ryanerickson.com - Latest Comments

Re: Reminder: Today is VADM Papp’s Nomination hearing… wanna’ watch it?

dredgemate — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:45:53 -0000

From your lips to DC0-R's ears!!

Re: Reminder: Today is VADM Papp’s Nomination hearing… wanna’ watch it?

ryanerickson — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:58:19 -0000

There is a lot up in the air right now Ryan so the thought of AWW getting some other funding may not be out the window. If you'll recall VADM Papp stated that the people (regarding those in the lobster waters) know who should/shouldn't be on their waters; I take that as a clear understanding of his knowledge that people are watching each others backs- something that AWW promotes.

Re: Reminder: Today is VADM Papp’s Nomination hearing… wanna’ watch it?

dredgemate — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:19:15 -0000

The questions were pretty soft (not like expected anything different, though). I was pleasantly surprised when he mentioned America's Waterway Watch (one of the programs I manage). Now if I could only get them to translate that into $$!!

Re: Is the Coast Guard’s use of BMI a good thing?

efs — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:17:52 -0000

I don't agree with the CG BMI - I'm a 5'3" female and my MAW is about 155lbs - essentially I can gain over 40lbs and still be under my MAW. Something is wrong there - I guarantee that would not be a healthy weight. The CG needs to drop this weight measurement and require a mandatory physical fitness test. They need to focus more on health and fitness vice how I look in my uniform.

Re: Question: Why is, in your opinion, the Coast Guard the best/worst of the five U.S. military services?

palco92 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:19:13 -0000

I think all of the branches have a important roll to play.but i will say the USCG does get the short end of the stick.Not being part of the D.O.D.

Re: USCG Air Sta Sacramento CO Temporarily Relieved… hmm, I didn’t see that one coming

ryanerickson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:10:08 -0000

What does VADM Papp have to do with this? He's LANT, AIRSTA SACTO is PAC... keep it on track Bill.

Re: USCG Air Sta Sacramento CO Temporarily Relieved… hmm, I didn’t see that one coming

Bill Wells — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:58:32 -0000

Well, don't forget who is the nominated Commandant and his track record for relieving people. Since, "his" Coast Guard will have to live with the 'mishap' for a while longer, it would be the proper action to get out in front.

We'll have to see what happens to the MH-60 pilots in the Utah crash. This may be a signal that 'mishaps' will no longer be explained away. When people die, someone has to be responsible.

Sean, You never did provide that source on Hamilton and Jefferson.

Re: A humorous look at the theory of creation of Coast Guard policy

Bill Wells — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:10:08 -0000

Having spent a couple years in CGHQ, I know there was plenty of monkeying around going on.

Re: A humorous look at the theory of creation of Coast Guard policy

athorsson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:23:30 -0000

Dredgemate...I am totally going to hang one up too! hahaha

Re: A humorous look at the theory of creation of Coast Guard policy

dredgemate — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:11:44 -0000

I'm seriously thinking about hanging a banana from the overhead outside my cube...

Re: A humorous look at the theory of creation of Coast Guard policy

slawler — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:59:07 -0000

Brilliant!

Re: VADM Papp’s Nomination Hearing for Commandant finally scheduled

gefox4 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:44:35 -0000

Makes you wonder how the day will go for him. I'm sure that since the memo, his fanbase on the Hill has gone down some.

Re: USCG Air Sta Sacramento CO Temporarily Relieved… hmm, I didn’t see that one coming

slawler — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:34:37 -0000

I gotta wonder, in regards to an earlier post you did about the status of the 1705 investigation, of this has something to do with the mishap, or the mishap was just to much for the CO to deal with personally.

Re: The Coast Guard needs to get back on the social media pedestal

Bill Wells — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:42:46 -0000

Ryan, If the idea and purpose is to make the Coast Guard more "transparent" then why does it close FOIA requests. I do not believe it has even made a report, as required by FOIA act, showing its denials and approvals.

Social media, as I noted, is just another tool to control the image. It is all about PR and not transparency. The competition between old and new is still with us.

Re: The Coast Guard needs to get back on the social media pedestal

andrewdwelch — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:51:36 -0000

Yes, it can be rather dangerous to put fanatics in charge of things ;)

Re: Coast Guard Auxiliary Desktop Wallpaper: Pride in a symbol

Aux1805 — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:37:44 -0000

Awesome!

