In what can only be described as a jaw-dropping story, news now comes via the Wall Street Journal that the U.S. Navy has long known that its sailors are overworked but under-trained. In several reports by outside agencies, the Navy has agreed with almost all of the negative findings over the years, and asked that it be given more resources.
Investigators have found that sailors show up at their assigned ships overseas without adequate training to do their jobs, and--watch your jaw--they end up on duty for an average of 108 hours a week.
Fifteen-hour days. That's the average. Which means a whole lot of sailors are working more than 108 hours a week.
It's already a given that most sailors stationed overseas are going to work 12-hour days. That's the Navy standard. And that seems unforgiving. But averaging 108 hours a week? Do we really wonder why there have been so many accidents lately?
This is unacceptable. Or should be. The problem is that for years so much of the brass has accepted this.
If this takes an Act of Congress to correct, then fine. An Act of Congress it should be.
If this country is going to send its Navy to guard shipping lanes, protect allies and stare down the world's crazies, the least we can do is give it the resources to do the job.
An average of 108 hours a week. This is deadly.
Editorial on 08/30/2017