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2010-01-24 Caribbean-Latin America

Haiti relief - getting the USNS Comfort there

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Posted by tu3031 2010-01-24 14:21|| || Front Page|| [9 views ] Top

#1 Impressive...

Ummm...I hope that's sarcasm. Besides the fact that it took almost TWO WEEKS to get a ship of this type to Haiti, having been berthed at Chesapeake Bay.

After all the Katrina critique of the goverment (I'm not specifically writing of the 'Bush-bashing'), where's the criticism of our government on the abominably-slow response of our military to a disaster zone only 700 miles off our shore?

We were supposed to get underway Friday at 1800 but were delayed. There are two diesel powered electrical generators on the ship and when they went to fire one up, neither would start. So they placed a temporary generator on the deck and wired it up.

Electricians worked all night and we shoved off the pier around 1000 Saturday with only that external power. Because of that limited power and how this old ships wiring is configured, we didnt have any communications. None. The Skipper and the ships master were communicating on satellite phone and a hand held maritime radio. The Navy sent a big ship full of people out to sea with no comm THATs how serious the Navy is about getting the Comfort into Haiti ASAP.

Remember this the next time the Dem committee recommends cutting the Navy budget to pay for their 'Spend & Awe' campaign to generate government & special interest jobs.

Posted by logi_cal 2010-01-24 14:43|| 2010-01-24 14:43|| Front Page Top

#2 If there's a conservative in the White House the media blames him (even when he couldn't do anything anyway without the local footdragging officials).

If there's a liberal in the WH - then blame the navy.

Posted by CrazyFool 2010-01-24 14:47|| http://www.armoredstroller.com/ 2010-01-24 14:47|| Front Page Top

#3 Yeah, the people that got this thing down there despite dealing with all the problems that faced them impress me. You can blow it out your ass if you've got a problem with me being impressed by them.

Posted by tu3031 2010-01-24 14:54|| 2010-01-24 14:54|| Front Page Top

#4 I'm impressed. Getting a ship that size and complexity from "no power, people, or supplies" to seaworthy and out isn't like the movies - you can't just hop in, fire up the engines and go.

Posted by CrazyFool 2010-01-24 15:06|| 2010-01-24 15:06|| Front Page Top

#5 Don't get me wrong I am impressed. Given that Murphy and his prophet Finagle will be lurking in the backround whenever something this big is taken from cold to hot. But a ship like this is an asset. And a priceless one at that given the untold amount of good will it can generate for the US in a situation like this. One would think that vessels like this would have all of their major systems checked on a regular basis. Generating plant started and checked, main engines fired up, communications equipment checked, desalination equipment run etc. Or has money been taken out of the budget for stuff like that?

Posted by Cheaderhead 2010-01-24 18:06|| 2010-01-24 18:06|| Front Page Top

#6 Ummm...I hope that's sarcasm. Besides the fact that it took almost TWO WEEKS to get a ship of this type to Haiti, having been berthed at Chesapeake Bay.

I've helped put two ships from mothballs into active service when I was with Military Sealift Command. There's always problems.

The Comfort is a 34 year old converted oil tanker. When it sits in the Baltiimore area, there's a civilian-mariner skeleton crew; just enough of a military detachment to make sure the medical equipment is maintained.It doesn't get fired up and sent cruising around all that often. There isn't the money.

Factor in medical corps that are severely stretched (we have almost 20% of our officers and 10% of our enlisted deployed from this small command) and that they're being pulled from all over the country to staff this thing, it is impressive.

So yeah - blow it out your ass.

Posted by Pappy 2010-01-24 22:00|| 2010-01-24 22:00|| Front Page Top

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