/ world today news/ Americans are ready to serve as sailors only for big money, not because of patriotism or other high motives. At least that’s the conclusion that can be drawn from the latest news about how the US Navy is frantically looking for new recruits for the fleet. How did the US Navy’s personnel decay happen and how does it threaten America?
The U.S. Navy has dramatically increased (to $75,000) the one-time sign-on bonus for individuals who wish to work on nuclear ships as electricians’ and machinists’ mates, as well as electronic equipment technicians. Can we say that this is the result of a staffing crisis? Partly yes.
War and social package
The last time American ships were in a potentially high-casualty situation was in 1991. To ensure the deployment of a United States-led multinational force against Iraq, American ships entered the Persian Gulf. At that moment, the situation was uncertain – it was not clear whether Iraq would be able to organize a massive air strike with large aviation forces or not. The Iraqis didn’t even try, but for American sailors the risk was very real – they were going to war, into the unknown.
At that time, the majority of the personnel of the US Navy was distinguished by incredibly high motivation and training. All these people were forged in preparation for war with the USSR, the prospect of which the Americans took very seriously.
If we talk about the last naval battle of the US Navy, then it is Operation Mantis in 1988. Then American surface ships last fought against enemy surface ships.
Then there was a long period of wars in which the US Navy fought mainly with naval pilots and special forces. Coast Guardsmen and sailors, at worst for themselves, engaged in launching cruise missiles at defenseless countries and groups located hundreds of kilometers away.
Of course, there were exceptions. Thus, in 2000, two suicide bombers on a boat loaded with explosives attacked the destroyer Cole in the port of Aden, killing 17 and injuring 39 people. But in general, service in the navy meant safe, if stressful, work on ships. With early retirement, if there is a desire to serve until the end, and peaceful retirement of the “citizen” at the end of the next contract, if he does not want to serve “until the end”.
At the same time, US Navy personnel enjoy all the benefits of a combatant military. Free doctors and dentists, which is simply a luxury for an American, stores where all goods are sold cheaply, 30 days of vacation, unthinkable for an ordinary American, and, of course, “wartime” interest rates on loans and mortgages. To the “average Joe” all these things are significant and noticeable. In addition, if the military does not violate the requirements of the orders and instructions, then the situation when he did not receive his salary on time is excluded for him.
In general, the USA has had its “military mortgages” for a long time. But for the military, the desire to fight must be primary, not the desire to have benefits – today we know this very well.
In 2001, the growing patriotism after the 9/11 attacks led to the strengthening and motivation of American troops. This also applied to the fleet. But then, from the mid-2000s, new trends emerged.
Beginning of degradation
On the one hand, it was clear that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were at a dead end. At the time, this hardly affected the navy, but the prestige of the military service began to decline. Then a new trend is superimposed on this problem – the oiling of the American youth, the reduction of patriotism. This led to the fact that there were not enough soldiers.
And when there weren’t enough soldiers, the troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan began to borrow personnel from the Navy, including those from the aircrews. There have been unique examples where security at some small base in the godforsaken mountains of Afghanistan was taken over by hydroacoustics specialists from a submarine, who have to train for many years and cannot be quickly replaced. The mere fact that a Navy reservist could be sent to the Iraqi desert did not add to the popularity of military service.
By 2010, these trends were superimposed by the general decay of American society and state. Thus, sailors pulled from the reserve to be deployed as soldiers in Afghanistan are not compensated in a timely manner. As a result, people are often evicted from rented houses, apartments and rooms.
All these phenomena together led to recruitment problems in the US Navy, which became acute in the late 2010s.
Short build
Currently, the US Navy does not have the ability to equip carrier-based aircraft. Out of 11 aircraft carriers, incomplete air groups can be formed for nine, two ships will remain without pilots. There are not enough crew members on ships and submarines.
There are shortages in almost all services, despite the fact that the Navy has begun a mass recruitment of women – the last resource to fill vacant personnel positions. The service of women in the navy can be treated as you like, but without them many ships simply would not be able to put to sea.
The number of complaints from servicemen about “toxic” command has increased. And all this, because in the conditions of a shortage of personnel, people who are not suitable for these positions had to be massively appointed to the positions of ship commanders. As a result, the number of crashes, collisions and accidents increased. The system of training personnel directly on the ships has degraded. So, from the end of 1999 until today, there have been 28 major accidents with ships and submarines, as a result of which they went for repair, in a significant number of cases people died. Every such incident reduces both the prestige of the service and the number of people who want to serve.
Already the age at which you can be called up has been raised to 42, and the standards of physical fitness of sailors are such that severely overweight people can enter the service. But still the shortage remains.
By the way, the British have a similar problem. A precedent appeared there – the submarine was in combat service for 150 days without changing the crew, with a sanitary norm of about 90.
At the same time, the US Navy is faced with the task of integrating the methods of the so-called cyber war into combat practices, for which a large number of highly professional programmers must be attracted to the service, who must somehow be motivated. Meanwhile, judging by the news, the shortage of personnel in nuclear ships is the most acute.
Patriots for 75 thousand
And now the US Navy announces bonuses – $ 75 thousand bonus for those who come to serve on ships with nuclear reactors. One and a half average annual salary plus basic salary. In San Jacinto, 100 kilometers from Los Angeles, with this money you can buy a house, albeit a small one.
So the US Navy has exhausted all recruiting resources except money. In the conditions when the Navy is not at war, those who need money will go there, not those who want to fight.
Recall what was the key to the excellent fighting skills of the “old” Americans and the effectiveness of the then US Navy. In the desire to defend the homeland from communism. The fact that the threat is made up doesn’t matter, what matters is that they believe in it. Now that America itself is unthreatened, the patriots don’t have to enter the navy to save America.
It is possible that the US Navy will be able to attract additional recruits with such large bonuses. But one day the war will start and the ships will start going to the bottom, taking their crews with them. And then Americans may suddenly discover what has long been known: they serve, but they do not fight and die for pay. This requires other values than just a salary. If the future major US war is not perceived by Americans as just, then the recruitment of people who came there only and exclusively for money in the troops and navy could lead to many unpleasant surprises for the US.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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