Brookings Institute: Admiral John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operrations Discussant

The discussion was held at the Brookings Institute, Washington, DC on January 28, 2019.  It was to include plans for the future and an assessment of its maritime current activities.

Now I know that the navy has an especial role in the conduct of a military theater and that it can take advantage of its particular geographical placement: it is water-based; and that means it can travel on seas and its reach stretches across all kinds of land terrains. Nor is its fire power constrained to the sea.  Its drones and planes hop around nimbly on land masses!  The Admiral admitted the navy plans are limited to a 5-year cycle--after which results are evaluated and assessed, I would imagine.

The navy's mission in peacetime involves patrolling international sea lanes and cable networks under the sea to protect them from any threat of interference in the conduct of commerce and trade.  At the meeting, questions from the audience came up about China's patrolling of the South China Seas; but the Admiral did not take up the issue of whether the United States felt China was doing a responsible job in assuring passage of ships and vessels on that waterway. Nor did the Admiral have anything to say regarding the United States' response to the Russian recent detaining Ukrainian sailors and seizing their ships in an open sea separating Ukraine from Crimea.  Ought NATO to have become forthwith involved in responding to that seizure?

I came away from the presenation with puzzling questions about current plans the navy is undertaking for growth.  But one fundamental question has emerged as a central concern, viz., whether the navy is really taking advantage of its unique position as a maneuverable resource--readily placed in a locale, then moved to another locale--in carrying forth its field operations on the myriad of waters that circumnavigate the world. 

---------------------------------------------------------
Note-taking of the discussion by Kyla Roberts, Catholic University Graduate Student
---------------------------------------------------------

The odyssey continues....about plans it may have cast into current projects....
What could the US Navy be doing amid all that water?  What wondrous 'sins' are being wrought? 

The Russians have escounced themselves in Syria and taken over one of its warm-water seaports.  They also are anticipating China to build a deep-sea port in the Crimea for them.  And China itself is developing military installations in the China South Sea area.  We are also aware that England, currently in the throes of Brexit, once ruled the seas. May it again assume a dominating role in sea power?

Case Managers are needed for the Elderly

--Preferably with an advanced degree in social work.

As the population ages worldwide, I believe so does the need for social workers to represent the elderly among us  I have become aware of what case managers can do for the elderly, because I have benefited from their concern for over one and a half years, now.

To my mind the greatest service they perform is being an advocate for the elderly person they represent.  It is true that an elderly person may have more than one case manager, each one deducated to the client, representing the individual older person in some way according to the case manager's realm of expertise.  But a case manager no matter how he functions in meeting some need of the person he represents is the elderly's representative.  Similar to a lawyer's function in the judicial field.

The other day I couldn't get through to my dentist, because of the way he has set up to be contacted.  I needed the services of my case manager (appointed for that specific instance) to cut through the red tape and make the appointment for me, while I sat next to him, providing him with information when I would be available.  You wouldn't think that a case manager would be needed just to make an appointment to see a dentist, but such an occasion had arisen in my case after I tried on my own to make the appointment for several days.   It happens; and I'm glad I had a case manager available who could get through the red tape.  An elderly person on his own simply doesn't have the perseverance to follow through on something protracted, I believe.  She did a fantastic job in getting me furniture once we decided on a senior residence for me.

I am just in the midst of changing my case manager.  The one I've had for the past year plus has taken on additional responsibilities making herself available to me only for consultation.

But it was through her services  that I was able to make a smooth transition from living in El Paso, Texas to coming back to living in DC.  I am most indebted to her--Esther Ford of Miriam's Kitchen in DC.       

To the UK: A better deal; is no deal!

If the Prime Minister May can take all the criticism that will continue to come her way, don't make any deal.  A deal outside the situation of separation is a dream deal, not confronting the reality that the break heralds.  Wait for the reality of separation before confronting the manifold factors of griving rise to multi-faceted circumatnances one could not have envisioned.

Also, I am veryglad to learn that the UK will continue as a member of TPP.  Someone has to have good sense!  The trading block is sure to take off in Asia!  Cheerio to you. 

Best to you.  You are having the beneffit of my over 30 years of dealing with in situ circumstances.