A highly critical report about naval culture commissioned by Congress concludes the U.S. Navy is overwhelmingly underprepared to fend off attacks from enemies because of systemic leadership and cultural problems within the military branch.
The “Report on the Fighting Culture of the United States Surface Fleet” surveyed 77 current and retired sailors about the culture within the Navy and its connection to high-profile incidents.
Past concerns included collisions in the Pacific that killed 17 people in 2017, the 2016 capture of two Navy patrol boats in the Persian Gulf, and a fire that destroyed a naval warship in San Diego last year.
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Several Republican members of Congress commissioned the study without the U.S. Navy’s direct involvement to discern whether the incidents were isolated or part of a more significant, institutional problem with the entire naval force.
“When asked whether incidents such as [these] were part of a broader cultural or leadership problem in the Navy, 94 percent of interviewees responded ‘yes’,” the report states.
Of sailors surveyed, 55% said there was a direct connection between Naval culture and leadership and the spate of mishaps and failures.
“There was a broad consensus across interviewees on numerous cultural and structural issues that impact the morale and readiness of the Navy’s surface force.”
Those surveyed said the Navy has failed to properly train sailors on warfighting techniques despite a culture of micromanagement. As a result, they worried the U.S. is underprepared to defend against Chinese naval attacks.
Former service members also said the Navy has underwhelmingly failed to maintain ships adequately and that the compliance with administrative requirements outweighs actual training to fight America’s enemies.
The report included recommendations to address the burden of administrative duties and improve training and ship maintenance.
“We welcome the insights and report findings,” said a Navy official in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our work with Congress to ensure we have the most capable ships crewed by the most capable sailors.”
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