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Donald Rumsfeld News

13 Sep 2022

Back to the Drawing Board: Pondering Truths in Design

“The great liability of the engineer compared to men of other professions is that his works are out in the open where all can see them. His acts, step by step, are in hard substance. He cannot bury his mistakes in the grave like the doctors. He cannot argue them into thin air or blame the judge like the lawyers. He cannot, like the architects, cover his failures with trees and vines. He cannot, like the politicians, screen his shortcomings by blaming his opponents and hope that the people will f

In producing a column for the Marine Design issue, I considered a number of subjects, but in starting to write about them, somehow my mind connected to “Beam is Cheap.” I have a faint memory of being made aware of this during a discussion of a ship design by a design luminary very early in my career, but I don’t remember who it was.When first putting pencil to paper on some design, I always think about that when I make my first rough sketch. It is a very powerful truism, and over…

07 Nov 2001

Where is the All Electric Navy?

"There is a powerful agent, responsive, quick, and easy to use, pliable enough to meet all our needs on board. It does everything. It supplies light and heat for the ship and is the very soul of our mechanical equipment. Jules Verne's classic novel first appeared in 1869. Today, the Navy is standing at the threshold of remarkable capabilities that Jules Verne could barely imagine-a "revolution at sea" akin to the change from sail to steam and from oil-fired plants to nuclear power. But the process for the Navy has not been easy. As a Navy integrated electric drive (IED) insider told me privately: "Innovation is one thing; if you're asking us to change the way we do business…

03 Oct 2003

Gordon England Sworn in as 73rd Secretary of The Navy

The Honorable Gordon R. England, right, receives the oath of office during a short swearing in ceremony as the 73rd Secretary of the Navy. Administering the oath is Mr. John H. La Raia, Assistant for Administration to the Under Secretary of the Navy. Secretary England becomes only the second person in history to serve twice as the leader of the Navy Marine Corps Team and the first to serve in back to back terms. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Journalist Craig P. Strawser. England becomes…

08 Feb 2002

Navy Budget Proposal Causes Commotion on Capitol Hill

Just when it seemed as though the U.S. Navy, which has served more than any other military sector as the budget whipping post in the post Cold War era, was positioned to attract long overdue funds, the budget rug was once again pulled. In proposing a Pentagon budget of $379 billion … a $48 billion increase … the Bush administration has again shorted the U.S. Navy. Reaction from Capitol Hill was swift and without censor, as lawmakers and lobbying groups weighed in with equal fury, according to numerous wire reports and hastily written press briefings. "The trend in shipbuilding worsens in this budget," said Rep. Ike Skelton, top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, according to one wire report. In another report, Sen. Edward M.

22 Mar 2002

NSWC Crane Named a DoD Top Installation

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane is a winner of the 2002 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence. of people who operate and maintain U.S. for servicemembers and their families. Defense (DoD). on March 20. military, and reserve personnel and their families. workforce. improves NSWC Crane's ability to meet current and future Fleet needs. education plan includes formal training in several Masters and Ph.D. universities. an Associates Degree in Applied Science. Morale, Welfare, and Recreational Programs and Facilities are popular. Crane's program considers every aspect of employee well being. offers well-rounded morale-building programs. games for the center library. communities with the promotion and application of science and mathematics.

16 Feb 2001

USCG Continues Search For Missing

Following objections from the Japanese government, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy announced they will continue searching through Friday for nine people missing from a Japanese fishing vessel sunk by a U.S. submarine last week. The Japanese government objected when the Coast Guard announced on Wednesday it intended to end the search for the missing students, teachers and crew members from the teaching vessel, said Japanese Consul General Minoru Shibuya. Earlier on Thursday, the Coast Guard said it intended to call off the search for survivors from the wreck, which occurred when the USS Greenville surfaced into the Ehime Maru, a high school's training trawler, about nine miles off the coast of Oahu. The vessel carried 35 people; 26 were rescued.

