John McCain, R-Ariz., scolded the Navy’s senior leaders Tuesday, demanding answers and accountability for a string of deadly and expensive accidents at sea that have exposed the service’s struggle to address leadership shortcomings and eroding safety standards.
“As leaders of our Navy, you must do better,” McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer and Chief of Naval Operations John M. Richardson during the outset of a hearing to learn what the service is doing to restore confidence in its surface warfare fleet, and correct glaring questions about its commanders’ ability to hone seamanship and readiness amid constant deployments.
During his opening remarks, McCain read aloud the names of family members whose loved ones were among the 17 sailors killed in two sea collisions this summer. Many were in attendance as honored guests.
“Your presence here today reminds us of our sacred obligation ot look after the young people who serve in our military,” McCain said, noting his personal connection with the USS John S. McCain, a guided-missile destroyer named after his father and grandfather.
The ship collided with an oil tanker in a bustling sea transit lane near Singapore, killing 10 sailors on Aug. 21. The USS Fitzgerald, a guided-missile destroyer, collided with a container ship in Tokyo Bay on Jun. 17, leaving seven sailors dead.
“We will identify shortcomings, fix them and hold people accountable,” McCain said, shifting his focus to Spencer and Richardson.
Richardson shifted some blame to Congress, saying the pressure Navy commanders feel to meet high operational demands was exacerbated by “constrained funding levels and budget uncertainty,” which impedes training schedules and budgeting for new ships and modern weapons, the admiral said.
But Richardson also acknowledged commanders at every level share responsibility.
“At the core, this issue is about command,” he said.
Two other accidents, including another collision and a ship running aground in Tokyo Bay, have occurred this year. Three of the ships are assigned to the 7th Fleet, which is forward-deployed and tasked with, among other missions, defending against North Korean aggression and checking Chinese territorial expansion.