Navy Joins Right To Repair Cause After Broken Ovens Put Sailors In A Pickle

In a major push for operational readiness and efficiency, U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan advocated forcefully this week for the right for sailors to repair their own equipment, telling senators that current contracting practices create unnecessary delays and hinder the fleet's ability to maintain its assets. His remarks, delivered during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill earlier this week stems from growing frustration within the military over intellectual property restrictions that often force reliance on contractors for even minor fixes.

Part of Secretary Phelan's stance comes from firsthand observations of the challenges faced by naval personnel. He highlighted an example from the USS Gerald R. Ford, the nation's most expensive aircraft carrier ($13 billion tax dollars), where he noted that six of the ship's eight ovens were non-functional, directly impacting the ability to feed the 4,500+ crew. Key to the problem ...