16 Feb 2001

Bush Orders Review Of Military/Civilian Policies

President George W. Bush has ordered a review of all policy on civilian activity during military exercises after the sinking of a Japanese trawler in a collision with a U.S. submarine near Hawaii. Two civilians were at control positions when the USS Greeneville rose rapidly to the surface, hitting the Japanese vessel, but Navy officials have said they were closely supervised. "What's going to be necessary is for (Defense) Secretary (Donald) Rumsfeld and the Defense Department to review all policy regarding civilian activity during military exercises ... particularly in light of the recent tragedy in Hawaii," Bush told reporters at the start of a budget meeting with Republican lawmakers at the White House.

20 Feb 2001

Relatives See Video Of Sunken Trawler

The U.S. Navy on Sunday showed relatives of the nine missing people from a Japanese trawler sunk by a surfacing American submarine a video of the wreck, but there were no signs of remains. The video, taken by a deep-diving robot that located the Ehime Maru on the ocean floor, showed a ghostly pale ship against the black emptiness of the deep, but nothing else. The Ehime Maru, which was struck by the USS Greeneville as the fast-attack submarine made an emergency surfacing maneuver on Feb. 9, was sitting nearly upright on the ocean floor about 9 miles (14 km) off Diamond head on Oahu. The Navy's remotely operated submersible Scorpio II located the Ehime Maru late in about 2,000 ft. (610 m) of water off the coast of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.

15 Feb 2001

Sub Disaster: Civilians Deny Responsibility

Two of the civilians aboard a U.S. submarine that collided with a Japanese trawler -- one of whom pulled levers to surface the sub -- denied that they distracted the crew and contributed to the tragedy. Todd Thoman and John Hall praised the U.S. crew for how they conducted themselves before and after the incident last week off Hawaii's coast, and said they believed all the correct procedures had been followed. Nine people are still missing from the Japanese fishing trawler, the Ehime Maru, which sank in about 1,800 ft. (548 m) of water nine miles (14 km) off Diamond Head, Hawaii. Hopes for a rescue are fading. Thoman and Hall were among a group of 16 civilians on board the USS Greeneville, which was on a brief training mission when it surfaced beneath a Japanese fishing trawler.

12 Feb 2001

Tragic Mishap Downs Japanese Trawler

As hopes of finding survivors faded, anguished relatives of the nine Japanese missing after a surfacing U.S. submarine sank their trawler off Hawaii pleaded to have the wreck raised so they could discover if it was the tomb of their loved ones. The request -- also being pushed strongly by the Japanese government -- was forwarded to top U.S. government officials, but a key investigator said he saw no reason at present to recover the 499-ton Ehime Maru from its watery grave 1,800 ft. (548 m) below the ocean surface. Addressing reporters on Sunday night for the first time since arriving in Hawaii, National Transportation Safety Board investigator John Hammerschmidt said he did not believe it was necessary to bring the ship up to discover accident details…

06 Mar 2001

Sub Inquiry Focuses On Lingering Questions

The U.S. Navy opened a formal inquiry on Monday into the ramming of a Japanese trawler by a nuclear submarine, trying to answer questions about an accident that killed nine people and marred America’s relationship with Japan. The navy’s Court of Inquiry could also lead to a court martial for three or more officers of the USS Greeneville who will be asked to explain how they failed to notice the 190-ft. (58-m) fishing boat before surfacing off Diamond Head near Honolulu. The fast-attack sub is equipped with state-of-the-art sonar, and published reports have said the Greeneville’s crew was aware of a ship in the vicinity before surfacing. The Greeneville was practicing emergency maneuvers on Feb.

