[Jrock645]

I came very close to joining the Marines out of high school. My mom’s dad lived next door to me growing up and practically raised me, though I had my dad too. But grandpa did 4 tours in Vietnam as a USMC Captain leading artillery units. True American badass, gentlest human being I’ve ever been around.

I was talking to a recruiter my senior year of HS, but things were starting up in Iraq and being an only child and mom’s dad went to Vietnam 4 times… I just couldn’t do it to my mom.

It’s still the only other thing I’d want to do if I wasn’t doing what I’m doing now.

[IanMan]

So glad to be out of the Navy. I did 11 years as a Corpsman. Got out because of politics and shitty leadership. Will be back as a Nurse Corps Officer if the Navy ever gets their shit together.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by IanMan

So glad to be out of the Navy. I did 11 years as a Corpsman. Got out because of politics and shitty leadership. Will be back as a Nurse Corps Officer if the Navy ever gets their shit together.

But aren't there age limits to get a commission? I think the medical field is a bit more lenient but you might run out of time; anyway, how would you know that the Navy was fixed?

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by IanMan

So glad to be out of the Navy. I did 11 years as a Corpsman. Got out because of politics and shitty leadership. Will be back as a Nurse Corps Officer if the Navy ever gets their shit together.

man, you didnt like then, you'll hate it now.

[3798j]

.

[IanMan]

Originally Posted by Llarry

But aren't there age limits to get a commission? I thin the medical field is a bit more lenient but you might run out of time; anyway, how would you know that the Navy was fixed?

Lol. Not for the medical field. I'm also 32. I've had 60 something year old direct commission officers get attached to me. Also, just to clarify, I'd only go back in the reserves.

I keep close tabs on how things are going, lol.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

man, you didnt like then, you'll hate it now.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by IanMan

Lol. Not for the medical field. I'm also 32. I've had 60 something year old direct commission officers get attached to me. Also, just to clarify, I'd only go back in the reserves.

I keep close tabs on how things are going, lol.

There are all kinds of waivers for critical fields. I believe the law states for routine commissions that you must be able to complete 20 years of commissioned service prior to your 55th birthday. Obviously this means you need to put on your butter bars before your 35th. A lot of accession programs want you to be commissioned even younger. I had to be commissioned prior to my 31st birthday for OCS (I was 30 years 4 months). But even with OCS you could request a waiver and typically got it especially if you were prior enlisted. But as you implied, medical field or attorneys etc can get a pass.

[Llarry]

Finally -- almost six years after commissioning -- the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) has started a deployment, departing Norfolk. It's been a long road with all sorts of problems with the new catapults and arresting gear, etc.

The Ford is the first of a new class of aircraft carriers and will be followed by:
John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) - to commission in 2024
Enterprise (CVN 80) - to commission in 2028
Doris Miller (CVN 81) - to commission in 2032
(Not yet named) (CVN 82) - to commission in 2034

These new carriers will allow the retirement of the Nimitz class carriers to begin.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Llarry

These new carriers will allow the retirement of the Nimitz class carriers to begin.

The Nimitz class are projected for a 50-year lifespan. Here are the completion dates for the whole class of ten carriers:
CVN 68 Nimitz 1975
CVN 69 Ike 1977
CVN 70 Vinson 1982
CVN 71 T. Roosevelt 1986
CVN 72 Lincoln 1989
CVN 73 Washington 1992
CVN 74 Stennis 1995
CVN 75 Truman 1998
CVN 76 Reagan 2003
CVN 77 Bush 2009

And now I hear the Nimitz may do one more deployment and retire in 2006; 51 years of service.

[3798j]

.

[Llarry]

And there was another side paddle-wheel training carrier used on the Great Lakes for carrier training: The USS Wolverine (IX 64)

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by Llarry

And there was another paddle-wheel training carrier used on the Great Lakes for carrier training: The USS Wolverine (IX 64)

What aircraft what used in those days?

[c1pher]

I can't wait for those Avenger style aircraft carriers to become reality.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

What aircraft what used in those days?

