MARCH GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Rear Admiral Cahill Spoke to Membership

Rear Adm. Joe Cahill, Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT), was in attendance at the March 26th Membership Luncheon as our esteemed guest speaker. RADM Cahill wasted no time in starting with a thank-you to the industry and asked the audience if anyone in attendance had loved ones currently stationed on a deployed ship in the Red Sea. He stated that the work done with the companies present marks the beginning of success for the Navy, reinforcing his expressed appreciation and thanks for the ship repair industry. RADM Cahill also displayed lighthearted humor, relating his experience of driving warships to the upcoming VSRA golf tournament.

In the bulk of his speech, RADM Cahill shared that he had prepared remarks but wanted to leave time for hearing the audience's questions and concerns.

RADM Cahill mentioned that he has had almost a year of experience as SURFLANT Commander and wants to continue valuable communication with the Hampton Roads area during his tenure. He emphasized how building relationships with those in attendance was crucial to him and expressed his desire to "break bread," thanking the audience for the warm welcome, the opportunity to speak, and the promise of continued communication.

RADM Cahill focused on notable highlights of VSRA and VSRF, spotlighting the over $170,000 raised in 2023 and the training of over 22,000 individuals. He shared how these efforts of the Association and Foundation aid in "engineering readiness" and strive for "warfighting excellence." The Admiral made sure to emphasize that the goals of the Navy would not be reached without the partnership between the fleet and the ship repair industry present.

RADM Cahill shared the efforts being made on his end to improve the warfighting edge of the fleet, with a joke about his dad mentoring him on spending taxpayers' money wisely. Internal process improvements and reducing maintenance delays are goals for Cahill.

RADM Cahill gave an example of two East Coast warships doing battle in the Red Sea, Cahill mentioned the effect of Task Group Grayhound (TGG) in demanding our warships be at a higher level of deployment readiness than others, updating the model and schedule for ship repair teams. Cahill also mentioned the recent six of six on-time completion of ISRA, referencing East Coast Repair's recent on-time completion. He says the industry is valuable in providing quality vessels for playing an "away game."

Cahill discussed the DDG 2.0 program, specifically the Teaming Partners initiative, and the efforts to modernize DDGs to fight and win when called upon for conflict. He talked about the support given by the industry to be ready for any outcomes, including damage control. Cahill also mentioned a full-scale exercise with USS James E. Williams in partnership with NASSCO, Portsmouth Fire Department, MARMC, and CNSG Mid-Atlantic. Although James E. Williams failed, it was a disappointment that Cahill emphasized there were lessons learned that can be used in the future to continue to work on improving.

Cahill talked about emergent repairs and their importance. Thanks were given to the audience as he shared that the industry was able to immediately support and help modernize ships. USS Gunston Hall underwent an exercise that exemplified the emergent repairs needed, serving as a vital example for NATO allies. To Cahill, the ability to handle CASREPs is thanks to our industry. MARMC fly-away teams often include industry repairers, and Cahill expressed gratitude for our involvement.

Cahill then discussed the development of "The Rock," a readiness operations center. Along with The Rock, evolution to the fleet response plans is constantly being examined to "put more players on the field" by increasing warship readiness and decreasing days of maintenance delays.

The partnership between the fleet and our ship repair industry is a key element for Cahill, as he closed his speech with a desire to maintain communication and transparency with questions during the luncheon and afterward. He then opened the floor for questions.

When asked about his thoughts on the variety of ships being created and maintained, Cahill mentioned the variance across the surface fleet and the need for consistency as a short-term goal compared to the larger scope of awareness of new ship numbers. He discussed the realization that ship production has slowed to a current new average per year. Cahill also discussed his commitment to specific vessels of value and "spartanizing" them. Additionally, he talked about the continued procurement of amphibious ships. Mentioning his concerns, Cahill noted the variance of systems onboard.

Being asked of "what keeps you up at night", Cahill shared that he mainly worries about the status of the strategic environment, current and potential threats, and the constant analyzing of if enough is being done and modernized to handle future fights. He talked about his goal and ability to bring proficiency to those he works with to improve the quality of our nation's security. Surrounded by individuals who are answering the call, Cahill shared his pride of others' efforts that is making a difference for the betterment of the nation. Lastly, Cahill mentioned his own personal bias in the fight with his son being involved with the military, pushing him to stay in the fight to improve things the best he can.

Cahill then discussed the future of the security of the nation. He talked about how we are normally unprepared for major conflict starting events, as history shows. He went into how continued conversations with industry is necessary for national security while also mentioning how current partnerships have already given better protection to the fleet. Cahill said he knows that "the call" is coming and that we will be judged for how we answer it.

Cahill closed his time answering questions by sharing a final point: changes are needed in the fleet for captains to say "I am not going to accept that loss of redundancy." He explains that redundancy on ships will be important for mission success and how it has been taken for granted by surface warfare officers. He then thanks and offers his time for future luncheons and events.

Perry Bingham and Bill Crow came forward to take a photo with Cahill before Bingham then shared that a donation had been made to the Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads on behalf of Cahill as a thanks for him speaking at the event. 

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rear Adm. Joe Cahill, originally from St. Albans, Vermont, completed his education at the University of Maine in 1992. During his distinguished naval career, Cahill served at sea aboard the USS Constellation (CV 64), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), and USS Russell (DDG 59). He held command positions on the USS Monsoon (PC 4) and USS Preble (DDG 88), with his major command being the USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), where he was the Integrated Air and Missile Warfare Commander for Carrier Strike Group NINE (CSG-9).

Before his current position, he was the Commander of Carrier Strike Group FIFTEEN. On June 2, 2023, Cahill assumed the role of Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic. His shore assignments have been diverse and impactful, involving stints with the Joint Staff, INDOPACOM, and three roles within the Chief of Naval Operations’ staff, specifically in Strategy & Policy (N5SP) and Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities (N9). He also contributed to the Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center, the Naval War College, and served as deputy director for Resources and Acquisitions at the Joint Staff, J8.

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