Category: Military

By Beth F. Coye / Op-Ed San Diego Union-Tribune / Dec. 26, 2023

The motivating factor behind my life has been protection and defense of America from all enemies. My dad, a World War II-decorated submarine skipper, instilled in our family that duty was above all else. So, it was no surprise to anyone that my adult career was spent as a naval officer, retiring as a commanding officer in San Diego, my birthplace.

I loved the Navy, I loved that we had a serious mission to protect and serve our country. I had always been so focused that the military’s raison d’etre was to protect against the enemy from without that it took me years to unravel that the military’s perception was that certain people were unfit to serve this mission, and I turned out to be one of those people.

If Congress does not resolve the impasse by Sept. 30, federal appropriations will expire, bringing many agencies to a halt and forcing the sprawling U.S. government to operate at a mere shell of itself.

Here are the most immediate effects of a federal government shut down — which may happen in only 8 days:

• Millions of federal employees will stop receiving paychecks — but many will be forced to report to work anyway.
• Millions of active military service members will stop receiving paychecks — but many will be forced to report to work anyway.
• Some national parks may close, museums could shutter
• airports nationwide might see new disruptions and delays.
• Federal aid programs including those assisting the victims of the deadly wildfires in Maui — could struggle to provide urgently needed support.
• mail deliveries would continue and
• seniors would still receive their Social Security checks,
  

Yes, ten percent of the pilots who fly in air shows are killed in either shows or practices.

The San Diego Veterans For Peace, in collaboration with many other local pro-climate groups, are asking the US Marines to stop the Blue Angels from flying over our city. Their proposed September Air Show is an egregious waste of fossil fuel and is contributing to the climate crisis.

The Department of Defense and the US military has long ago identified the climate crisis as our biggest national threat, so we demand that the Marines get on board with that fact and cancel the show. Our 2023 demonstrations against the September Air Show will be on the Carroll Canyon overpass to Interstate 15 from 4 PM to 6 PM on the following days:

By Judi Curry and Gil Field

Has anyone noticed that the San Diego Veterans For Peace, a local veterans organization, has for the last six years been educating local citizens about the dangers and environmental damage inherent in the Miramar Air Show, an annual event at MCAS Miramar each September?

They have mentioned the dangers involved with having high speed jets flying all over our city for at least a week each year, given that 10% of Blue Angels pilots have been killed in practices or shows. They have mentioned the significant expenditures of US taxpayer monies this show requires every year, as we add $1.5 trillion to our mounting Federal debt each year.

They have attended the show themselves and found small children, often under five years old, being shown and admiring terrible weapons of war, as if they were toys. 

Editordude: This is an official statement about the status of the Navy selection process for the redevelopment of the NAVWAR properties and how Mayor Gloria is all on board. But, fair reader, notice – there’s not one word about affordable housing.

From NAVWAR Public Affairs / 22 August 2023

The Navy revitalization of Naval Base Point Loma, Old Town Campus (OTC) is now progressing to the next stage of the project timeline, with the full support of Todd Gloria, mayor of San Diego.

Having received proposals from redevelopment teams for the NAVWAR property last week, the Navy is absolutely mum on the number and types of proposals and who are the teams and their financial models and development schedules. It’s the final leg of the eating frenzy to select who will remake this huge prime piece of real estate.

Jennifer van Grove at the U-T reported late last week:

The United States Navy has moved into the final leg of a real estate competition to replace its obsolete NAVWAR facilities and remake the rest of the 70.3-acre military campus that bumps up against Interstate 5 in San Diego’s Midway District.

Aug. 17th, OBHS presents “NTC CENTENNIAL”

Join the Ocean Beach Historical Society on August 17, 2023, at 7 PM, for the NTC Centennial program.

The presenter is by Eric DuVall, OBHS prez, at Waters Edge Faith Church at 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.

By Thom Hartman / Daily Kos and Economy for All/ August 4, 2023

Although it’s generally only mentioned in passing in the mainstream media, there are two particularly chilling passages in Jack Smith’s indictment of Trump.

Both, to my mind, invoke Kent State, but on a much larger scale.

by Domenick Candelieri / Fox5 / May 12, 2023

“Spike” the sea lion is making waves in the science community, learning how to play video games on the deck of a sea pen in the San Diego Bay off the coast of Point Loma.

The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program cares for the branch’s sea lions and dolphins, aiming to keep marine mammals happy and healthy longer. “His (Spike) ability to understand the concept of controlling a cursor on a screen,

Barry Bahrami, the man whose livestream caught two Navy ships nearly colliding in the San Diego Bay has been ordered to take the cameras down.

It was Bahrami’s video that showed the near collision of two Navy ships at the San Diego Bay back in November 2022, an incident commonly referred to as “Warship Chicken” which now stands at the center of a new controversy. The Navy Criminal Investigative Service says the camera’s livestream shows military activity in the area, but Bahrami calls, “bologna,” and that he has the right to film.

A popular web cam at Cabrillo Monument that has provided millions of viewers with a look over San Diego Bay has  been closed down by the Park Service after pressure from the Navy. The live web cam has been on for 10 years and last year had more than 6 million views.

The founder of the webcam and YouTube channel, Barry Bahrami, said he was shocked to learn the Navy had concerns and asked the National Park Service to turn it off. He told CBS8 ,

“This was done in spite. “

On April 11, the Navy disclosed that it had chosen four development teams for the next round of real estate competition to redevelop the 70 plus acres of the NAVWAR site in the Midway District. Yet, the Navy would not identify the teams on their shortlist. It is the largest real estate competition in the federal agency’s history.

This secrecy may not sit well with local residents who were clearly rankled by the initial concept drawings offered to the community by the Navy that showed a wall of skyscrapers towering over I-5. The Navy said it received more than 1,000 letters in response to the models presented. Ironically, the Navy says those letters and the “public’s strong reaction as part of the rationale for undertaking the solicitation process prior to finalizing the environment work,” as reported by the Union-Tribune.