Admiral Thad Allen, USCG

[Leatherneck]

FAIL!

I don't think I've ever encountered a less effective Flag Officer, let alone a Chief of Staff for a Military Service. What a bureaucrat. And now he's retiring, but staying on as Chieftain of Incident response by the Obama Administration, or some such? Wonder what his pay will be for that?

In the wake of the McChrystal canning, I shake my head that a warrior falls but a failed Commandant endures. What an administration.

Please understand that I'm not denigrating for an instant the valiant efforts of our brothers and sisters in the operational Coast Guard.

TC

[Hawkmoon]

Epic fail, indeed.

Your subtle distinction is noted, Sir. I would not in any way classify Thad Allen as "operational." "Dysfunctional" is a lot more like it, methinks.

[Leatherneck]

Roger that. I have the utmost regard for the working sailors in the USCG: they serve with distinction in many, many operations that are not much in the public eye. But Allen? UGH!

TC

[Ben]

I wonder if that is just a negative repercussion of USCG being such a small service? Without a lot of billets available for O-7 plus, it would seem (from my jaded .gov perspective) that the few available slots would end up with "bureaucrat" officers that did a lot of DC face time, versus officers who were in operational roles. I really don't know much about past USCG Admirals, so I may be way off base and he may be an outlier versus the norm. 

[Hawkmoon]

This entire oil "spill" thing seems to have been nothing more than an unending photo op for Admiral Allen. He's been getting a lot of face time, but he hasn't DONE anything ... except talk.

I have no idea what level of "assets" the CG has available in the Gulf region, and what other assets could be imported without severely compromising the CG mission(s) elsewhere. Certainly Allen has the rank to get whatever assets he wants/needs, and to deploy them as he deems appropriate. But in all the news reports I've been reading, I don't see any reports that the CG has actually DONE anything.

[AZRedhawk44]

But in all the news reports I've been reading, I don't see any reports that the CG has actually DONE anything.

They're harrassing barges trying to clean the spill and forcing them into ports for not having life vests on board, rather than expediting the delivery of PFD's as would be more sensible.

But done anything constructive... I agree.

[Hawkmoon]

They're harrassing barges trying to clean the spill and forcing them into ports for not having life vests on board, rather than expediting the delivery of PFD's as would be more sensible.

True, I forgot about that.

And that could have been solved by a quick stop at the nearest Wal-Mart. Last I knew, you could still by a basic life vest (USCG-approved) for less than ten bucks. The CG must have vests. Given the seriousness of the problem, you'd think they would have bought a few cases and been ready to hand them out to any barges that were short a few.

Here we go: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stearns-Adult-Boating-Vest-Oversized/13848793

$13.96

The Stearns Adult Boating Vest is U.S. Coast Guard Approved and is sized to fit adults with a chest size of 52 - 62 in.