Report: U.S. Navy Issues Updated Safety Guidelines After Two Fatal Collisions at Sea

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Report: U.S. Navy Issues Updated Safety Guidelines After Two Fatal Collisions at Sea
By: Kristina Wong - 9-29-17
RE: http://www.breitbart.com/national-se...llisions-year/

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy is going to back to basics after a series of fatal collisions in the Asia Pacific region earlier this year that left 17 sailors dead.
The guidelines went out on September 15, according to the New York Times, and include reducing the number of hours sailors have to stand watch, adopting Naval Postgraduate School studies that recommend fewer hours to match circadian rhythms.

Ships steaming in crowded waters will now broadcast their positions, as other vessels do. Ships with crews that lack certification in basic seamanship may have to stay in port until they are certified.

A recent investigation by the Government Accountability Office found that the majority of ships in the 7th Fleet – including the two that fatally collided with other ships – lacked all their certifications, many being expired for months.

There are also new reporting requirements for major equipment failures and near misses.

Commanders will also require sailors to use old-fashioned compasses, pencils, and paper to tack potential hazards, and reduce a captain’s ability to set rules for the watch team if he is not on the ship’s bridge, the Times said.

Vessels that come within 5,000 yards of a Navy ship must be manually tracked to avoid collisions.

The new orders were issued by Vice Adm. Thomas S. Rowden, the Navy’s top officer for ships worldwide, after a 24-hour operational pause last month, to examine “basic seamanship, teamwork and other fundamental safety and operational standards.”

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson is expected to announce additional guidance in the next several days.

The rules are just some of the steps the Navy has taken in recent weeks since the two fatal collisions, as well as two other non-fatal accidents in the region before them.

The Navy has fired the commander of 7th Fleet Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, Task Force 70 commander Rear Adm. Charles Williams, and Destroyer Squadron 15 commander Capt. Jeffrey Bennett.

On Wednesday, Adm. Scott Swift, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, announced he would retire, after not being chosen as the commander of U.S. Pacific Command. Adm. Rowden has also said he will retire early.

In August, the USS John S. McCain collided with a Liberian-flagged tanker, killing 10 sailors.

In June, the USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippines-flagged container ship, killing seven sailors.

The GAO had also been warning for years that the Navy’s increased operational tempo with fewer ships was unsustainable, reducing time for training and maintenance.

This month, John Pendleton, the director of defense force structure and readiness issues for the Government Accountability Office, testified to the House Armed Services Committee hearing.

“I don’t know what specifically caused the accidents, but I do know the Navy is caught between unrelenting operational demand and a limited supply of ships,” he said.

“The Navy’s been warning for some time, that they have been keeping a pace that is unsustainable. Our work has confirmed the difficulty, and our reports have shown it.”

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It's not the sailor fault

I spent 12 years as a sailor and two tours to Nam. I've never met better personnel to serve with then those I served with. Hard working men (sorry ladies when I was in there weren't any women on sea duty). There's nothing more exciting then sea duty. Work is hard and constant. Our leader's were qualified and good at what they did. Work was 24/7 with very little sleep but we had team work. Each division worked 12 or more hours per day per shift and none of us complained. Our officer's were the best at what they did. Our pilots were the best at what they did. Our ship had its problems maintenance is constant at sea and everything breaks down sooner or later.

The issues of today are not sailors fault. The more sophisticated the equipment the more the chances are things will fail. Yes - Shit happen's we live with it. We maintain and we fix what we need to. Our Skipper's were top notch and expected the same from their crew. Our escorts were always watching our backs and I was proud to serve the 7th fleet during our tours of Viet Name duty. Yes we lost pilots we lost crew members it was difficult to loose anyone one. We are team players we all did our jobs. Equipment failures happen work was 24/7 plus watches. Maintenance teams worked very hard to keep these metal machines at their best.

Our service ships were always there when needed. Mishaps you bet as I stated earlier shit happens. Loss of pilots and aircraft and ship personnel would occur. Yet we continued on and did our jobs. Life at sea is both terrible and beautiful something only a true sailor can appreciate. The sea is calm and deadly the nights are both wonderful and scary. But our work to deter the enemy was always there when needed. Team work and brotherhood were always working together to take our enemies out. Our pilots were brave and bold and you couldn't ask for anything else. Our skipper was always there ready to maintain the ship's performance as were the chiefs and crew members. Team work and trust in your friends was all we needed.

The Navy makes men and men keep the ship afloat and ready for anything. It's difficult to find fault with those at sea. Today's ships are more electronic and these need calibrations to attain the accuracy they are to provide. Nothing is infallible everything fails at one time or another. Any items that rotates or even sits statically can fail over time. Only sailors can determine the cause and effects and yet make do with what they have.

Our Chiefs are like our Father's they watch over us and train us they worry about their kids who are doing what they once did. Never consider a Naval man as anything other than a man who respects his country and duty to serve and protect his ship and shipmates. We are team players and the Navy is always there to ensure that.

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