Ed. Note: The following is an open letter from RADM J. Michael "Carlos" Johnson, USN, Commander, Carrier Group Six. Ed. Note: The following is an open letter from RADM J. Michael "Carlos" Johnson, USN, Commander, Carrier Group Six.
Dear Tailhookers,
I am writing this letter to you from the Flag Officer's cabin on board USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), where I am the battle group commander.
I have been a Tailhooker continuously for the past 29 years, ever since your president, RADM Tom Brown III, signed me up as an FNG in his A-7 squadron. I believe most of you who know me will attest that I am always a pretty straight shooter. I write to you now because I want to set the record straight when it comes to the capabilities of our warriors in today's Navy.
I admit that I am also beginning to tire of hearing and seeing fellow Tailhookers lamenting "the way it was" by denigrating those who serve our nation today. I hear and see too many articles espousing philosophically that the current generation of Tailhookers could not hold a candle to yesterday's because of all of the politically correct positions being adopted by our Navy. I want to tell you flat out . . . you are not correct! While political correctness has had an impact, it has not effected the warrior spirit and capability of today's generation.
I visit my ready rooms almost daily when I am embarked, and I make it a point to sit and listen to the wardrooms on my ships, afloat and ashore. I fly and sail with today's airmen and seamen as often as possible. The best thing that I can tell you about today's Naval warriors is that you'd better be glad you don't have to face them and their machines on a field of battle. I want to assure all of you that despite what you may want to believe, these young men and, yes, these young women, could whip your tail (that's "ass" to the non-PC of you).
I have flown combat in Vietnam with some of our true heroes. I have participated in Libyan, Iraqi, Lebanese and Bosnian ops. I have told sea stories with my father's Hellcat-flying World War II buddies. There is one thing each generation says about those who came after them: ". . . these kids can never hold a candle to ________ ." (You fill in the blank).
I have come to understand that heroes are heroes. They come with every generation of warrior. Today's heroes have different interests than those of yesterday. They are much more technically competent and tactically proficient than we were in the '60s, '70s and early '80s. They fly their aircraft and operate their ships on the edge of their envelopes. Their envelopes are quite different from ours, but the key difference is that they know how to measure theirs and adjust their actions quicker than most of us, ashore and afloat.
They are safer than I have ever seen around the ship, and yes, some of that is because their machines are easier to fly. However, a moonless night is still damned dark on the open ocean. They get their weapons on target the first pass much more often than we ever did. They still fly and sail in good and bad weather, in sun and in rain, and in sleet, snow and other inclement weather. They are just flat good -- and above all, they have never known defeat!
If we truly want to bring the Tailhook Association back into the fleet, we must do it from within. We need the ready room JOs to join and make it their organization like it was ours. We will not do that if we continue to tell those very JOs that they are lessor warriors than those Tailhookers who went before them.
Trust me, we're not better -- just different.