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2017-07-14 Home Front: WoT

How Navy culture may have caused the Fitzgerald disaster - Standing orders

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Posted by Frank G 2017-07-14 00:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 When they don't change their pace or pay attention to warning lights, pedestrians in the crosswalk get hit by ambulances.

Posted by Skidmark 2017-07-14 00:15|| 2017-07-14 00:15|| Front Page Top

#2 It is infested with pirates and criss-crossed by thousands of fishing boats every day.

I used to have an office overlooking the Singapore Strait. The big ships keep to their channel and spacing, and it's up to the small boats to avoid them. Plenty of smaller boats. Not too many pirates though.

One or both ships weren't where they were supposed to be.

Posted by phil_b 2017-07-14 03:02|| 2017-07-14 03:02|| Front Page Top

#3 Sounds like the Peleton of the Tour de France heading into and through one of the small towns for the finish.

Posted by AlanC 2017-07-14 07:57|| 2017-07-14 07:57|| Front Page Top

#4 If the problem truly is bad they should set up sea traffic controllers (like air traffic controllers) to monitor and give commands to ships to avoid collisions in these congested areas.

I suspect the problem is exaggerated in the article though as we actually don't hear about collisions all that often despite the crowded conditions so I suspect something else was in play. Perhaps a discussion about missing strawberries or something.

Posted by rjschwarz 2017-07-14 10:34|| 2017-07-14 10:34|| Front Page Top

#5 There are specific rules of the road designed to prevent collisions at sea. The have been in place in their present form since I was on active duty in 1972. They're not perfect, but cover a wide variety of situations - open water, restricted waters, sailboats vs. power vessels, ships broken down in a channel, what to do if the other ship isn't following the rules. Etc.

In almost every collision, a board of inquiry is called to determine fault.

In the US Navy, no matter what the board determines, the CO's career is effectively over. If the board finds that the CO is at fault, even indirectly, it is definitely over.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2017-07-14 11:07|| 2017-07-14 11:07|| Front Page Top

#6 The Captain was immediately removed to controlled medical confinement for his injuries. Now he's been relieved, for treatment(Detox?).

Who was the OD and what was he doing?

Posted by Zebulon Bonaparte8226 2017-07-14 14:16|| 2017-07-14 14:16|| Front Page Top

#7 ZB, the OOD, JOOD (if they still have those), CIC Watch Officer, lookout(s) are probably all in trouble.

The CO is ultimately responsible.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2017-07-14 14:23|| 2017-07-14 14:23|| Front Page Top

#8 Blame the play not the hand if you're dealt bad cards.

Posted by Skidmark 2017-07-14 14:31|| 2017-07-14 14:31|| Front Page Top

#9 Interesting article. Something I didn't know:

The Fitzgerald, an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer, even when going at flank speed can stop dead in the water inside of her own length, 505 feet

Posted by SteveS 2017-07-14 15:35|| 2017-07-14 15:35|| Front Page Top

#10 The Fitzgerald, an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer, even when going at flank speed can stop dead in the water inside of her own length, 505 feet
*Wow*, the sounds the propellers and engine plant must make when they go from Ahead/FULL to Reverse/Emergency must be amazing, as in passive Sonar can hear you in the next ocean amazing. Also there is Yard time in your near future...

Posted by magpie 2017-07-14 16:00|| 2017-07-14 16:00|| Front Page Top

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