not covered at eateries. Here’s a look at a few meals and deals. All are good Nov. 11 unless otherwise noted. Be aware that the federal government’s observance of Veterans Day falls on Friday, Nov. 10, this year. Applebee’s — Veterans and active duty military receive a free meal from a limited menu that includes double-crunch shrimp and butcher’s meat and potatoes. Bar Louie — Free flatbread or burger for vets and active duty. Bob Evans — Veterans and active duty receive free select menu items. Bonanza Steakhouse — Former and current servicemembers get free buffet (beverage not included). California Pizza Kitchen — Veterans and active military receive a free pizza and beverage Nov. 11 and Nov. 12.
Carrabba’s — All active and retired veterans get a free appetizer. Chevys Fresh Mex — Build your own three-item combo for veterans and active military. Choose from tacos, enchiladas, chile relleno, tamales or flautas. Chili’s — Active duty and veterans can choose a free entree from five options, including chicken bacon ranch quesadillas and chili with salad. Cicis Pizza — Free pizza buffet with military ID. Cracker Barrel — Free slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake to all dine-in veterans. Denny’s — Build your own Grand Slam breakfast free, 5 a.m.-noon Nov. 10, for former or active duty military. Dunkin Donuts — Free doughnut for active duty and veterans. One per person. Fazoli’s — Free spaghetti with meat sauce or marinara for veterans and active military with coupon. 54th Street Grill — Free meal (up to $12) for veterans. Dine-in only. Firebirds Wood-Fired Grill — Free entree for veteran or active duty personnel when eating with full-price patron. Available for lunch or dinner Friday, Nov. 10. Friendly’s — Free Big-Two-Do breakfast or free burger and fries (lunch and dinner) for veterans and active military. Golden Corral — Free buffet dinner and beverage 5-9 p.m. Nov. 13 for retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserves. Hooters — Veterans and active duty military get a free meal from special menu choices including wings, salad and a burger. Requires a drink purchase. IHOP — Free stack of red, white and blue pancakes 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 10 for
veterans, active duty and retired. Krispy Kreme — Free doughnut and small coffee to active duty and veterans. No ID required. Check local locations. Little Caesars — Free lunch combo 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; includes 4 slices of deep-dish pizza and a beverage. Vets and active duty. Logan’s Roadhouse — Free entree from a select menu. Longhorn Steakhouse — Veterans and current servicemembers receive a free appetizer or dessert from a select menu. Check about the 10 percent discount for “eligible customers.” Macaroni Grill — Free Mom’s ricotta meatballs and spaghetti entrée to vets and active duty. Max & Erma’s — Free cheeseburger, endless fries and beverage for vets and active duty personnel. Mission BBQ — Free sandwich and cake to vets and active duty. O’Charley’s — Vets and active duty get a free meal from the $9.99 menu. Olive Garden — Free meal from limited menu for vets and active duty. Includes unlimited soup or salad, plus breadsticks. On the Border — Free meal from “Create Your Own Combo” meal for veterans and active duty military. Outback Steakhouse — All active and former servicemembers receive a free Bloomin’ Onion and a beverage Nov. 11. Outback is also offering active and former servicemembers 15 percent off their meals Nov. 12-Dec. 31. Peet’s Coffee & Tea — Free small coffee or tea. For troops and vets. Red Hot & Blue — Veterans receive a free entree (up to $10) Nov. 10-11 with the purchase of a second entrée and two beverages.