14 Jun 2002

Rear Adm. Balisle Tapped as Next NAVSEA Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Phillip M. Balisle has been nominated as the next commander of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington D.C., according to an announcement made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on June 11, 2002. Upon Senate confirmation, Balisle will also be promoted to the rank of vice admiral as he assumes command of the Navy's largest systems command. Balisle, a native of Idabel, Okla., is currently serving as Director, Surface Warfare Division on the Chief of Naval Operations staff at the Pentagon. He was commissioned in 1970 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. At sea, he commanded the destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 993), the cruiser USS Anzio (CG 68) and the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Battle Group. He also previously served as NAVSEA's vice commander.

13 May 2005

Taylor: Base Closures "Bone-Headed"

"Back in February 2001, Rumsfeld announced his intention to hold a round of base closures. February 2001 was a whole different world than the one we're in now," said Taylor. "On September 11th, 2001, we were attacked. Since then, we've gone to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. We've declared a global war on terrorism. We're closing bases abroad and bringing home thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. But, Rumsfeld is hell-bent on closing our bases, and he seems to ignore long-term considerations for our nation. Taylor, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, cited Rumsfeld's past missteps, saying, "Rumsfeld sent our troops into war without body armor. He hemmed and hawed on up-armoring our military vehicles.

10 Nov 2006

Cutter to be Christened

The 418-foot Bertholf is the first of eight deepwater cutters the Coast Guard has ordered from Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula Mississippi in the largest recapitalization effort in the service's history. The cutters are designed to accommodate the Coast Guard's new multifaceted missions of providing homeland security, national defense and marine and environmental protection, Glenn said. Northrop Grumman teamed with Lockheed Martin to develop the vessels in a multibillion dollar effort to replace the Coast Guard's aging fleet. Taylor said outgoing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld reduced the number of vessels in the Navy, threatening the viability of the nation's shipbuilding industry.

09 Oct 2006

George H. W. Bush Aircraft Carrier Christened

christened the nation's 10th and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, George H. W. Bush (CVN 77). President of the United States, George H. history to participate in the christening of his namesake ship. to sea," Bush said. the commander in chief to be on board. daughter, Doro Bush Koch. Mrs. sparkling wine across the ship's bow during the ceremony. President George W. during the ceremony as a special guest speaker. George H.W. Virginia Senators John Warner and George Allen; Virginia Gov. Kaine; Adm. Michael Mullen, Chief of Naval Operations; Ronald D. and Mike Petters, president of Northrop Grumman Newport News. aircraft carriers. heat, freezing cold and in the rain," he said. "It is dangerous work. It is difficult and demanding work. And it is noble work.

27 Jun 2006

Senators Urge to Boost Navy Budget

The Sun Herald has reported that 16 senators, including Mississippi Republican Trent Lott added their names to the list of lawmakers urging Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to increase funding to the Navy in 2008 to pay for more ships. The lawmakers told Rumsfeld the new ships were needed to counter an emerging threat from the rapidly expanding Chinese navy. The request comes on the heels of a similar call last week by 69 members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Gene Taylor, a Bay St. Louis Democrat. The group wants Rumsfeld to up the Navy's budget proposal to $14.1 billion in fiscal 2008, which begins Oct. 1, 2007. That figure represents the amount that Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Mullen says is necessary to meet the Navy's national security requirements.

11 Nov 2005

SECDEF Releases 2005 Veterans Day Message

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld released his Veterans Day message to service members Nov. My father volunteered to serve in the Navy shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. At 38, he was well beyond draft age, but he wanted to serve. When he passed away some years ago, I found a letter in his personal papers that he had received from then Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal, who later became our country's first Secretary of Defense. Secretary Forrestal apparently sent such a letter to those who served, to arrive after they had returned to civilian life. Noting the historic achievements made by the U.S. "You have served in the greatest Navy in the world. ... It crushed two enemy fleets at once, receiving their surrenders only four months apart.

