The Navy's "A" and "C" schools - the Navy's public schools must challenge our Sailors and make better use of their time

Vice Admiral Tom Copeman is commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Forces US Pacific Fleet.  He is responsible for delivering readiness to the fleet.

The training Sailors require is a crucial part of Vice Admiral Copeman's priorities.

"If we really want our crews to fight and win, we need to lay that foundation right there in the school house," he said. "The schools - our basic, integrated and advanced training - must be focused on preparations for high-end combat operations. I think of it as improving the 'Public School System' ("A" and "C" schools) by increasing the hands-on training for our Sailors and taking a hard look if we are delivering the information in the best manner."

To start with, Admiral Copeman said he intends to invest $170 million into schoolhouse upgrades for surface engineering, with plans to do the same for combat systems and its respective school houses.

Copeman said he wants to reverse the trend of many Sailors spending large amounts of time at school only to require in-depth supervision once reporting aboard ship to do basic maintenance or watchstanding.

"Our schools must challenge our Sailors and make better use of their time," he said.

Fortunately, our schoolhouse at the Center for Information Dominance Corry Station, Pensacola Florida is doing this now.

Cherokee Indian Naval Aviator Number ONE

Admiral Clark was born in Pryor, Oklahoma, on 12 November 1893, son of Cherokee Indian William A. Clark and Lillie Berry Clark. He attended Willie Halsell College, Vinita, Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, at Stillwater; and graduated from the US Naval Academy with the class of 1918 in June 1917. He was the first Native American graduate of the naval Academy. He was the first Cherokee Indian to be designated a naval aviator.

More on the Admiral HERE.

This is one extraordinary individual.  In 1952 he was commander of U.S. SEVENTH Fleet.  Admiral Clark was an honorary chief by both the Sioux and Cherokee nations. He died 13 July 1971 at the Naval Hospital, St. Albans, New York, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. 

In addition to the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Star, the Legion of Merit, the Silver Star Medal, the Commendation Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with two stars, Rear Admiral Clark has the Victory Medal, Escort Clasp (USS North Carolina), and is entitled to the American Defense Service Medal with Bronze "A" (for service in the old USS Yorktown which operated in actual or potential belligerent contact with the Axis Forces in the Atlantic Ocean prior to December 7, 1941); the European-African-Middle Eastern Area Campaign Medal with one bronze star; the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with twelve bronze stars; the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one bronze star; and the World War II Victory Medal.

November is the Navy's focus month for Native Americans.  Nice to learn more about our Native American heritage.

Skipper in the spotlight - Captain Tim White, CO, NAVIOCOM Maryland

Captain White was commissioned in 1987 with a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering.  He was then assigned to USS MISSOURI (BB-63), where he participated in Operation EARNEST WILL, RIMPAC 88/90, PACEX89, and Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM.   He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey CA, in 1993 (MS Systems Technology), and was assigned to NSA/CSS, Fort Meade, Md.

Captain White served in the Naval and Aerodynamic Weapons Systems Technical Analysis directorate, and the National Security Operations Center (NSOC) as a Senior Watch Officer/Group Coordinator, and completed two National Intelligence Support Team (NIST) deployments to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Commander, NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) and Commander, NATO Implementation Force (IFOR). 

After earning a diploma from the Naval War College and completing JMPE Phase 1, he was subsequently assigned to C5F/COMUSNAVCENT in Manama, Bahrain.  He established the Naval Security Group Activity Bahrain (now Naval Information Operations Command Bahrain) as the Plankowner Commanding Officer from 1999-2001.  Captain White then completed JPME Phase 2 and was awarded a diploma from the Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University in the Fall of 2001.  

From Fall 2001 to Fall 2004, he was assigned to the Pentagon OPNAV staff, in direct support of the Director for Naval Intelligence as the Navy Joint Military Intelligence Programs (JMIP) and Tactical Intelligence and Related Activities (TIARA) Policy, Programs, and Requirements Officer. 

He is a 2008 graduate of the National Defense University/Industrial College of the Armed Forces, (MS National Resources Mgmt).  Prior to his assignment to USCYBERCOM (Plankowner) as Director, Commander’s Action Group, he served at STRATCOM/JFCC-NW as D/J2 and Chief of Staff. 

Captain White’s most recent operational Fleet assignment was to Commander, United States SEVENTH Fleet as A/COS Information Operations (N39), embarked onboard USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-19).  

Captain White assumed command of Navy Information Operations Command Maryland in September of  2011 where he oversees a command of 2000 of the Navy’s finest Sailors and civilians and serves as Commander, Task Force 1060 responsible for the execution of cyber and non-kinetic operations for Commander Tenth Fleet.