Red Lobster — Veterans, retired and active-duty military personnel receive a free appetizer or dessert from a limited menu that includes lobster pizza and brownie overload. Red Robin — Free Red’s Tavern double burger with Bottomless Steak Fries for vets and active duty. Ruby Tuesday — Free appetizer (up to $10) for vets, active duty and reserves. Shoney’s — Free all-you-can-eat breakfast to veterans and active duty servicemembers, 6-11 a.m. Sizzler — Active duty and veteran military members get a free meal and beverage from a limited menu through 4 p.m. Starbucks — Free tall coffee to veterans, active duty and military spouses. Texas Roadhouse — Free lunch; hours may vary. Choose from 10 menu options, from pulled pork sandwich to sirloin steak. Offer is good for active duty, retired or former U.S. military. TGI Fridays — Free lunch item (up to $12), 11 a.m.-2 p.m., including the Big Ribs entrée in the half-rack portion. White Castle — Free breakfast combo or Castle combo meal for veterans and military. Wild Wings Cafe — Free meal all day for veterans and active duty personnel. World of Beer — A free beer (or $5 off a check) for veterans and active duty. Check local location. Zoe’s Kitchen — Active duty military and veterans get a free meal. For more information, check out: https://themilitarywallet.com/veterans -day-free-meals-and-discounts/
Destroyer USS Delbert D. Black christened in Miss. BY ERIK SLAVIN Stars and Stripes
The first ship to bear the name of a master chief petty officer of the Navy was christened at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., on Nov. 4. The USS Delbert D. Black will be the 69th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to join the fleet, according to a Navy statement. Ima Black, Delbert Black’s
widow and a World War II Navy veteran, serves as the ship’s sponsor. Delbert Black’s first assignment came in 1941 aboard the USS Maryland at Pearl Harbor, where he witnessed the Japanese attack that drew the U.S. into WWII. In 1967, he became the first master chief petty officer of the Navy, making him the service’s top adviser on matters related to enlisted sailors and their families.
The 9,500-ton warship is capable of speeds in excess of 35 mph, according to the Navy. It was built under the Flight IIA design, which began production in 1994, to include a helicopter hangar and other features meant to aid combat closer to shore. Earlier this year, Huntington Ingalls won a contract to build the first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, which is expected to incorporate better radar and missile-tracking ca-
pabilities. Bath Iron Works in Maine was awarded a contract to build the second Flight III destroyer in September. The Navy must add 23 cruisers and destroyers to its 30-year shipbuilding plan to build and maintain the 355ship fleet model advocated by the Trump administration, according to Congressional Research Service estimates. Previous plans called for 308 ships. The Navy has requested
$3.5 billion this year to buy two destroyers. Some lawmakers have advocated purchasing up to four destroyers this year to save on initial costs, according to a Congressional Research Service report in October. Opponents have argued that buying more destroyers could reduce funding for other Pentagon priorities, the report stated. slavin.erik@stripes.com Twitter:@eslavin_stripes
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Friday, November 10, 2017
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Lawmakers push to end war authorizations BY CLAUDIA GRISALES Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — On the heels of last month’s deadly attack in Niger, several key senators told top administration officials Monday that it’s time for Congress to repeal and replace the president’s longrunning war authorization. The comments were directed at Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis during an extended Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing as traction grows for Congress to repeal the war authorizations. The president’s current war authorizations were issued in 2001 and 2002 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks when the United States went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Less than one-third of the lawmakers in Congress now were involved in those war authorizations, noted a frustrated Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. The effort takes direct aim at President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging freedom to order military strikes in the war against terrorism. “Congress needs to weigh in; we need to make sure our adversaries and our allies and our troops know we speak with one voice,” said Flake, who last week announced he would be leaving his seat in Congress. “We haven’t weighed in; we haven’t said our peace on this. We ought to aspire to be more than a feedback loop.” Concern over the current war authorizations has been debated for years, but it’s reached fever pitch in recent weeks especially in light of the Oct. 4 Niger ambush that left four American soldiers dead. Several House and Senate members have proposed a variety of approaches to developing a new war authorization. Among them, some lawmakers have said it’s time to replace the president’s war authorization with one that has time or geographical limits. The 2001 and 2002 Autho-
JOE G ROMELSKI /Stars and Stripes
