CNO's 2nd Anniversary - 29 September 2009

I am usually pretty good about birthdays, anniversaries and such. But I missed this one.

From Galrahn over at USNI Blog who had this, and a lot more to say.

...My assessment is that ADM Gary Roughead has completely changed the Navy in just two years, and that action has made him a lot of enemies. The Navy rejects any changes as an instinct.

...ADM Gary Roughead took over as CNO under impossible conditions and circumstances on paper, and has executed his plan to put the Navy on a solid footing heading into the second decade of the 21st century. I have no idea what the new administration or the Secretary of Defense thinks of Admiral Gary Roughead as CNO, but I do know one thing: Gary Roughead was handed an impossible situation and has guided the Navy through the minefield to make the future Navy look a lot more possible, and whether one approves or disapproves of how he has done it, or the direction he is steering the ship…

For my part, I sincerely appreciate the CNO's willingness to carry on a dialog via e-mail with this retired Navy Captain. We've exchanged thoughts on diversity, the Navy as a Top 50 Employer, the VADM Stockdale Award and a few others. He's got a tough job, seems like an honorable man (who did not tolerate VADM Stufflebeem's semantic answers to the IG), and he cares about our Sailors. I am good with all that.

Congratulations CNO on a solid performance over the past two years. BZ.