What's your take on the Navy taking away enlisted ratings a few months ago, and then bringing them back today?

2016-12-21T12:43:37-05:00

Response by SN Greg Wright made Dec 21 at 2016 12:45 PM

2016-12-21T12:45:11-05:00

My take is that Richardson is giving Mabus a well-deserved "Fuck you" now that he can't do anything about it. That, or he really didn't expect the uproar he got.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 21 at 2016 12:46 PM

2016-12-21T12:46:51-05:00

My take is that this is a tempest in a teapot, and today's Navy enlisted are a bunch of special snowflakes crying about nothing. I am no less knowledgeable, skilled or professional because my official title is Chief Warrant Officer Walker rather than Information Services Technician 3 Walker. We in the Army are laughing at you in the Navy right now.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 21 at 2016 12:55 PM

2016-12-21T12:55:51-05:00

Some one realized that was a bad idea and changed it back.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Dec 21 at 2016 1:02 PM

2016-12-21T13:02:23-05:00

As an outsider, to me it sounds like yet another Great Military Idea(!) run up the flagpole only to find no one saluting it.

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Dec 21 at 2016 2:04 PM

2016-12-21T14:04:15-05:00

Glad push back was successful and common sense has prevailed. At least I would like to think this!

Response by MCPO Mark Durland made Dec 21 at 2016 2:12 PM

2016-12-21T14:12:25-05:00

So here's some perspective for those of you who don't understand how Sailors think. Imagine you're on a ship with 250 other folks. You all have very specific jobs to do but are also responsible for the overall welfare of the ship and its warfighting capabilities. You're at sea and you have YOUR resources, nothing more, nothing less. If I know my job as a Corpsman and do it well, those who need me can "see the Doc". If I have a system in disrepair (comms, IT, plumbing, etc) I can call on specific job types like Machinist Mates who can fix it with expertise. I don't NEED to identify by rating, but it's helpful in a confined operational environment. And it's what we do. To train that out of people would have taken eons, and still probably never have realized the personnel flexibility nor civilian job opportunities that the change allegedly enabled. And in the meantime the mental delays (however small they might have been) required to make the adjustment could have put personnel or ships at risk.

Instead of 98-W, etc you have in medical support we have HM's with subspecialty codes. It was an absolute failure for Big Navy to think that CHANGING THE VERNACULAR would help anything. What is broken within the Navy is Navy Personnel Command's inability to roll people from one rating (or subspecialty NEC) to another without justification along "the Needs of the Navy" (which is their code for "we're only going to fill where everyone doesn't want to be"). So....in SECNAV's (and CNO's and former MCPON's) eyes it was better to deep six traditional ranks WITHOUT EVEN HAVING THE NEXT STEP IRONED OUT. Did the "flexibility" mean they weren't going to "motivate" Sailors to fill those crappy duties? Nope.

And don't get me started on former MCPON Stevens. Interesting that he copped a CIVLANT job DIRECTLY TIED TO the policies he drove right before he shipped out.

Response by PO2 Chris Hearne made Dec 21 at 2016 2:47 PM

2016-12-21T14:47:39-05:00

It was never broken, so it shouldnt have needed to have been fixed.

Rates are our specialty, and for those who recognize and understand that, can utilize our skills and training most efficiently. I wouldnt ask a CTR3 to weld, nor ask an MR1 for IT support. Granted, not all EM's know how to rewind a ventilation motor, but they would be more knowledgeable than AD.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Dec 21 at 2016 3:18 PM

2016-12-21T15:18:02-05:00

It feels like is was a well intentioned move whose full impact was not considered or understood.. And when the impact to esprit de Corps was fully realized someone decided the timing was not right, or the impact not worth the change.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Dec 21 at 2016 6:01 PM

2016-12-21T18:01:02-05:00

I've been watching the eroding of the rating specialties including combining for an entire career well before this mash up. Everybody knew what a Radarman was until they changed it to Operations Specialist. Everybody knew what Messman was until Culinary whatever. However that pales to the reality of a shipmate of mine, Tom Seaman. Watched him go from Seaman Seaman to Chief Seaman. Confused a lot of folk. Funny how when they broaden or combine a rating name, nobody specializes in anything anymore.

