VAdm Foggo likes bands. Just wow.

via USNI News.

The U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band is a force multiplier. From the headquarters in Naples, Italy, it represents U.S. interests to 105 countries in Europe and Africa, just over 25% of the world’s population.[1] American Sailors are among our most capable ambassadors, and in our area of operation we average 10,000 Sailors at any given time. Most of these Sailors, though, are either underway or concentrated near a few Navy bases. The Band’s 50 musicians—including five Italian members—are extremely adaptive and play as one large unit or within smaller, specialized groups. Like all Navy bands, they support our mission, enhance international diplomacy, improve community outreach, and help forge enduring relationships. Each component of the Navy is concentrated on support of the warfighters and their mission. The Band is no exception.

Just plain wow.

The Naval Forces Europe Band is a force multiplier?  They support the mission, enhance international diplomacy, help forge enduring relationships?

Does the good admiral have anything to support those assertions?  Has anyone done a study on why the Navy has bands that it sends on these "good will" missions and if they ACTUALLY support the military's mission?

In a time of tight budgets (supposedly) does it make sense for the Navy to be doing this?  If it's so effective then why isn't the State Dept, USAID or some other agency involved in this type of outreach/diplomacy?

But the biggest shock to me is that days after the HSV-2 was sunk off the coast of Yemen, instead of a response to that action we instead have a flag officer talking about the freaking band (I note with a bit of amusement that none of the "major players" in Naval Blogging world are talking about that sinking...out of sight, out of mind).

If you want to know why I view this generation of military leaders as the worst in the history of our nation, just add this article to the list.  This is both tone deaf and clueless.  Time for someone to turn in his retirement papers.