NAVAL BASE KITSAP, Wash. – After a month-long investigation into the collision of the USS Connecticut with an undersea mountain, an independent safety board has recommended that all Navy submarines be equipped with reflective belts.  

“Obviously the Navy’s safety protocols were falling short, so we had to put a little Army in it,” said Army Col. Tom Maynard, head of the safety board. Maynard was given the lead role in the naval investigation as part of a pilot program to increase force diversity and innovation through joint operations.

The recommendation was met with immediate pushback from Navy personnel.