The Navy's new Vice Chief. No combat experience?

A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear."
― Marcus Tullius Cicero 

To all you sailors out there, Salute your new Vice Chief of Naval Operations and those from the other branches of services and civilians can bow and shake your heads, for Obama's on the job. Obama's new Admiral Date: April 22, 2016

How does one get 7 rows of ribbons, without any combat?

Admiral Michelle Howard, USN, is not in command of the US Navy; however, she was recently promoted to Vice Chief of Naval Operations, second in command to the CNO.  The selection process leading to her promotion to 4 star rank and her current position, is rather unique in a peace time US Navy.  The supposed plan is to eventually promote her to Chief of Naval Operations.

Admiral Howard had command of only one non-capital ship, the USS Rushmore (LSD-47), when she was promoted to Flag rank, which was unique.  She eventually received orders as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, thru January 2009.  It then appears that Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus mentored her thru one senior billet after another, by-passing other highly qualified combat-trained, more senior Flag Officers.  During the process, she received orders to the proper Command and Staff Colleges, in order to prepare her for each new command assignment, Mabus' careful guidance led her to her current billet.

In the last 7 years, Obama has modified the selection process for Flag and General Officer, by ensuring the potential selectee's compliance with his 'Social Experiment On Diversity', as a condition for whether an officer will be considered for promotion to Admiral or General.

Over the last 7 years, Obama has relieved over 250 highly qualified and combat-trained Flag, General, and Senior Officers; some should have been relieved for cause, but many more were doing a superb job when they were summarily relieved.

Respectfully,

Joseph R. John, USNA '62

Capt, USN (Ret)

Chairman, Combat Veterans For Congress PAC

2307 Fenton Parkway, Suite 107-184

San Diego, CA 92108