Machinist's Mates Caught In Political Quarrel

A dispute between Congress and the Pentagon over the fate of the Navy's oldest amphibious warships has placed thousands of engineering sailors in career limbo, reports the Navy Times.

Navy machinist's mates operate the steam boilers aboard the two remaining Tarawa-class assault vessels and four Austin-class amphibious transport docks. The service wants to retire the ships over the next few years.

Some lawmakers, however, want to keep them around for significantly longer in an...