Courtesy of the Duffle Blog. This was too funny not to share.

NORFOLK, VA – Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus went on a tour of the USS San Antonio today to promote his new initiative to separate all enlisted sailors and replace them with civilian contractors.

“This is a great way to save the Navy money,” Mabus said as he explained the reasoning behind the pending decision. “Every sailor costs the Navy roughly $300,000 a year, so we decided to give them all generous separation packages and rehire them as contractors at double their enlisted salary. It won’t cost a thing to recruit or train them.”

Many observers noted that Mabus has ignored the fact that they were previously recruited and trained by the military.

“The San Antonio is a great example of what a new civilian operated Navy can do,” Mabus said. “She’s six years old, a billion dollars over budget, and hasn’t been seaworthy since we bought her. She is a shining example of what the Navy can accomplish without sailors.”

“Do you see this? This is efficiency,” Mabus said as he crossed the quarterdeck, pointing to a line of workers waiting to clock out.  “An hour before their shift is over and they’re already lining up, motivated and ready to go. They must have finished their work early.”

Mabus toured the ship, stopping by four contractors trying to bolt a manhole cover into the deck.  “In the old days a sailor with a wrench would do this in twenty minutes.  Now it’ll take three hours and only cost $20,000.”

Read the rest here.

Oh…and Drone Strike is SOFREP code for satire.