No Better Time than Now...For the Navy

While the Air Force has responded to the current operational environment by stonewalling change, the Navy has embraced it.

In a multimillion-dollar television, radio and online ad campaign, the Navy is presenting itself largely as a humanitarian rather than a warfighting organization. Several of the ads give more emphasis to the Navy's prowess in delivering relief supplies than its ability to deliver bombs.

And, unless you're selected to serve as an individual augmentee in landlocked Afghanistan, it is true that there ain't too much warfighting for the Navy this days.

Is the Navy cashing its COIN dividend too early? Check out this new commercial and see for yourself.

Update: Charlie, here. While Kip's right that we're not fighting too many wars off carriers these days, let's not underestimate the number or impact of the individual augmentees getting assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan, nor the number of Seabees ashore in either country. Finally, a fair number of naval aviators (esp. helos) are also based inland. So while Charlie's glad that the Navy has embraced its theater security cooperation mission (no doubt this is good for recruitment), she also appreciates the warfighting they have been doing.