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, center, and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, right, pushed back Monday night at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing led by its chairman, Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, left, on suggestions that the president’s war authorization needs to be repealed or curtailed. rizations for Use of Military Force, or AUMFs, gave the president wide-ranging powers to direct the military to fight terrorist groups such as al-Qaida, the Taliban and Islamic State around the world. As a result, the military has since operated in more than a dozen countries, members noted. In May, Flake and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., co-sponsored a bipartisan plan that would replace the current war authorization with a new measure that would end in five years, authorize military engagements against certain terrorist groups and require regular communications from the Pentagon and the president. “The notion of a generations-long war without Congress weighing in is just untenable,” Kaine said following Monday’s hearing. “A fiveyear sunset is not an arbitrary termination of U.S. military action any more than a one-
year (defense budget bill) is an arbitrary termination of U.S. support for the military. We can come back and make sure we are reviewing so this does not remain the forever war that it is now.” The Flake and Kaine proposal is slated to go before the full committee in the next several weeks, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, said following Monday night’s three-hour hearing. “I think the United States Senate has moved closer together on this issue over the last couple of years, rather than farther apart,” Corker said. “So I’m hoping we will be successful.” Tillerson and Mattis pushed back Monday night on suggestions that the president’s war authorization needed to be repealed, or curtailed. They suggested if the current war authorization is repealed, it should be simultaneously
replaced by new powers that aren’t on a timetable or region-specific. Under the Constitution, “Article I gave Congress the right to declare war, Article II, the president to conduct military forces,” Tillerson said. “You can’t fight war by consensus. Someone has to make the hard decisions to win.” Mattis backed up Tillerson’s comments. He also noted American forces were in Niger under Title 10 of the U.S. Code that provides the legal authority for the military to operate on various missions and not the current AUMFs. “The 2001 and 2002 AUMFs should not be repealed,” Mattis said. Repealing the current authorization “could only signal to our enemies and our friends that we are backing away from this fight. It would stall our operations, immediately reduce allied commitments and support, and create significant opportunities
for our enemies to seize the initiative.” During a closed session held last week by the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Niger attack, several members emerged with growing questions, and in some cases surprise, over the extent of the U.S. military presence in Africa. The United States has roughly 6,000 troops stationed in Africa. Sen. John McCain, RAriz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said after last week’s Niger hearing that the incident has given new momentum to a war authorization repeal. “We’ve been talking about it for a couple of years,” he said. “This is the kind of a catalyst for an AUMF.” On Oct. 4, a 40-person patrol that included 12 U.S. soldiers on a mission in Niger came under assault by militants in the southwest region of the country near its border with Mali. The Pentagon has described the potential attackers as a local, self-radicalized group aligned with ISIS. A fight ensued, resulting in the deaths of Army Staff Sgts. Bryan C. Black, Jeremiah W. Johnson and Dustin Wright. Another soldier killed in the attack, Army Sgt. La David Johnson, was found dead after a nearly 48-hour search. They were assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Two other U.S. soldiers were injured in the ambush and five Nigerien troops were killed. An investigation into the attack is underway, and could take 30 days before any findings are released, senators have said. The Niger attack has also highlighted a counterterrorism war that is shifting under loosened rules of engagement as the fight against ISIS shifts to Africa and other countries, defense hawks have said. “There’s no doubt. There’s no doubt,” McCain said. “The threat grows.” grisales.claudia@stripes.com Twitter: @cgrisales
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MILITARY
Review: Can-do culture weakens Navy’s readiness BY WYATT OLSON Stars and Stripes
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii — A couple of decades into his 30-year Navy career, John Cordle took command of the destroyer USS Oscar Austin in 2001. Looking back, Cordle confesses that he felt a need to prove something to his superiors. “This is the job I’ve been training for,” he recalled his mindset being at the time. “There’s six others in the squadron, and I want to be the one who finds a way to ‘yes.’ “I look back at that now and wonder, was that me being a good steward or was that me trying to make myself look good?” In the wake of several highprofile ship disasters this year, a Navy comprehensive review released Nov. 2 takes aim at the consequences of a widespread culture of “getting to yes,” a go-go approach that has left many of the fleet’s forward-deployed ships inadequately maintained and crews overworked, undermanned and short on training. “Interviews revealed that particularly among ships based in Japan, crews perceived their Commanding Officer was unable to say ‘no’ regardless of unit-level consequences,” the review said. “Tight directive control can result in a command climate intolerant of dissenting views or questions that prevents effective teamwork and forceful feedback in planning, preparations, and execution.” The review comes months after 17 sailors were killed in two collisions involving Navy destroyers in the Pacific. In June, the USS Fitzgerald ran into a commercial vessel off Japan, and in August the USS John S. McCain crashed into an oil tanker east of Singapore. Both vessels are part of the 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed ships homeported at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan.
