Monday, January 25, 2010

1985 USNA GRAD WAS 2006 VADM STOCKDALE INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD NOMINEE

Captain Babette Bolivar is a 1985 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In sharp contrast to those traits demonstrated by her classmate Captain Holly A. Graf (former CO of USS COWPENS), Captain Bolivar was recognized in 2006 as the CNO’s Pacific Fleet Finalist for the VADM James Bond Stockdale Inspirational Leadership Award. To date, she has been the only woman nominee. VADM James Bond Stockdale Inspirational Leadership Award candidates are peer nominated, meaning her fellow Commanding Officers recognized in her those traits which best represent the five roles of leadership that VADM Stockdale exhibited himself.

Those roles are:

Moralist
Commitment to a personal code of conduct which emphasizes strong moral ethics, courage, resolve, and humility as demonstrated by personal and professional service to members of the Naval service.

Jurist
Ability to establish policy, which can be implemented and obeyed, and to make those hard decisions, based on the policy, in those difficult situations, which portend endless complications.

Teacher

Example of self-discipline, sensitivity to others, and ability to place the major issues in proper prospective while creating the motivational command climate essential for job satisfaction and organizational pride.

Steward
Example of competence, proper regard for the rights of others, and personal commitment to the development and maintenance of accepted standards, unit loyalty, and esprit de corps.

Philosopher
Ability to reason, understand and explain the essence of reality and recognize the need for forethought in dealing with uncertainties.

Story about the VADM J.B. Stockdale Award winners here. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen was a winner when he was a Commander.

She is the CO of Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. Her biography is here. She is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame.

7 comments:

'85 USNA 4 striper said...

The USNA class of 1985 (like all years) has produced its share of high quality patriots and industry leaders of the highest character and intellect. Holly was an outlier and there were men just like her. Glad she got her comeuppance but, at the same time, it is painful to me personally whenever a fellow USNA graduate fails. My hat's off to Bette Bolivar (Bush) and her significant achievements. She is a credit to our class and the USNA.

Anonymous said...

Isn't she missing her command ashore pin? Odd for an official photo to be wrong, isn't it? Especially one on the command's website.

Susan Katz Keating said...

She is definitely someone to be proud of. Thank you for highlighting her service and her award. I am curious, though - did you delete your earlier post about Holly Graf? I can't find it anywhere.

Mike Lambert said...

Somehow that link is visible only to me. I don't know what happened. I have received a few e-mails about it. When I am logged in on my site I see it. When I come in as a visitor, I can't get to it. There were 182 comments and they are still there.

Susan Katz Keating said...

Wow, that's odd. I've had a couple people email me about it or send me questions on Facebook. It's an awesome post, and I worship at the feet of someone who can get 182 comments on one post ; )

Anonymous said...

Here's a link to the heavily commented Capt. Holly Graf post.

http://navycaptain-therealnavy.blogspot.com/2010/01/number-two-in-our-countdown-is-captain.html

Anonymous said...

In regard to her ribbons, she also has too many E's on her Battle E Ribbon. There should be a single "E w/Wreath" device upon receiving the 4th Battle E Ribbon.

I know it's trivial, but she should know better.