On a different subject: I think perhaps the phrase "one crew, one screw" is used too much. To preface this post, I am not impartial on this subject, much of what I discuss frustrates me greatly, and I am seeking a bit of perspective on it from those who have a better perspective than I.
Anyway, it seems to me that many people do not get out of the Navy because they don't like nuclear power, or because they don't like going underway, but because it is somehow one of the most frustrating experiences they encounter in their life (to that point at least). I am not referring to the host of work controls and procedures, they have their place, but to the inane and ridiculous things commands do to solve perceived problems.
Examples:
1. One day the squadron's shipyard representative and the COB were touring through berthing and they lifted a rack pan and a found partially crushed soda can someone had used as a spitter. I agree that is disgusting and wrong, and the responsible party should be punished appropriately. However, I do not believe the whole crew was responsible, or that the command response was appropriate (ban cans and dip, whole crew field day aft berthing at 1830) and productive for a boat trying to come out of overhaul.
2. The day before Thanksgiving much of the crew spent the morning and early afternoon without any real guidance on what to do to get out, the command had put a ban on PMS greater than weekly so nothing would break before fast cruise/sea trials, so most divisions did not have much work to do. Round 1500 we were mustered topside and given a sizable list of things to finish before anyone could go home. We ended up finishing the work day around 1800, but we could have been done by 1500 if the command, who knew what needed to be done, had put it out to people at morning quarters.
3. Another time the command decided to ban all portable electronics that play music. The reasoning, as near as I can determine is as follows: We caught an electrician charging an Ipod in maneuvering, he refused to surrender the Ipod to the Eng (problem). Electrician relieved from watchstanding pending punishment (immediate corrective action). Why was Ipod being charged in maneuvering? Because there are no power strips in berthing, so he can't charge it in his rack, and there is some turd who likes to burgle people on board until he's caught and TDU'd. Possible solutions: Put power strips in berthing and try to find the thief, or ban electronics. Solution: Ban electronics, mast electrician for article 92 (failure to obey lawful order), EMI for other maneuvering area watchstanders.
I stopped at three, but could go on. The point is, many times the problem is isolated to an individual, or a small group, or no one, but everyone suffers for it. I think the "one crew, one screw," "the shaft's back aft" mentality is highly detrimental to the Navy, in retention and moral. I remember being in three section shiftwork and the cook's were supposed to feed us after our shift, but when we'd get up to crew's mess at the same time every day there'd be no food, and they'd have some lame excuse. Once they tried to tell the swing shift that they should come in an hour and a half early for an eleven hour shift if they wanted food. Now, counter that with the cone doing attack centers and training up in control. They can't get people on station, can't run scenarios on time so we shift lunch from 1100 to 1200 at around 1030 that morning to accommodate them, instead of saving plates because they can't do their jobs right. Nukes get off a long shift and get no food, are unable to eat during because everyone is on watch, that's too bad.
Anyway, I know that sometimes it is just an individual who sucks, but after seeing a full command change out and the same crap continue, I'm beginning to think its a problem inherent in the Navy's way of thinking. I wish I had some solution, some brilliant philosophical or practical insight I could contribute, but I don't. Instead all I have to say is that there are a few things which seem very important: planning, execution, delegation, perspective, moderation. Planning not just the overall ship's schedule, but also the day's work. I have seen failure to plan/poor planning coupled with stubbornness on command level, department level, and divisional level, and questioning the plan seems to always be treated as heresy. Execution and delegation seem to fail simultaneously. When there is a plan it goes like this: item X will happen, then we can do Y, which allows Z, go. Then nothing happens because no one was delegated to execute the plan. Perspective and moderation also go hand in hand. So often the command seems to respond in a knee jerk, choosing a poor response to a perceived crisis that was only a problem, then, unwilling to retract their knee jerk (for fear of undermining command authority?) they keep on their flawed path, to the frustration of all. So perspective seems needed in making decisions, or at least a couple deep breaths, and a sense of moderation, rather than rushing to an extreme (this is now banned because we found one where it shouldn't be) immediately.
That's my thoughts, I know from where I am I don't always see things the way they actually are, but perception is reality (man, are the people in charge fond of quoting that one), so for me that is reality. I find it disturbing that as nukes we are trained to know the why, to always analyze trends, to do all this critical thinking about the plant. They train us for it, then when we use that training to examine command decisions, they suddenly want us to just accept it and do as we're told. I know its a military way of thinking, but a military way of thinking was also once "let's line up in a large field across from each other and shoot each other, then we can charge and get some good hand to hand combat in." Different situations call for different solutions. Finally, someone can only be told what is effectively "we own you, so do what you're told or else" before they realize they're only owned for X amount of time longer and decide not to make that time any longer.
