Two crashes, almost 20 Marines killed in a month in air crashes and they FINALLY call a safety stand down.

via USNI News.

The Marine Corps ordered all its aviation units to hold a 24-hour stand-down at some point in the next two weeks to take a break from operations and focus on flight safety and fundamentals, according to a service news release.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller ordered the operational pause today, telling all units to “conduct an operational reset for a 24 hour-period where no flight operations will take place but no operational commitments will be impacted,” according to the news release.

Each squadron commander will use his or her discretion to select the best time to conduct this one-day pause. This applies to all units – stationed in the continental United States or abroad, and even deployed units if the commanders can hold one without sacrificing their operational obligations, Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Christopher Harrison told USNI News.

Squadrons during this time will “focus on the fundamentals of safe flight operations, standardization, and combat readiness.” This includes studying completed investigations from previous mishaps “to ensure all air wing Marines and sailors are informed of incidents happening across the enterprise and ensure they don’t happen again,” Harrison said.

Story here. 

I stand in awe of Marine Corps leadership.  It took till now to do a safety stand down?  They float the trial balloon of letting the MEU commander decide if the MV-22 was safe to fly?

It's bullshit on cracker.

I wish I could talk to these guys...all of them....the Commandant, Sgt Major of the Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant...all the leadership and find out where their heads are at.

They're acting more confused than anything else now.

They're acting like they're besieged and simply trying to make it thru another day.  I know Amos was in a bunker mentality and felt that way but Neller?  Never would have thought he would seemly crumble like this.

What is going on at HQMC?  Regardless they need to get their heads on straight.  Simple shit should be done immediately and the hard shit should take a little longer.  That's what we expect and deserve.  This tardy decision is being applauded by some but I see it as indicative of command indecision.  That's troubling.  The right decision done late is still wrong.  This was done late.