By Rick Maze, Navy Times, April 28, 2010

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., is pressing the Defense Department for justification of why the military has so many flag and general officers, and he also wants to know why the military is paying salary and tuition assistance to officers on loan to some Washington, D.C., think tanks.

The requests for information from Webb, a Marine veteran and former Defense Department official who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services personnel subcommittee, appear remarkably similar to the efforts of another military veteran, former Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, who once headed the same subcommittee.

Glenn, a retired Marine and former astronaut who headed what was then called the military personnel subcommittee from 1987 to 1994, launched an overhaul of flag and general officer policy after he began asking why the number of senior officers was not dropped at the same rate as the size of the force in the post-Cold War drawdown. Glenn also forced changes in the military’s fellowship program, which basically loaned military officers and civilians to members of Congress to be staffers.

Webb said Wednesday that he is just asking questions at this point.

In the case of flag and general officers, Webb said he wants an explanation why the number of senior officers continues to grow. He has not concluded there are too many, but is asking why there are so many, and what exactly they are all doing. Those kinds of questions began Glenn’s multi-year push to reduce the number of admirals and generals, which he based on the officer-to-enlisted ratio and termed “brass creep.”

Defense Department statistics show there were 38 four-stars, 149 three-stars, 299 two-stars and 464 one-stars on active duty at the end of March.

Webb also said he is not happy to have learned that there are officers taking part in fellowships at advocacy think tanks in the Washington, D.C., area, receiving full military pay and benefits, while the government is paying tuition to the think tanks. He has been trying for months to get details from the Defense Department about the number of officers involved, and an explanation of how the fellowships benefit the military more than the think tanks, but he said he has received only a small amount of information that did not answer his questions.

He warned that he might resort to holding up all Defense Department civilian nominations if he does not get the requested information. “The Department of Defense invented computer technology and the internet, despite what some other people might claim. This kind of information should not take three months to get. I should not be put in a situation where I have to put a hold on nominations to get it,” he said.

Matt Gurney: South Korea Plays Pretend On North Korean Submarine Attack

By Matt Gurney, National Post (United Kingdom), April 26, 2010

Well, now it's...er...semi-official. South Korea's Minister of Defence has released the preliminary findings of the investigation into the cause of an explosion aboard one of its warships, the Cheonan, which blew up and sank last month, taking 46 sailors with it. A "jet bubble" was formed directly underneath the ship, breaking the keel and causing the vessel to sink rapidly in two sections.

According to unnamed South Korean military sources, the cause of the "bubble jet", which is a fancy term for what can be more colloquially described as a really big explosion under water, was likely an attack: "North Korean submarines are all armed with heavy torpedoes with 200 kg (441 lb) warheads. It is the military intelligence's assessment that the North attacked with a heavy torpedo." (In an interesting but as-yet-unexplained wrinkle, news reports also state that this conclusion was reached jointly by the United States and South Korea very soon after the attack, but it was decided to raise the wreck and visually inspect it before announcing anything.)

Obviously, when dealing with a blown up warship, taking the extra time to make sure you got the cause right is a good idea (USS Maine, anyone?) But in the case of the Cheonan, this wasn't that hard to figure out. A warship patrolling waters near the nautical border with North Korea exploded and sank for no apparent reason, so quickly that many of the men aboard were in the water struggling to stay afloat before they'd begun to realize what had happened. It seems pretty clear the paranoid lunatic asylum that is the North Korean regime may have had something to do with this.

The South Korean government is well aware of this, but has thus far said ... not a whole a lot. As stated above, the Defence Minister has admitted that an underwater explosion of the kind that a North Korean heavy torpedo would create sank the ship. Accidental collision or an internal accident have been ruled out. But nothing more has been said.

It's not surprising. South Korea does not want a war with the North. It would probably win such a war (assuming North Korea didn't use atomic weapons, which is possible but for various technical reasons somewhat unlikely). But the South has no appetite for war that would run the risk of a massive artillery bombardment of Seoul. Even if the South emerged with a victory, it would suddenly find itself responsible for the feeding and re-education of millions of people who have lived their lives in a closed, dustpan society that is probably the closest real-life equivalent of George Orwell's nightmarish world of 1984.

Lousy deal for the South Koreans, no matter how you figure it. Get nuked, endure bombardment or get stuck with the Asian equivalent of East Germany to feed, house and clothe.

