The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
‘We Absolutely Need to Change,’ Says New Navy Maintenance Head
English Summary
The head of Navy maintenance operations argues that the service's current maintenance model is failing, citing significant delays in repairing destroyers and submarines due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and poor coordination between public and private yards. Key evidence includes reports of major delays and the projected idle status of numerous submarines, compounded by private yards complaining about slow contract issuance and material delivery. Policy implications suggest a strategic shift toward a more agile, risk-tolerant approach, requiring the Navy to streamline decision-making, embrace operational risk, and adapt its maintenance structure to support sustained, high-tempo deployments in contested environments.
中文摘要
海軍維護營運主管指出，現行的維護模式已面臨困境。他援引證據指出，由於官僚流程瓶頸以及公營與私營船廠之間協調不力，導致戰鬥巡洋艦和潛艇的維修作業出現嚴重延誤。關鍵證據包括重大延誤的報告，以及大量潛艇預計處於閒置狀態；此外，私營船廠也抱怨合同發放和物資交付流程緩慢。政策意涵顯示，海軍亟需進行戰略轉型，轉向更具敏捷性、更容忍風險的方法。這要求海軍必須簡化決策機制、接受營運風險，並調整其維護結構，以支持在爭議環境中持續、高強度的部署作業。
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