Great Day at West 2010

OK, so I got the hash tag wrong for Twitter, it is actually #west10 instead of #west2010 (which I used all day). Oh well, something to improve for tomorrow. Was today a good day? Uhm, very much yes.

I knew things were going good when I was too busy to catch Ronald O'Rourke after his panel. Being easily distracted, I spotted CDR Kris Doyle - Blue crew CO of USS Freedom (LCS 1) who is out here in San Diego getting ready her the sea swap during the upcoming deployment. You can point to a lot of people within the LCS program and say 'that person matters' to the success of the program. I have told her both times I have met her - she will have the most influence on the program. Many reasons why...

When she goes back to sea this year with her crew, there will be only 4 officers of blue crew who are the same. She was XO, now CO - the CHENG is still on the ship, 1 Lieutenant who has gone from jg to full LT and another who was not really blue crew at the time but was on the ship when I rode her through the Welland Canal back in November of 08. 40% of the USS Freedom (LCS 1) crew has also turned over (with many chiefs moving on). Several are now in LCSRON, some have retired, and some have gone back to other places in the fleet.

Recognizing the challenge, CDR Doyle is such a breath of fresh air on LCS. Nothing personal against all the folks who love to use the comments as a launchpad to trash the program for every little detail, but she does have one point that is exactly right - you have to be on the ship to get it. Listening to old sea dogs comment about how "in my day yada yada..." really is a pointless discussion. The challenges on LCS are not new, but they are different, and how you did something isn't how they do something. I have consistently highlighted that it is the human aspect that makes LCS work, even as the small number of human beings is a criticism. Getting the people issues right - training, doctrine, and distributing skill sets - is the challenge for LCS because the technologies will take care of themselves as the designs mature.

The Littoral Combat Ship is a technology discussion that misrepresents the picture, because the picture is human, not technology. The focus of technology conceals the value of the program, and no one can understand that without seeing it themselves. As I'm talking to CDR Doyle, VADM Cosgriff comes over and joins the conversation, and somehow he realizes that I've spent a few days on Freedom. He mentions how he has not been on the LCS yet, and it raises a question in my mind.

Does VADM Cosgriff truly understand the LCS, or does he just get the concept?

Mind you, the very last time I saw CDR Doyle before today, she was sweeping a hall on USS Freedom (LCS 1) preparing for the arrival of SECNAV Winter at the time, and the only other person working that space was a LT. I have no idea how many years VADM Cosgriff served in the Navy before he retired, but I bet a 12 pack of cold brew in all those years he was in the Navy - he never saw a CDR and LT doing the floors in one of the busiest spaces on a ship. By the way, I had Chris Cavas take pictures of CDR Doyle and the LT doing all the cleaning, because it is something you simply don't see - ever. Until you understand how that is a good picture of what LCS is, I am not sure you really understand LCS. If you think I am talking about the work, you're wrong. I'm talking about what works...

She described how she has changed her view on speed with the LCS. This is interesting to me, because she was privately unsure of the added value of speed when I spoke to her back in November of 2008. In exercises last year she told a few stories how speed, while not utilized often but an option when necessary allows her to have her ship in position to influence the environment. I won't detail the stories, those are hers to tell, but because I have been on the ship flying 42+ knots and had previous experience seeing the ship use the wake to force another ship nearby to maneuver - I do think her take is valuable to the discussion. Just as everyone - me included - is losing faith in the LCS, when you run into someone like CDR Doyle and she shares her experiences I admit my cup is half full again. The irony is how this little (and I mean tiny) woman is one of the most unassuming women in uniform you will ever meet, but the reality is she is flat out awesome and intelligent - such a breath of fresh air.

After that conversation, I wasn't sure my day was going to get any better. ADM Stavridis had a lot to say, and I looked around my table of bloggers when he told the crowd of 1000 they need to be reading the Small Wars Journal. He was very good, but I'll let either Bryan McGrath or the USNI Blog detail out his comments for now. I have several thoughts, but not right now.

No, the real treat was the night party on USS Midway. OK, so it is a ton of fun to walk across the flight deck discussing the various aircraft with CDR Salamander, UltimaRatioReg, and FBL of Soldiers Angels... but it was a really great time talking network security, cyber, and many other topics walking the deck with Norman Friedman. I don't know if he knew who we were, and other than introducing myself it never came up...but lets be honest.

The reason many of us blogging folks can do what we do is because Norman Friedman opened those doors with his books and analysis. It was intellectual bliss with ideas and opinions on dozens of topics with the backdrop of walking up and down the deck of the USS Midway on a perfect San Diego evening. I believe I speak for all of us when I say it will go down as one of the most memorable experiences from this trip.

Plenty more to discuss, but the bulk of analysis from the events of West 2010 will happen over at the US Naval Institute Blog. Additionally, I am running a live Tweet during the hearings (follow my comments here) - and tomorrows Panel with ID's own Bryan McGrath and Undersecretary of the Navy Bob Work will be more than a little interesting. All I know for sure is you absolutely want to read CDR Salamanders post on the USNI Blog, because I heard it exactly as he did...twice! and several of us stopped and looked at each other in disbelief.

The amount of discussion about cyber is likely to increase a lot over the next few weeks (time to start learning if you haven't been keeping up). URR begins that discussion from Tuesdays presentations at West 2010. As for me, when I get a chance I'll be discussing the future of MAD and how BMD is linked as outlined by several comments throughout the day.