This right here is why I keep an eye out for shipping stories.
Not in an expert kind of way, and I don't necessarily go digging for it... But ships can haul a lot of stuff.
When we deployed to Iraq most of our equipment went by ship.
Sure, people and some supplies can fly.. But can you imagine how many planes (and how much fuel, and how much time) it would take to fly all of a division's vehicles? Humvees, tanks, HEMMTs? The 5 ton cargo trucks?
Yeah, no.
Shipping is essential, which is why the navy is still pretty essential. (and the marines, for helping secure ports and beachheads and I'll shut up now because any more will reveal how little I really know. Let's just say they're important, I get that, and they require real expertise in a completely different way from the army. And if I ever poke fun at them, it's just typical friendly service rivalry.)
Come to think of it, there's some interesting theories about maritime power and global power that I've brushed against and probably added to my ever expanding reading list.. It's just a lower priority for me because I'm not going to be a naval expert.
No comments:
Post a Comment