Things that make you go hmmm.
With all the discussion about what's going on in the Red Sea regarding the Houthi attacks on merchant ships, the hazard posed to our Military Sealift Command ships in the area, and the response by the U.S. Navy, here's something to think about.
To command a Navy surface warship, the captain needs to be qualified as a surface warfare officer. To command a submarine the captain needs to be qualified a submarine warfare officer. To command an aircraft carrier the captain needs to be qualified as an aviation warfare officer (either as a naval aviator or a naval flight officer). Submarine Groups are commanded by submarine warfare officers. Carrier Strike Groups or Amphibious Ready Groups are commanded by admirals qualified either in aviation warfare or surface warfare.
Now you, like myself, can see the logic in this.
But let's consider this for a moment. Military Sealift Command is responsible for the maritime logistics and ships that keep our warships replenished. They move the three Bs (bullets, bombs, and beans). Equally as important, they operate the tankers that provide the fuel to keep our destroyers and aircraft operating.
So why is it that none of the Military Sealift Command leadership is qualified as a strategic sealift officer? Not the admiral in charge, nor any of the Navy captains who are area commanders.