Re: The Coast Guard needs to get back on the social media pedestal

ryanerickson — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:33:36 -0000

Thank you Andrew- it always seems the fanatics are unofficial 'eh?

Re: The Coast Guard needs to get back on the social media pedestal

ryanerickson — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:32:39 -0000

History lesson aside the Coast Guard did indeed have a purpose at one time with how to use and leverage social media. Thought the term "transparency" is nothing short of a common buzz word it's my opinion that the use of the medium was to extend the services effort in becoming more transparent while allowing the public to fully interact with the CG at the social level.

Furthermore- there is no doubt that the Coast Guard had to jump into the game in an effort to remain cognizant of pubic opinion along with remaining in touch with the current trends in technology.

Re: The Coast Guard needs to get back on the social media pedestal

Bill Wells — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:20:59 -0000

Just what does the Coast Guard want from Social Media? What is the purpose?

In 2001, Lawrence Lessig wrote that the then INTERNET would be a competition between the old and new. And so it has come to pass.

The old is willing to embrace the new as long as the old can maintain control of, or better, use the new to control the new. This may be a social media historical turn for the current administration but what of the next?

Will the next commandant cut off the social media beards of future Coast Guardsmen? It has been done in the past. In 1895, the Treasury Secretary forbade anyone to speak to the press without permission from his office. This was in response to the very public gunfights of RCS offciers (mostly over Mike Healy and other less than honorable officers) and the desire, the need, to control the growing dissatisfaction. Although as yet unproven, the order probably came from the then Chief of the RCS Division.

So, what is the purpose?

Re: The Coast Guard needs to get back on the social media pedestal

andrewdwelch — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:40:37 -0000

I have not spent much time on their Facebook page, but I can say that the PA staff at EUCOM has really done a great job there (at least since ADM Stavridis took over, not sure how it was under GEN Craddock -- I find the leader has much to do with how social media is viewed institutionally) with the blogging and twittering. Very personal, comments and two-way dialogue not just with Americans but with Europeans as well. You can tell that someone on the other side is reading, which is how I think we used to feel (and may yet feel again) about USCG social media efforts.

Interesting to note about USCG social media, though, is how the responsibility for it seems to have greatly shifted to the lower levels. The Coast Guard seems to have a good core of individuals and unit leaders (you, CGBLOG.org, Daren Lewis, etc) hard at work in this area.

Re: Beware of technology while living in the fishbowl

Stan Robbins — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:14:43 -0000

Based on the things I have read regarding that C.O.'s behavior I think it was just a matter of time before it came out. One does NOT give a MCPO a "timeout" with no repercussions. Senior enlisteds like that have been in long enough to have developed a strong network and word would definitely get back to the powers that be.

In my mind a much larger problem is the fact that such things are frequently covered up, or the officer is simply slipped into a different position, so their career can continue until the start drawing that mice retirement check.

Re: What is the United States Coast Guard?

palco92 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:51:07 -0000

You are the one's every body laughs at,but when @#$%% hits the fan,you are the hero's.Great post Mr.Erickson,and thank you for telling use are(girl friends or wife )are smarter than use.so they think.

Re: Coast Guard Mandated Training (MT)… hey, it could be worse

palco92 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:48:04 -0000

Thanks Ryan,very interesting to me.i can see Safety is not addressed the
same,for most of you don't have to pay for medical.reason for allot of
safety training for the civilian sector,rates keep going up and up every
year.thanks again~mike

Re: Coast Guard Mandated Training (MT)… hey, it could be worse

Crabby — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:12:40 -0000

I know the teams reworking these things are working hard to minimize the time investment for the recurring 'primers'. I'm pretty sure that these aren't intended displace any unit level engagements, all hands face-to-face, or one-on-one leadership activities in the field.

Folks at HQ know that people are sick of being tasked with peripheral activity. Some things we are simply required to expose everyone to. Can't get around it, so the design teams are trying to lighten the blow for all hands MT. I think it's improved a bit. It'll get better as the teams collect feedback.

Re: New Coast Guard award being introduced for some Haitian Earthquake Ops personnel

ryanerickson — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:24:20 -0000

That as it may be the NDR is given to everyone in all services.