So they'll go with Door #4: Ignore the obvious, pretend they can't be sure it was North Korea and hope like hell that ignoring a wanton, unprovoked attack doesn't encourage the maniacs running North Korea to try something even more provocative. It's a logical policy, maybe even the right one. But the families of the 46 dead sailors probably won't see

No Butts About It: Navy Smoking Ban On Submarines Forcing Thousands Of Sailors To Kick Habit

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press, April 28, 2010

KINGS BAY NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, Ga. (AP) — Aboard the submarine USS Florida, there's no e-mail or phone, no breaks for sunshine or fresh air. For many Navy sailors serving 90-day tours in cramped quarters underwater, one of the few creature comforts has been smoke breaks below decks around a butt bucket in the machine room.

By New Year's Eve, sailors will have to kick the habit.

In early April, the Navy ordered its fleet of 71 submarines to snuff out smoking onboard by the end of 2010 — closing one of the last loopholes in an indoor smoking ban the U.S. military imposed in 1994.

The change means an estimated 5,200 smokers in the submarine fleet will have to pretty much quit a habit that for some is a pack a day, while for others is an occasional cigar. Those who need to stop expect a rough maiden voyage.

"You're going to have some very, very disgruntled sailors," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Cedric Dickinson, a cook aboard the Florida who's already cutting back from a pack-a-day to four cigarettes. "You don't have much to look forward to under way. Everyone's going to be on edge."

The pending smoking ban was announced 16 years after the military extinguished tobacco smoke in most other indoor areas, from base office buildings to Air Force hangars, Army tanks and below decks on Navy surface ships.

The Navy made an exception for submarines. Sailors spend up to three months on undersea patrols without shore leave or even surfacing for sunlight.

Privacy is minimal and space so limited that sailors wait in line for showers, a seat in the mess hall for meals and cigarette breaks. On the Florida, only three sailors at a time can light up while other smokers wait their turn.

If the Navy has its way, another potentially stressful change will be coming soon — integrating the first women into the U.S. submarine force. Top Navy officials began pushing to end the men-only policy last fall and are expected as soon as this week to lay out a plan for ushering female sailors aboard.

"Once you lock these sailors into a submarine, the stress level is incredible," said Master Chief Petty Officer Randy Huckaba, the top enlisted sailor for one of the Florida's two crews, who estimates a third of the 160-man crew smokes. "There are times when the only release is to smoke a cigarette or go listen to music."

For years the Navy assumed that, aside from smoke wafting around a sub's designated smoke pit, secondhand smoke was scrubbed from the air by the same filters that remove fumes from cooking and cleaning chemicals.

However, a 2009 Navy study showed otherwise. The Navy tested 197 nonsmoking submarine sailors for nicotine in their systems, once while they were on shore duty and again after they returned from deployment at sea. Most had none while assigned to shore, but all tested positive for nicotine exposure after returning from patrols.

The Navy concluded all submarine sailors must be inhaling secondhand smoke, whether they could smell it or not.

"The only way to eliminate it is to eliminate smoking within the submarine," said Lt. Cmdr. Mark C. Jones, a spokesman for Navy Submarine Forces in Norfolk, Va. "This is for the majority of sailors who have chosen not to smoke tobacco. It's for their health."

A Navy survey showed 40 percent of its 13,000 submarine sailors said they smoke while at sea. That's 5,200 smokers — though Jones cautioned tobacco use in that group ranges from pack-a-day smokers to those who have an occasional cigar.

Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, commander of the Navy's submarine fleet, announced the smoking ban on April 8. The timing gave commanders and their smoking sailors roughly eight months to get ready.

At Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, the East Coast hub for the Navy's nuclear-missile armed subs, base commanders aren't wasting any time.

Former smokers serving aboard each submarine are being trained as mentors to lead fellow sailors who still light up through cessation classes. Medical officers are preparing to order nicotine gum and patches in bulk to stock each boat. (Sailors aren't allowed to use drugs like Zyban and Chantix, which can have psychological side effects.)

"A lot of them have a pretty good positive attitude," said Master Chief Corpsman Michael Leggett, who overseas the medical officers aboard each sub at Kings Bay. "I canvassed all the smokers I knew onboard my crew. I got answers from 'I don't think I'm going to be able to do it' to 'I think it can be done in time.'"

One thing smokers requested almost unanimously, Leggett said, is to be forced to cut back at sea before having to go cold-turkey next year.