Fighters: F4F & FM Wildcat, probably F6F Hellcat
Dive Bombers: SBD Dauntless, probably SB2C Helldiver
Torpedo Bombers: TBF & TBM Avengers
Trainer with tailhook: SNJ Texan

[ricardofors68]

My goodness, havent we moved up since those days? Thanks.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

My goodness, havent we moved up since those days? Thanks.

We sure have!

[Llarry]

Back in the 1970s we used to joke that we were members of the "second-largest nuclear navy in the world" (referring to the Soviet Navy and its impressive inventory of nuclear submarines.)

Well, now the U.S. Navy is the second-largest navy in the world, with China having more surface combatants and more total warships. The U.S. Navy is still #1 in aircraft carriers and has far more nuclear submarines; China has fewer than 20 SSBNs/SSNs and 55 or so Diesel-electric subs, although apparently some have air-independent propulsion systems.

I'm no expert on ship design or engineering, but if you ask me, the U.S. Navy should build a modest number of advanced conventional (non-nuclear) submarines. Not to deploy worldwide like the SSNs, but to train the fleet in ASW against the type and perhaps operate in the eastern Pacific or the western Atlantic.

The attached is pretty dry reading, but summarizes the situation on the USN versus the Chinese Navy.

[Llarry]

Related to the growth of Chinese naval power is the recent news that the Navy is buying a new class of ocean surveillance ships.

There are five T-AGOS ships in service now, all homeported in Japan and no doubt keeping tabs on the increased Chinese submarine activity in the Pacific. The four oldest are 30 years or so old and the newest is 22 years old, so it's time to think about replacing them.

These are interesting ships of SWATH design with twin submarine-like hulls, made for stability in rough seas. They tow very long (well over a mile) cables with sonar arrays on the end and can detect sonar targets at very long range. The five existing ships are 3,500 tons full load (the four oldest) or 5,400 tons (the newer one.) They have no helo pad for MEDEVAC or the like.

The new design is not finalized but will likely be considerably larger (8.500 tons full load?) and have a helo pad. The preliminary specs I've seen also indicate a greater speed, although they typically tow at fairly low speeds. They are Military Sealift Command civilian-manned but with a Navy det aboard (sonar techs, I'd guess).

The Chinese have harassed them when they've been cruising 50+ miles off the Chinese coast, so larger size and more speed might come in handy in the event of trouble.

[c1pher]

My brother is a USNR officer and showed me a vendor on Etsy who sells Navy ball caps for many units. I just bought one from each of the subs I was on. Very nice quality and velcro in the back for adjusting. I don’t get anything out of it, just sharing in case anyone else would like.

The seller is retired Senior Chief and even hand wrote a note, thanking me for my business.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/FootlooseU...about-shopname

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Related to the growth of Chinese naval power is the recent news that the Navy is buying a new class of ocean surveillance ships.

There are five T-AGOS ships in service now, all homeported in Japan and no doubt keeping tabs on the increased Chinese submarine activity in the Pacific. The four oldest are 30 years or so old and the newest is 22 years old, so it's time to think about replacing them.

These are interesting ships of SWATH design with twin submarine-like hulls, made for stability in rough seas. They tow very long (well over a mile) cables with sonar arrays on the end and can detect sonar targets at very long range. The five existing ships are 3,500 tons full load (the four oldest) or 5,400 tons (the newer one.) They have no helo pad for MEDEVAC or the like.

The new design is not finalized but will likely be considerably larger (8.500 tons full load?) and have a helo pad. The preliminary specs I've seen also indicate a greater speed, although they typically tow at fairly low speeds. They are Military Sealift Command civilian-manned but with a Navy det aboard (sonar techs, I'd guess).

The Chinese have harassed them when they've been cruising 50+ miles off the Chinese coast, so larger size and more speed might come in handy in the event of trouble.

The Spruance class destroyer I served on was about 9800 tons so it’s just a tad smaller.

[Llarry]

When the UK battle cruiser HMS Hood fought the German battleship Bismarck in May of 1941, the Hood blew up catastrophically and sank; of her 1,418 crew, only three survived. An investigation concluded that the Hood's after magazine had blown up, although there is some question about whether it was a German shell or a turret explosion.