Lehman rocks Navy with complaints about political correctness

The Washington Times ^ | 18 September 2011 | Rowen Scarborough

[buccaneer81]

The Navy’s former top civilian has rocked the service in a military journal article by accusing officials of sinking the storied naval air branch into a sea of political correctness.

Former Navy Secretary John Lehman, himself a former carrier-based aviator, wrote that the swagger and daring of yesterday’s culture has given way to a focus on integrating women and, this year, gays.

[buccaneer81]

As usual it takes someone from the Reagan years to speak the truth.

[RitchieAprile]

Fighting wars and winning is no longer the goal of our
military. Now, its purpose is social experimentation.

[brownsfan]

For a country serious about defending it’s interests, the military should be the ultimate meritocracy.

Political correctness damages morale, and competence.

[KC_Lion]

The Navy under Lehman and Reagan

The Navy under Ubama and our Worthless 7 Star Admirals

[MeganC]

The Obamanation Administration continues with their goal to weaken America. Get the warriors out of the war business and we’ll be easier to defeat.

[brownsfan]

“Fighting wars and winning is no longer the goal of our
military. Now, its purpose is social experimentation.”

You’re right. It appears we are following the lead of the Western European nations. Those nations had the United States to cover their backs as they played games with their military. The problem is, once we cripple our military with regulations and people in places they don’t belong, there will be no one to cover for us.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Have the physical and mental standards been lowered to allow women and minorities to become pilots? Anyone know?

[tgusa]

This ought to be fun to watch.

[Servant of the Cross]

It appears we are following the lead of the Western European nations.

The failure of the military establishment in the Western Roman Empire to effectively secure its borders from Germanic invaders can be traced directly to profound changes in the Army’s mission, organization, and leadership over a several hundred year period.

[silverleaf]

mental standards?

for minorities probably yes, like in every other endeavor

but for women- why?

In fact, it is men who as a class might have lower mental capability

physical standards- for flying- length and width of body parts and how they fit into the cockpit matters more then strength when you’re flying a giant computer. But women’s bodies do withstand G forces better

[silverleaf]

mental standards?

for minorities probably yes, like in every other endeavor

but for women- why?

In fact, it is men who as a class might have lower mental capability

physical standards- for flying- length and width of body parts and how they fit into the cockpit matters more then strength when you’re flying a giant computer. But women’s bodies do withstand G forces better

[buccaneer81]

Have the physical and mental standards been lowered to allow women and minorities to become pilots? Anyone know?

The lawsuit was filed in April 1996 by former Lt. Carey Dunai Lohrenz, who was one of the first two women trained to fly the F-14 Tomcat. In October 1994 her colleague, Lt. Kara Hultgreen, crashed and died while attempting to land on the carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. Lohrenz was removed from carrier aviation in May 1995, due to flawed flying techniques that her superiors described as "unsafe, undisciplined, and unpredictable." With the help of attorney Susan Barnes, a feminist activist, Lohrenz blamed Donnelly for causing her to wash out by publishing the 1995 CMR Special Report: Double Standards in Naval Aviation Training. The 20-page report, backed by 104 pages of training records and related documents, exposed a pattern of low scores and major errors in the F-14 training of both women that may have contributed to the tragic death of Kara Hultgreen.

The controversy began in 1994, when one of the women’s instructors, then-Lt. Patrick (Jerry) Burns, expressed his concerns to local commanders about the women’s safety and competence. In the aftermath of the Tailhook scandal, Burns and other instructors were told that the women were going to graduate to the fleet, "no matter what."

Disgraced, Failed Female Navy Pilot Pursues Vendetta Against Organization that "Outed" Her

[ex-snook]

“For a country serious about defending it’s interests, the military should be the ultimate meritocracy.”

---

Amen. War time action is the ultimate crucible. When your life is on the line you depend on the capability of others.

Political correctness is a fruit of a volunteer military which depends on recruitment to make the military attractive to a larger pool of society.

[dis.kevin]

Sec. Lehman was an A-6 pilot and flew with our squadron (VA-35) a number of times. I remember meeting him.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

You Said: "In fact, it is men who as a class might have lower mental capability physical standards- for flying- length and width of body parts and how they fit into the cockpit matters more then strength when you’re flying a giant computer. But women’s bodies do withstand G forces better"

I say: Show us the data establishing your assertions-not someones opinion, but actual measurements, drawn from randomly selected populations.

[101voodoo]

There have been women pilots in the military since WW2 and minorities as well (legal ones)

[101voodoo]

Oops,sorry, I didn’t see the first part of your question about the standards being lowered. That I don’t know.

[twister881]

Actually Lehman flew in right seat as a BN (Bombardier-Navigator). He did get some cyclic and collective time in helos.

[twister881]

Rep. Bud McKeon (R-TX) reports that the U.S. Navy is at its smallest size since 1916. Disgraceful.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Of course there have been women and minorities that was not the question.(I lived through WWII). The question is and remains: Have the standards been lowered in order to allow women and minorities to become pilots. (By the way flying a modern jet requires a radically different skill set than flying an aircraft in WWII.)

There is one post that clearly establishes that standards were lowered in at least two cases and one of the women died. Has such lowering of standards become a policy?