‘Cannon Mentality’ in Today’s High-Tech Navy

This is a letter I should have written nine years ago when leaving the Navy, unfortunately (and before the Stark) no one would have cared then.

In 1974 I graduated from 60 weeks of naval technical training on surface-to-air missile systems and was assigned to the USS Oklahoma City. Upon arrival in the fleet I found my technical skills to be of little value. Specifically, a “cannon mentality” prevailed with the brass who have no understanding of the requirements to maintain a modern weapons systems.

Neither were they inclined to listen to the enlisted technicians who could have explained it to them. I found that the most important function that the weapons team members served would be as maintenance workers who kept the equipment freshly painted and clean in between shoeshines, haircuts, and personnel inspections. For the most part we were highly overtrained for the work we were required to do.

I was further amazed to learn that the missile system was “down” for parts when the ship got under way and that this was the norm. While I wasn’t privy to the daily reports to the Pentagon about the ship’s operability status I do know that we were rarely allowed to use the supply priority code that would have indicated the weapons system was inoperable. That the frigate Stark daily reported system operability is a given; the truth, however, was proven by Exocet missile.

The recent events in the Persian Gulf are a surprise perhaps only to the Soviets and the American public because the Stark was so easy a target. As a veteran of five years in the fleet, I wasn’t surprised in the least.

Lack of clarity regarding the Navy’s mission in the Persian Gulf is beside the point. Ask any Navy weaponeer about this and he’ll tell you that under any circumstance the Stark would have been unable to defend itself. This is primarily because the Navy regards its mission as showing the flag on show boats. When the Navy finally recognizes the importance of the enlisted technician and upgrades his function over that of a painter and a show sailor then the ships will be able to defend themselves.

We all know that a ship can’t leave port if the propulsion system doesn’t work. However, a ship shouldn’t be allowed to leave port if the weapons systems don’t work. It is my opinion that if the President were to make this a command that 80% of the fleet would be stuck in port for weeks.

In today’s technological environment the Navy has no other choice if it wishes to avoid future Starks. The saying that “A sailor’s military duties come before his professional duties” is obsolete because a show boat with a neglected weapons system is of no value to anyone. Excepting to those who wish to shoot at it.

SAMUEL T. ROBINSON

Ontario

Robinson is a former Fire Control Technician 1st Class.