Response by 1SG Al Brown made Dec 21 at 2016 6:59 PM

2016-12-21T18:59:07-05:00

If it isn't broke, why go down in history for breaking it. I used to be in the Army and we had this thing called the black beret. Everyone will have a new boss in about a month. The old boss is probably having the office boxed up over Christmas Holiday. The new folks will already know how your branch of service works. How crazy is that!

Response by PO2 Skip Kirkwood made Dec 21 at 2016 7:44 PM

2016-12-21T19:44:07-05:00

Somebody figured out that the recent MCPON had failed in his duty to represent the sailors to the admirals. And they decided that the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. Now commence the backstroke!

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Dec 22 at 2016 10:32 AM

2016-12-22T10:32:51-05:00

I think it was a rare victory for common sense and I salute the chain for having the fortitude to admit that it was poorly conceived and executed and reverse themselves.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Dec 22 at 2016 12:36 PM

2016-12-22T12:36:27-05:00

This is only a 2:35 listen but worth it for anyone interested in the issue. From what I gather they changed it back because people were making enough noise in the Navy that is was becoming a "distraction."
http://www.militarytimes.com/video/top-navy-leaders-explain-decision-to-restore-ratings-titles?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2012-22&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

Top Navy leaders explain decision to restore ratings titles

The Navy on Wednesday announced that sailors’ ratings titles will be restored, effective immediately. To explain the decision, Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven Giordano held an all-hands meeting at the Pentagon Wednesday morning. Here’s what they had to say. 

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made Dec 22 at 2016 1:46 PM

2016-12-22T13:46:28-05:00

I take it as a tribute to adult leadership.

Response by SSG Mark Franzen made Dec 22 at 2016 7:33 PM

2016-12-22T19:33:47-05:00

That pretty standard one person says lets make a change and after words then people have to jump thru Hoops and then when it's all said done then they will have someone say shouldn't be done lets keep it was it always has been.
SSG MARK FRANZEN
USA VET

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2016 5:57 AM

2016-12-27T05:57:15-05:00

I think it was the right thing to do.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Dec 27 at 2016 6:12 AM

2016-12-27T06:12:15-05:00

I bet they got an earful about tradition...

Response by CPO David Sharp made Dec 27 at 2016 9:15 AM

2016-12-27T09:15:20-05:00

This has been overturned. Once those in charge saw who was walking into the Office, all aspects of PC and nonsense went out the window. In short, it's over.

Response by SCPO Charles Hamilton made Dec 27 at 2016 10:43 AM

2016-12-27T10:43:32-05:00

A part of me is uncomfortable with the idea that the fleet did not support an order.

Response by LCDR Kent Meyer made Dec 27 at 2016 11:41 AM

2016-12-27T11:41:22-05:00

While History and Tradition can sometimes stop an organization from evolving and adapting to new times, this was clearly not one of them. The desire for the Navy to look like everyone else was not clearly thought out. Had the leadership looked through the right lenses they would have realized that the US Navy does look like "our peers", it just happens to be that our peers are every other sea going community. A true victor for the Sailors, I am glad to see this tradition remain.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2016 12:52 PM

2016-12-27T12:52:16-05:00

This shows that the leaders can sometimes make mistake. More importantly, when they make a mistake, they own it and fix it.

Response by PO2 Weaver Brian made Dec 27 at 2016 8:34 PM

2016-12-27T20:34:25-05:00

I thought the idea was foolish from the start. In addition to our ratings we all had an NEC. This may not have been the same as an Army MOS, but so what. Sailors in all ratings have jobs that differ from those of a soldier. And as far as somebody's MOS being used to convert to a civilian job goes, that's preposterous. Find me some civilian who knows what an MOS, NOS, or NEC means. If they weren't in the service at some point in time, it may as well be random numbers and letters. My primary NEC was 0876. Most of you won't know what that was, the same as I have no idea what a 99B is, nor did anyone I ever worked for.
In short, it wasn't broke, it didn't need or want to be fixed, and I'm glad the powers that be rescinded that order.
By the way, 0876 meant Gunners Mate (Guns) 5"/54 Mk 42 Mods 9 & 10 guns.