So some sub commanders plan to give the nonsmoking policy a trial run before the Navy's Dec. 31 deadline. Huckaba said sailors on the Florida's upcoming tour will be discouraged from smoking, and times when lighting up is permitted may be curtailed. For the crew's last week at sea, the commander plans to ban all smoking.

The worst thing smoking sailors could do is put off quitting until the last minute, said Bill Blatt, who oversees smoking cessation programs for the American Lung Association.

Normally, it takes smokers three to four weeks before their tobacco cravings subside, Blatt said. Even after that, quitters are at high risk of relapsing for another six months to a year.

Also key to success — having a personal desire to quit, which may be absent in many sailors being forced to by the Navy.

"These folks aren't just being encouraged to quit. They're being ordered to quit," Blatt said. "If someone shows up to one of our programs and says 'someone else told me to quit,' we work with them to find their own personal reasons."

Sailors who've already quit and are being groomed to mentor their colleagues say the toughest part is finding other ways to fill time off with the limited options available underwater.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jarrod Gibbons stayed in the workout room rather than the smoke pit on his last tour aboard the USS Georgia. His co-worker, Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicky Bates, packed plenty of books in place of his cigarette stash.

"When you go out to sea and submerge, sometimes it's the most boring, stagnant time you've ever seen," said Chief Petty Officer Jeff Bortzfield, who'll be a quit-smoking mentor on the USS Alaska. "And that's going to be hard."

January 7, 2010

USS Flasher SSN 613 Reunion

Dates: May 12-16 2010

Place: Seattle Washington

Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott in Tukwila WA

16038 West Valley Highway

Tukwila, WA 98188

Phone 425-255-0300

Rate $94/night

Be sure to mention Flasher Reunion to receive our rate.

Proposed Activities
Wednesday, May 12th	Arrivals, Meet in Hospitality Room
Thursday, May 13th	Sub Tour, BBQ at Adm. Bacon’s
Friday May, 14th	Assoc. Meeting AM, self tours, and Pizza and Raffles in PM
Saturday May, 15th	Memorial Service AM, self tours, and Dinner in PM, Guest Speaker Roger Bacon
Sunday, May 16th	Make turns for home.

Greetings Flasher people, Soul Pig here. I know everyone is anxious for details of the next Flasher reunion. I apologize for any delay but I have been trying to wrap up some loose ends. I believe we are close enough to send this letter. A registration form is attached. We have some added fees as we will be hiring a bus for transportation to the base and Admiral Bacon’s house.

The Courtyard by Marriott has a free shuttle from and to the SeaTac airport and within a three mile radius. You have to call and register yourself at the hotel at $94 a night. We no longer have the luxury of free beer so maybe bring a little, I’ll bring some and I believe Dale Gleave offered to bring beer even if he has to use Mule’s money. The hotel policy is no alcohol in the hospitality room but we will be on a don’t know, don’t tell basis. Discretion is of utmost importance.

Our Saturday night dinner will be at our hotel. The dinner is not formal. I have asked Roger Bacon to say a few words about his time as CO of Flasher, he was my last CO.

Friday Morning we will hold our Flasher Association meeting in the hospitality room. We will be voting on association officers and the 2012 Reunion site. This cycle we will be in the Midwest and in 2014 we will be back on the east coast then back to the west coast in 2016. To facilitate voting I am offering three sites for 2012. Look these up to prepare to vote.

Branson, Missouri, very reunion friendly and now have an airport
St. Louis Missouri, Lots to do and see “Gateway to the West”
Dupage County, Illinois, close to Chicago Illinois, variety of things to do and see.

If any one has any raffle items to donate they are always appreciated. We use the raffle money to maintain our association funds for stamps, pizzas, raffle items, etc. Raffle items can be anything and not just Flasher or Navy items. Bring them to the reunion or send them to me.

If there are any questions do not hesitate to write, call or e-mail me. I am anxious once again to see old friends and meet new ones. If you are in contact with any Flasher sailors regardless of what years share this information with them and send me their contact info.

COB Larry Weinfurter AKA Hot Dog has Flasher ball caps for $12.

Ken Tupman (Soul Pig) Flasher 1969-1973 EM1 (SS)

1516 Sun Ridge Dr.

Bourbonnais, IL 60914

Home Phone: 815 936 9318

Cell Phone: 815 383 7897

Tuppy613@aol.com

USS Flasher SSN 613 Reunion

Proposed Activities