Never-say-no ethos The review makes clear that the never-say-no ethos has been a factor in undermining the Navy’s readiness — particularly the Japan-based fleet — where too few officers with authority in the chain of command have drawn a red line over safety and training concerns. But the Navy also faces other entrenched mores as it attempts to institute a system of “near-misses” reporting for Pacific Fleet ships and continues to grapple with a fleetwide problem of commanders being removed for personal misconduct. “We have a can-do culture,” said Adm. John Richardson, chief of Naval Operations, during a Sept. 19 Senate hearing about the collisions. “That’s what we do. Nobody wants to raise his hand and say, ‘I can’t do the mission.’ But it’s absolutely essential that when those are the facts we enable that report.” Richardson described the pervasive culture of deploying without proper training and certification in the 7th Fleet as “kind of this boiling frog scenario over time,” meaning that problems of a lukewarm level slowly built up into a deadly boil before being fully perceived. But the Navy has long been aware of this particular ethos hamstringing its surface fleet. A scathing 2010 internal Navy report on the surface fleet’s readiness urged officials to counter the “underway at all costs” mentality. The so-called Balisle Report noted that the Navy’s decadelong policy of seeking greater efficiency — primarily through rejiggering maintenance and manning schemes — had “served to steadily reinforce the notion that less readiness is acceptable.” “From the most senior officers to the most junior petty officer the culture reveals itself in personal attitudes
running from resignation to frustration to toleration,” the report said. “While the severity of current culture climate may be debated, its decline cannot. If left unchecked, a declining culture can only generate a worsening level of surface force readiness.” Even stretched as it has been, the Navy meets fewer than half the deployments requested by combatant commanders, Richardson said. “The hard part is that the demand is not going to go away,” Cordle said. “But I’m not convinced that the Navy would be as averse to someone saying we can’t do something as we sort of assume,” he said. “The signal is out there now that that’s an acceptable path, but it was an expectation — spoken or unspoken — that was there in the past.” On the other hand, wars and battles have been won by people taking on an impossible situation and making the best of it, he said. “So you have to be careful not to squash that initiative and that warfighting.”
Changing attitudes One way forward would be to begin rewarding officers for prudent decisions in putting the brakes on deployments of ill-prepared surface ships, said Bryan Clark, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington and a former strategic planner for the Navy. “Right now what happens is decisions on whether to say no to a particular deployment generally rise all the way to the level of the chief of naval operations,” Clark said. “Because people don’t want to go and tell CNO, ‘Hey, I can’t do this,’ below that level the can-do attitude sort of persists,” he said. Such decisions should perhaps be pushed down to the fleet forces command level where an officer has enough
C OSMO WALRATH /Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
A sailor communicates with watch standers from the bridge of the USS Bonhomme Richard as the amphibious assault ship arrives at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, in September. seniority to be able to stand up and say no but is still close enough to a readiness problem to directly understand it, he said. Today’s admirals are generally removed from the realities of ship conditions as compared with previous generations, said Capt. Michael Junge, a military professor at the U.S. Naval War College. “Once upon a time, flag officers, even fleet commanders and CNOs, spent time underway traveling from place to place,” he said. Now they spend more time, especially at the three- and four-star level, in private jets and talking to large groups from a dais, he said. “Too many of them think the Navy is what they experienced as they moved up the ranks,” he said. The Navy’s comprehensive review does not directly address the issue of the motivations by officers to garner promotions and protect careers through overzealous can-do actions. It instead emphasizes the need to recognize crew fatigue, recommending implementa-
tion of a management plan that “considers human factors and delineates operational restrictions to include ‘Go-No-Go’ criteria for hours on task, and task limitations.” It also recommends the establishment of a near-miss reporting system across the surface fleet, which had already been implemented in September for the Pacific Fleet with the goal of creating a “culture of critical self-assessment.” Some observers think the Navy faces an uphill battle in changing attitudes around the reporting of near-misses with ships and other close calls, such as groundings. “I think every surface officer has a collection of close calls where it very easily could have been them on the Fitzgerald or the McCain getting T-boned by a big merchant ship,” said Steven Stashwick, a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve who spent a decade as a surface warfare officer before leaving active duty in 2015. SEE PAGE 14
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MILITARY
US base opening in Niger delayed
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“Everyone has those stories, but they aren’t discussed,” he said. “That can contribute to an artificial sense of what the fleet’s overall proficiency really is because you don’t know about the near-misses.” It remains to be seen, however, “how eager captains are really going to be to self-report a bunch of near-misses,” he said. “Because it’s something their boss is going to hear, and inevitably that sort of thing is going to have an impact on their professional evaluation. That’s the piece I’m not quite sure how you’ll overcome.” “In theory it’s a great idea, but in practice it’s probably infeasible,” said Jan van Tol, who retired as a captain from the Navy in 2007 after a career that included command of three warships. “Basically what it means is putting yourself on report, and the definition of ‘near-miss’ is very fuzzy.”
