“Traits to make me a successful officer”

Former Commander, Naval Security Group Command
- Rear Admiral George Patrick March, United States Navy, Retired

Belief in the importance of the mission of the Navy and the Cryptologic Community and the ability to articulate and pass that belief on to subordinates.

Readiness to undertake any mission and to accept the job assigned. I never campaigned for any certain position but rather tried to do the best I could at what the Navy decided I should be doing.

This is why, when I was the Assignment Officer (detailer) in BuPers, I sometimes wasn’t too sympathetic with young officers’ whining when they came into my office.

From the very beginning understood the importance of the Chief Petty Officers.

I have a facility for getting along with people, but, at the same time, I think I had an inherent sense of what was important and what was fair – both to the Navy and to the individual.