Retired Navy Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. believes it imperative that America rebuild naval strength – through personnel and through “hardware and strategy.” Zumwalt gives a sobering view of eroded naval capability in an article in the June issue of American . Legion Magazine. Entitled, “USN: Second Best and Third Priority,” the article reports that American naval strength has become second to that of the Soviet Union; and “continental strategy” as opposed to a “maritime strategy” gives second priority (behind strategic nuclear weapons) to upgrading of land and air forces in Central Europe. “This leaves the U.S. Navy as a third priority,” he writes. Zumwalt said the most dramatic change in global balance of power came when the Soviets, in about 1972, gained strategic nuclear force parity with the United States. The U.S. actuall-y encouraged this. he said, assuming superpower nuclear equality would sup port, detente and cooperation to maintain peace and stability. But, as SALT II negotiations underlined, the Soviet continued to pulh for nuclear superiority and now has the power to “call the shots. i.e., dictate the type of weapons that would be used in any confrontation.” In addition, the USSR is able to project power overseas with its amphibious ships and navycontrolled merchant marine fleet. “The Soviets see this as a way to take military power to areas where it will be visible and usable for political or military gain.” The U.S. Navy, Zumwalt said, has 462 active fleet ships (down from more than 900 in 1965) and 5,600 aircraft of various types. “In the past decade there has been a continuous ero sion of American naval forces…” To reverse the trend and maintain just 550 ships, we need in st.? up our annual ship pitrc ases, including more in the “expensive, multi-purpose, high capability category,” Zumwalt asserted. To increase offensive and anti-sir capabilities is especia’llg’ vital, he said. Believing-Qiere have been too many “lean” budgets, he warned: “It takes 15 to 20 years to build up a navy but only 4 to 5 years of negled to put a navy into decline.” Calling people the “real heart of a fighting force,” Zumwalt said at any given time there are “numerous important ships” lacking contat readiness because of shortage of crews. He blamed”management” for the shortfall, saying it is over-committing, underfunding, and failing to upgrade the pay policy to provide adequate salaries and “quality of life” benefits. On the hopeful side, Zumwalt conceded in summary that America is not so far behind in arms development that government support of “a sound offensive naval strategy, with forces and qualified people to match, could not restore U.S. Naval superiority? National security obviously depends ou restoring the Navy to a position of maritime supremacy. Congress and the Secretary of Defense need to pay close attention to Admiral Zumwalt’s words and prove they have received the message by taking substantive action to restore our naval power.