Ethical standards The Navy has also struggled for years to curb an epidemic of misconduct by ship commanders. In a 2012 analysis in the Naval War College Review, Capt. Mark Light described the “worrisome” number of dismissals of commanding officers over the previous decade — 42 from 2002 through 2010 — due to personal misconduct such as sexual harassment, drunkenness and fraternization. “The excessive (and increasing) number of COs fired for personal misconduct is symptomatic of cultural issues within the Navy and of a confusing ethical context in society, combined with a
BY JOHN VANDIVER Stars and Stripes
D EVIN L ANGER /Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
A sailor on the USS Makin relays information to bridge watch standers as the amphibious assault ship arrives in Hong Kong for a scheduled port visit in April. failure to set effectively and uphold an ethical standard within the service,” wrote Light, then a faculty member at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. The Navy has since then taken steps to head off such misconduct, including screening of potential commanding officers by an administrative board and greater scrutiny of Command Climate Assessments, annual surveys that give subordinates a chance to weigh in on CO performance. A 2015 follow-up analysis in the same publication tallied 27 commanding officers fired for personal misconduct from 2011 to 2013. The “Fat Leonard” scandal, however, has eclipsed the problem of skipper misconduct in the past four years, with eight Navy officers — including a rear admiral — indicted in March, four admirals disciplined by the Navy and others still under investigation. The officers all took part in a scheme by “Fat” Leonard
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Glenn Francis, a Malaysian who provided money, luxury items and prostitutes to Navy personnel in return for classified information about movement of ships and submarines in Southeast Asia, which he used to defraud the U.S. government. “There’s no way you could have as much churn as Fat Leonard caused in the last few years in 7th Fleet and have it not impact what’s been going on. You just can’t separate it,” Junge said. Clark isn’t convinced of that because most of those caught up in the scandal are logistics and staff personnel or very senior officers who aren’t the likely pool from which the next generation of executive and commanding officers would be drawn. “I don’t think it had a big enough impact to have contributed significantly to readiness problems in the Pacific Fleet,” Clark said. olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson
This publication is a compilation of stories from Stars and Stripes, the editorially independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense for members of the military community. The contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Defense Department or the military services. The U.S. Edition of Stars and Stripes is published jointly by Stars and Stripes and this newspaper. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DOD or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
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U.S. operations at a new base in Niger will be delayed a year as work crews battle dust storms and logistical obstacles to complete one of the Air Force’s largest troop labor projects in history, military officials said. U.S. Africa Command initially expected to finish upgrading the facility in Agadez this year, but operating in the rugged and isolated terrain of central Niger has proved challenging. “Estimated completion is 2018 due to logistical challenges with constructing an air base in the Sahel desert,” said Samantha Reho, an AFRICOM spokeswoman. The site that will host U.S. forces, known as Air Base 201, is technically a Nigerien outpost, but the U.S. is spending $100 million to overhaul it. A flight line is under construction, along with living quarters and mission support buildings. “We’re in the very early stages right now of establishing a presence in the area, but one day this once empty desert will be a fully functioning flight line,” said 1st Lt. Danielle Tabb, a civil engineer on the Agadez project. The base, now expected to open in mid-to-late 2018, will eventually be a hub for U.S. surveillance operations in the region. It may also serve as a base for armed drone strikes if U.S. and Niger authorities reach an agreement to allow such flights. Since the Oct. 4 ambush in Niger that left four soldiers dead, politicians and military officials have questioned whether more air and other support is needed for troops patrolling territory where numerous violent extremist groups are active. AFRICOM wouldn’t confirm whether it was in talks to arm its unmanned aircraft operating out of Niger. But CNN and other news media, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that talks between the
‘ We deal with
anything from daily temperatures over 100 degrees, long shipping times for supplies, little to no infrastructure nearby, malaria, etc.
