Serious Question!!!

[Flash]

I suggested a while back that all the reporting requirements these days give an increasing number of more and more minor incidents visibility at the top, thus prompting an increased desire for oversight, which is why we have this ridiculous snowball to deal with now.

Have you seen the plethora of daily OPREP reporting ...its out of control.

"Airman Smith stubbed his toe. No impact to mission."

There is a point where data becomes noise. If everything is important, then nothing is important.

Having sat the watch where we posted the OPREP reporting for the whole Navy I can agree with all the above. We would see the effects of the latest OPREP/Navy Blue guidance and it often echoed what you saw was focused on in the news like suicides or suicidal gestures/ideations, alcohol-related incidents and sexual assaults. In many of the daily summaries we did a majority of the incidents were alcohol related in some way to include domestic violence and assaults along with DUIs. It was a little depressing to see the constant string of reports of the babd behavior from around the Navy.

A little perspective was necessary though, with an active force of over 320,000 not including all the reservists, dependants, government civilians and other odds and ends that ended up in the OPREPs relatively often the numbers really aren't that bad at all though. The summary that is briefed regularly up to the Navy leadership is nothing but that bad news though. When that is what you see every morning how do you think leadership is going to react? In today's instant communication age they are also reacting to the simple fact that even the little things are splashed all over the internets/twitter/Facebook and the public knows about it and demands results. When we have folks racing to post about casualties before the network on post is shut down how do we expect to keep even minor stuff internal?

Do I like it? No, but it is something we have to live with for now unfortunately.

 

[phrogpilot73]

An OPREP-3 is required for a TFOA. Even if it's a barrel (consumable) that fell out of the back of the aircraft during a routine barrel change. Even if that happened on a range in a restricted military facility.

I understand the whole idea behind OPREP-3's for TFOAs, I really do. Hey - if something big with a serial number lands on someone and kills them, or lands in their property and destroys something - HQMC wants to know about it ahead of time, so they aren't caught with their pants down.

However, we at the lower levels no longer have any ability to say "this is retarded." And that's what leads to landing, getting all the aircrew on line to scour the range for a missing barrel, and then STILL fill out an OPREP-3 in the off chance that when it fell from 100 ft, it bounced 35 miles to damage someone's car.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Many of these reports have gone from being a conveyance of information to rapidly add to the SA of a commander to a statistical tracking tool.

I remember when flash reports were new. It was in response to the emergence of the 24 hour news cycle. If something really bad happened, it helped relieve the redass if the CG heard about it BEFORE the Commandant saw it on CNN. This was for things like crashes, major aircraft emergencies and the like. It was primarily an aviation thing.

Since then (late 90's) the CGs have found that those reports can be mined for statistical data, so they added categories ranging from stubbed toes, to ARIs, to domestic violence.

It has little to nothing to do with safety anymore, and it damned sure has nothing to do with leadership.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I wonder what has happened to the OP since we last heard from him?

 

[BackOrdered]

I wonder what has happened to the OP since we last heard from him?

I imagine there is no Internet access while on restriction. J/K

 

[phantom1914]

Thanks everyone for your inputs...some way more over the top then others. But this is whats going to happen. By the way the skipper was PISSED because the driver of the car i was in wasnt the only DUI that happened that weekend. But Im going to DRB Ive heard of it before but everyone thats coming to me is saying thats ok because basically everyone knows my story and its B.S that I got a raw deal and that its going to be it for me as far as chain of command. I was issued a drunk in public that I payed off the day they gave it too me but again would have never got it if my driver wasnt pulled over in the 1st place. Again thanks for all the inputs on a bright note just became a CFL for my command so im going to keep doing what Ive been doing, not letting this minor setback stop me. If anyone has the time or patience to hear what Ive got for my application then let me get your email so I can send you what Ive got. Thanks.

 

[squorch2]

I was issued a drunk in public

Aaaaaand this.

 

[BackOrdered]

thats ok because basically everyone knows my story and its B.S that I got a raw deal and that its going to be it for me as far as chain of command.

I doubt it if you weren't the only incident that weekend. The CO may want a piece of the action as the Command is showing trend. But Godspeed.....

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

I was issued a drunk in public

what

 

[jeeplovindad]

And there's the ARI "triangle." Serviceman, involved in an civilian offense where there is no doubt that alcohol was involved. Contrary to what you're being told by all the sea lawyers, the CO's hands may be tied by the culture the Navy is shifting. It's Unfortunate, but I think you'll at least go see the old man. Good luck.

 

[Brett327]

Sad. It will be interesting to see what happens when the economy turns around.

Anyone want to place bets on the re-enlistment numbers?

This has all happened before, it will all happen again. Cue the Bob Dylan music.