By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Stefanie Holzeisen-Mullen, Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic
Adm. Jonathan Greenert, Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command recorded a podcast to discuss accountability and fleet readiness, May 20.
The Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) is designed to be an objective look and detailed list of all known problems with a ship's physical condition and overall shipboard readiness with rigid standards. The rigid standards are in place to ensure all ships are combat ready--and for those recently back from deployment, "surge ready."
But there is an expectation, according to Greenert, that all ships will be ready based on the results of this inspection.
"What we need when a ship doesn't do that well is an accounting of what took place, what happened and why," Greenert said. "What's the root cause? Find the enduring resolution and determine what we need to do for corrective action."
Assessments by INSURV are still ongoing as to the underlying causes of two ships' recent failures. In addition to official sources, active and retired Navy personnel from all levels of officer and enlisted ranks, in addition to national media, have joined the chorus of voices speculating on how so many system failures went unchecked and uncorrected.
"If there is a problem they [he media] report it, then it is our job as senior leadership to find out what is the truth when dealing with that report," he said. "I don't characterize reports as positive or negative, I look for what are they saying, what are they telling me? Is it balanced and is it accurate? In the case of these recent two ships they were accurate."
"The root cause could be maintenance support, it could be training support, could be the ship may or may not have had its priorities right when they looked toward their readiness," Greenert added. "In talking to staffs, Sailors and leaders, I don't think that money is the issue. It's a rumor that there is not adequate funding. Congress is providing us with everything we ask for readiness. Every place I look, we have plenty of money. We fund 100 percent of what we know that our ships, squadrons and submarines need. The key is communication."
The tempo Navy ships maintain while operating around the globe and executing our maritime strategy takes a toll on the life cycle of equipment, making shipboard preventive maintenance systems critical. That maintenance must be executed on schedule with an attention to detail as if inspectors were on board daily.
"I think that our surface fleet overall is just fine in readiness. Our INSURV reports convey that message as well. The vast majority of our ships do fine on their INSURV. But we continue to look into these matters and we'll continue to look into this to see what those root causes are, so that doesn't proliferate across the fleet.
"It's really about getting the maintenance done, knowing your 3M systems and having proper 3M programs on our ships," said Greenert.