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Maj. Carsten Stahr 724th EABS director of operations
U.S. and Niger about conducting armed flights have taken on a sense of urgency. During the Oct. 4 attack on a 12-man U.S. special operations team on patrol with Nigerien forces, an unarmed U.S. surveillance drone was on the scene within minutes after being called for support, military officials have said. Two hours after the attack, French aircraft also were on the scene, but they did not fire because it was difficult to distinguish targets. Work at the base in Agadez is being overseen by the 724th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron, which also has the support of Navy Seabees and Army military police. The effort is “projected to be the biggest military labor troop project in U.S. Air Force history,” the Air Force said in a recent statement. The crews have faced numerous obstacles in building up a base under austere conditions. “Logistics are the biggest challenges by far,” said Maj. Carsten Stahr, 724th EABS director of operations, in a statement. “We’re in the Sahel, so we deal with anything from daily temperatures over 100 degrees, long shipping times for supplies, little to no infrastructure nearby, malaria, etc.” The U.S. has 800 troops operating in Niger, making the country host to the secondlargest contingent of forces in Africa. vandiver.john@stripes.com Twitter: @john_vandiver
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Fri Nov 10
10am Walk 2 Remember
AU’s Summerville Campus Augusta University hosting 24-hour walkathon to honor nation’s veterans, starting at 10 a.m. Friday and ending at 10 a.m. Saturday. $25, adults; $15, students. Call 706-729-2255 or email mvs@augusta.edu.
11am - 5pm Holiday Market
Columbia County Exhibition Center, Grovetown A Junior League of Augusta event that includes vendors, a community stage with local entertainment and photos with Santa. Continues 10 a.m.6 p.m. Nov. 11 and 11 a.m.-4 p. m. Nov. 12. General admission tickets, $10, daily; $35, photos with Santa. Free for children 12 and under. Call 706-7360033 or visit jlaugusta.org.
Sat Nov 11
9am - 3pm CanalFEST
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area Free festival includes 5k/Fun Run, guided bike rides, fly fishing, kayak fly fishing, archery, food trucks, live music and entertainment and more. VIP tickets are $45 and include reserved parking, free food and beer and no fees for any activities including canal boat tours and foot
Friday, November 10, 2017
races. Proceeds support projects in the Augusta Canal NHA. Visit augustacanal.com/festival or call 706-823-0440.
2pm - 10pm Veterans Day Tribute Concert
Evans Towne Center Park Inaugural tribute concert featuring Shooter Jennings, Beth Spangler, Johnny Rodriguez, Rachel Lynn and Jordan Brower. $27-$40; free, kids 12 and under. Visit freshtix.com or buy tickets at any Security Federal Bank. Visit evanstownecenterpark.com or call 706-650-5005.
Tue Nov 14
7:30pm Kicks 99 Guitar Pull
James Brown Arena 19th annual Kicks 99 Guitar Pull lineup includes Darius Rucker, Jake Owen, Randy Houser, Lee Brice, Brett Young, and Big & Rich. Tickets are sold out, but there are still some ticket stops across the area. Call 706-722-3521, 706-396-7000 or visit kicks99.com.
Thu Nov 16
7:30pm Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Bell Auditorium $60-$81. Call 877-4AUGTIX or visit georgialinatix.com.
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