First, there was no navigation brief, a major violation of Navy protocol. When any Navy ship gets underway, even for something as minor as shirting berths from one pier to another, it is standard for a Navy crew to conduct a navigation brief discussing issues such as hazards to navigation or, in this case, an Iranian base near the planned course.
Second, the chain of command was not well defined on the two boats. While a young lieutenant was the highest-ranking individual on either of the two 50-foot boats, when the order was given to evade the Iranian forces, the helmsman refused the order.
Third, defense officials tell Fox News the Navy had become too complacent with the its treatment by Iranian forces in the months leading up to the January capture.
“The story here is these guys had gotten so used to Iranians doing stupid s—, having weapons pointed at them all the time, they didn’t know they were being captured until the Iranians boarded their boats,” one defense official said describing the lack of situational awareness by the Navy crew. “They messed up pretty bad.”
I guess I should be happy that at least people were relieved of their commands. But it makes you wonder how they got them in the first place.
I had beer in Seattle with a career Air Force colonel who’s about to retire. He said that, in his thirty years, he’s never seen morale in the military so low.
from James Bennett, on the eve of the Brexit vote. Haven’t read it yet, but I will. I’ll be curious to see what, if anything, he says about space.