(Cross-posted at Wasatchwatcher.com)
As we observe another day of remembrance for those who've fallen in service to this country, we should also think of those still working hard in our military. Having served in the Coast Guard for nearly ten years, I continue to be deeply concerned for the well being of those still serving. Two years ago I wrote about the deplorable conditions of the fifth and smallest armed service. Now after two years, I'm sorry to say, things have not changed much. (Thanks to my good friend Marshall for cross-posting)
New vessels are in production and planning, so there's light at the end of the tunnel. But that tunnel seems pretty damn long to the crews of some of these worn-out units still trying to get the job done while battling major maintenance set backs and safety concerns.
More over the fold...
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen testified before congress in April regarding budget requirements, and his testimony painted a grim picture of some of the massive challenges facing our Coast Guard due to its degraded and antiquated fleet. (Full statement in PDF can be found here.)
"The reason we’re able to operate these ships today, as they are, is because of the quality of the crews," Allen told Navy Times. "You could make the case that the crews don’t deserve the quality of the ships."
The Alameda, Calif.-based cutter Boutwell, which deployed in January along with a Navy amphibious group, was sidelined for three weeks in Bahrain in early April after an engine-room fire destroyed one of its gas turbines. The Coast Guard had to fly out a new engine and a team of engineers to make the repairs, Allen said.
Engine-room fires have become a grim routine for the three- and four-decade-old 378s, which have churned their power plants and endured battering seas much longer than their designers intended. There were 18 engine-room fires aboard 378s last year, according to Allen’s testimony, and there already have been seven this year.
Corrosion and fatigue also have plagued several cutters. Two — Dallas and Gallatin — had such severe structural problems that they were taken out of service for repairs in Charleston, S.C. And Allen showed lawmakers a photograph taken aboard the cutter Jarvis in which daylight shone clearly through rust holes in the ship’s hull.
Even small engine room fires can be catastrophic, and they were quite rare when I was in the service. Having eighteen in one year aboard just one class of ship is inexcusable. It illustrates how badly these run-down vessels need to be removed from service before some one gets injured or killed. As for rust holes... my Commanding Officer repeatedly punched his finger through the hull along the water-line of the 110 foot patrol boat I was serving aboard back in 2001 after a two month dry-dock overhaul. These problems have been going on for years, and it's going to take years to replace these ships and aircraft.
Please take time to remember those lost in service to our country today, but also those who still serve under very difficult conditions not just in the Coast Guard. Let us all hope that one day they can serve knowing that the technology and equipment they are given is equal to their, and their family's daily sacrafices.
Semper Paratus.