26 Apr 2001

Pentagon Expected To OK NNS Deal

The Pentagon is widely expected to clear the proposed $2.1 billion merger between the two remaining U.S. builders of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, eliminating prospects of any future competition between former rivals. Defense Department officials recognize the peculiarities of the situation faced by General Dynamics Corp. and Newport News Shipbuilding Inc., according to antitrust lawyers, industry consultants and Wall Street analysts. With only one major customer -- the U.S. military -- and declining demand for nuclear submarines, there is simply not enough business to go around. "Let's face it, there's only one buyer in these kinds of situations," said Richard Steuer, chairman of the antitrust practices group at Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays & Handler in New York.

27 Jun 2001

DoD To Starts Newport News Shipbuilding Bid Review

Competing bids for Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. remain under review by the Defense Department and a final recommendation is several weeks away. General Dynamics Corp. on Monday said more than half of Newport News' shares had been tendered in response to its $2.1 billion takeover offer, but Northrop Grumman Corp. continues to press its own bid, saying it alone can get antitrust clearance. Aldridge, speaking before testifying to Congress on advanced weapons research, said he would ultimately make a recommendation in consultation with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Completion of the Pentagon's review is "probably still several weeks away," Aldridge said. The report would then be forwarded to the U.S. Justice Department, which is weighing whether the deals pass antitrust muster.

13 Jul 2001

Despite Crunch on Funds, U.S. Navy Sticks To Building Plan

The top U.S. Navy officer said Thursday he would recommend the service stick to its plan to build a multi-billion-dollar class of new destroyers despite a crunch on funds for new warships. "I'd love to have DD-21," Admiral Vernon Clark, the chief of naval operations, said, referring to the Zumwalt- class destroyer designed chiefly to support Marines ashore with long-range firepower. He called the program "central to our transformation effort" for the 21st century. The DD-21 is one of the biggest U.S. arms programs apparently in danger of being killed in Defense Department strategy reviews under way. On May 31, the Navy announced it was delaying the selection of a team to build as many as 32 of the ships at a combined value of up to $30 billion pending the outcome of the studies.

13 Jun 2001

Is DD21 Program In Peril?

Prospects for a proposed all-new $30 billion advanced Navy destroyer foundered on Tuesday, undercut by a study carried out for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The boom was lowered on the ship, known as DD 21, by an influential panel advising Rumsfeld on ways to "transform" the U.S. military into a more lethal, agile force. "We didn't see a substantial difference in operational capabilities in the DD 21 compared to the other (existing U.S. Navy) systems," panel chairman James McCarthy told a Pentagon news briefing. Competing to design the destroyer are teams led by General Dynamics Corp.'s Bath Iron Works with Lockheed Martin Corp. on the one hand, and Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Ingalls Shipyard with Raytheon Co. on the other.

01 Jun 2001

Navy Puts $30 Billion DD 21 Design Contract on Hold

The Navy put off indefinitely Thursday the choice of a winning design in an all-new $30 billion advanced destroyer program pending developments in sweeping Defense Department reviews. Competing for design and full-service contractor awards for the ship, known as DD 21, are teams led by General Dynamics Corp.'s Bath Iron Works unit and Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Ingalls Shipbuilding subsidiary. The Navy has been planning to buy 32 of the ships over 35 years at a combined cost of about $30 billion, or $750 million per unit after the fourth ship. Highly modular in design, the electric-powered DD 21 would be equipped to attack foes hundreds of miles inland as well as fight at sea.

11 May 2001

Sen. Lott's Allegiance Lies Within Northrop Grumman

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, (R-Miss.), is lobbying the Pentagon to accept Northrop Grumman Corp.'s bid for Newport News Shipbuilding over a competing proposal from General Dynamics Corp., according to a letter released by Northrop on Thursday. In a letter dated May 9 to U.S. Lott's Mississippi district is home to a large shipyard owned by Northrop, and his letter contains some of the same arguments being advanced by the company. In order to wring cost-savings out of its proposed acquisition, Lott argues, General Dynamics will have to shut down some shipbuilding capacity and lay off employees. Lott said Congressional researchers had concluded that the combination of General Dynamics and Newport News would give the merged company 70 percent of all U.S.