"Desperate" is a strong word. The point is that there should be no wifi at all during these deployments, and there are reasonable operational security reasons for that ban. This isn't a "fix" to a problem, it's directly disobeying an order.
The lack of general internet availability onboard ships is a feature, not a bug. There are a million and one ways that opsec failures could happen accidentally, let alone through malicious code, devices or people.
Everyone I know who went to sea had a hard drive full of movies for trading around. There are plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained at sea. Leaking intel isn't a good one.
As stevetodd’s link mentions downthread, the Navy is procuring StarLink officially (likely as part of StarShield, their DoD product with milspec satellites and full DoD ownership and control [3]); peel off some bandwidth for the humans if you expect them to show up to the job. They’ll easily find a better job in the current labor macro otherwise [4].
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39169676
[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41331066
[3] https://spacenews.com/pentagon-embracing-spacexs-starshield-...
[4] https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/36...
Your average techie can get around that by using Jellyfin, Sonarr/Radarr, Torrent trackers and such, but the military has to follow the law.
THe fact that ships travel around the world doesn't make this easier. Even if the Pentagon could make a deal with most of the major U.S. streaming services to provide their content to the military in a secure, offline fashion, which they probably could, those companies are often prohibited from distributing that content outside U.S. borders due to exclusivity agreements.
The US Navy could have their own version of that.
I recently flew on long flight with Qatar Airways and their library is massive. Almost any movie, show or album I could think of was in there
Purchased (i.e. not rented) media on at least iTunes/Apple TV/Apple Music/Kindle etc. are usable offline indefinitely.
Most of the time these ships are just floating around doing nothing particularly important or sensitive.
The command could enable and disable internet access in response to operational security requirements, as part of regular exercises, or distribute access on the basis of some kind of reward or punishment.
You seriously expect a bunch of ~20-year-old people to go without internet access for 6-9 months at a time? Good luck with recruiting.
And yes, I expect “oh gosh we might not have internet” to be something the military can handle.
Yeah, sounds good until you see in practice how so many veterans are forgotten, let alone the millions without any healthcare at all. Healthcare should be a human right for everyone.
How much is this actually worth? If you have a full time job, you'll get insurance through the job. If not, you'll likely qualify for Medicaid. Here in California half the residents get free health insurance via Medicaid
You are also overestimating the salary of a fresh enlistee. Everyone below E-3 makes less than 30k
($30k/year is ~$15-16/hr)
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/36...
It cites a variety of reasons why they are having issues, but pay isn’t one of them.
> A strong economy, which has resulted in many more options for young people.
Additional citation:
https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/mcdonalds-or-th...
> McDonald’s or the Army? A California Case Study
> On measures that often matter most to military recruits, such as cash compensation, the military is falling behind civilian wages.
> The need for a large increase in junior enlisted wages becomes apparent when one considers two issues: the looming demographic cliff for America’s youth and competition from the labor market. According to the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, it is projected that between 2025 and 2029, the US will see its population of 18-year-olds drop from 9.4 million to roughly 8 million, a 15 percent decrease.
If you think it's so important, why aren't you making this sacrifice? The Navy already can't meet its recruitment goals. Where exactly do you think all these selfless, freedom-defending 18-year-olds willing to go without internet are going to come from?
I just think "not having internet" is very low on the list of concerns, and if it isn't, maybe those people need to re-evaluate their situation and priorities.
You are on a ship, where you can't visit friends or family and loved ones, where you have given up your rights and freedom, your choice about anything you consume or do, and you might literally not make it back home.
I think the recruitment goals are caused by other things.
The fact that people serving in the military get ANY connection is blowing my mind right now. Especially given the operational tempo I am assuming they have to deal with day in and day out. I know for me every other day was a 21-hour day. Thinking about having internet while forward deployed just sounds exhausting.
Yes, we generally want mental stability in the people manning our war machines. (Also discipline.)
It’s awfully easy to demand expectations from others behind the safety and comfort of a desk.
This is a nonsense argument. I’m not willing to go med school, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t require it for doctors.
A fighting force addicted to their phones is vulnerable. You can’t have the first time your Navy goes cold turkey on a psychological dependence be during combat.
Perhaps you could convince the Navy to open their recruitment to the 55+ age segment.
Sailors are giving up a lot more in terms of personal life, fixating on internet access as a dealbreaker is such an odd take.