Fixing the Navy will take far more than money

While plans have been announced to increase the US Naval fleet to 350 ships, it will take a lot more than money to fix what's wrong with our current Navy. As it stands now, almost 2/3rds of Navy F-18s are grounded, as many as six submarines are facing decertification, maintenance is being canceled on ships, or is running long when it's done.

As bad as that is, there's a far bigger problem with the Navy. Ethics. The problem is being seen in all services, but in the last 20 years, the Navy has taken its increasing lack of ethics to staggering new heights.

One only has to see how many commanders have been relieved in recent years to see something is going on. But then the 7th Fleet, and Naval Surface Warfare Medical Institute cheating scandal truly drove home how bad the situation has become.

During the cheating scandal, 31 students were kicked out of the school, 13 were discharged, and two leaders were fired. Investigators uncovered text messages between students involved talking about corrupting students not involved, to prevent them from blowing the whistle.

Until the Navy fixes their ethics problems fixing the fleet is like putting a band aid on a gunshot wound.