COMMANDER CSG THREE REASSIGNED PENDING NAVY IG INVESTIGATION

The Navy has approved the temporarily reassignment of the commander of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group - CSG3.  Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette, Commander, Carrier Strike Group THREE has been relieved of command pending the results of an investigation by the Navy Inspector General.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Middle East.

Rear Admiral Gaouette's Chief of Staff, Captain William C. Minter, will lead the strike group until the arrival of Rear Admiral Troy M. Shoemaker, who will assume command until the matter is resolved.

Rear Admiral Shoemaker has served as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine and deployed with the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group.

It is highly unusual for the Navy to replace a carrier strike group commander during its deployment The Navy did not reveal details of the allegations, citing only an accusation of "inappropriate leadership judgment" that arose during the strike group's deployment to the Middle East.

Navy Reading List

The CNO has updated the Navy reading list to include  the books below related to his THREE TENETS. The reading isn't mandatory and it is no longer divided up by pay grade.  The Navy is paying to have this 18 book collection sent to over 1100 Navy commands.  I hope your command is on their list.  The Navy has invested some time and effort in putting this together and it even has a Program Director at the Naval War College.  The program director is calling for Sailors who do read the books to be praised in their evaluations.  However, I suspect that our high performing Sailors aren't going to have room on their evals for mentioning - "She read all the books on the CNO reading list."  In any case, there's some good reading available.

Warfighting First
• 1812: The Navy’s War (George C. Daughan)
• Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It (Richard Clarke)
• The Gamble (Thomas Ricks)
• SEAL of Honor (Gary Williams)
• Shield and Sword (Edward Marolda)
• Wake of the Wahoo (Forest J. Sterling)

Operate Forward
• Crisis of Islam (Bernard Lewis)
• Execute Against Japan (Joel Holwitt)
• Monsoon (Robert Kaplan)
• Neptune’s Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal (James Hornfischer)
• Red Star Over the Pacific (Toshi Yoshihara and James Holmes)
• The Man From Pakistan (Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins)

Be Ready
• A Sailor’s History of the U.S. Navy (Thomas Cutler)
• Navigating the Seven Seas (Melvin Williams Jr. and Sr.)
• In the Shadow of Greatness (J. Welle, J. Ennis and Katherine Kranz)
• The Morality of War (Brian Orend)
• Time Management From the Inside Out (Julie Morgenstern)
• Wired for War (P.W. Singer)

The Pay-Off

The pay-off in battle is the result of hard work and hard thought, for hours, for days, for weeks, and for years of training and planning.  Great leadership is developed over a span of years.  It is the result of the daily collection of a lot of little experiences, little lessons, learned and absorbed and tested day after day, long before the battle begins.

Admiral Arleigh A. Burke
United States Navy

In a way that cyber communication never can

"A good handwritten letter is a creative act, and not just because it is a visual and tactile pleasure. It is a deliberate act of exposure, a form of vulnerability, because handwriting opens a window on the soul in a way that cyber communication can never do. You savor their arrival and later take care to place them in a box for safe keeping." 

Catherine Field

How I feel sometimes when trying to work with some of my active duty Shipmates

Artwork from www.hecticdesigns.co.uk.

"All at sea. "

In a state of confusion and disorder. This is an extension of the nautical phrase 'at sea'. It dates from the days of sail when accurate navigational aids weren't available. Any ship that was out of sight of land was in an uncertain position and in danger of becoming lost.

From my friends at SailorBob

Spotlight on a leader taking action

Note: This is the first in what I hope to make a series to periodically celebrate an action oriented leader who is walking the walk and leading regardless of his/her job title or billet description. 

Mr. Mario A Vulcano currently serves as an Instructor of the Information Warfare Basic Course at the Center for Information Dominance in Pensacola, FL. Though he has a distinguished career as CTR about which he is justifiably proud, the reason we are celebrating him is not a result of the countless significant contributions he has made over his 23 years of service in uniform (CTRSN to CTRC and ultimately CWO3) and 30 years (and counting) of total service. Today we highlight his ongoing effort to continually improve new accession training for Information Warfare Officers.

For the last five years, Mr. Vulcano has been a constant in shaping the minds of new Information Warfare Officers. He has helped to revise and deliver IW curriculum to an ever changing requirement. And though all training objectives continue to be met, he and a cadre of others have identified numerous seams in the training they are tasked to deliver. He, and others, have also grown concerned with the way such training is delivered (i.e. Death by Power Point and drinking from a firehose). Never one to look to others to fix things before doing all that he can, and firmly believing that though he might not have the authority to make things the way they ought to be, he has the responsibility to control what he can and influence what he can't. He is currently championing the cause to weave the following mentorship opportunities into IWBC:

- IW Flag Officer engagement

- Leadership Perspectives from distinguished IW Leaders

- "Magnet" NIOC CO/XO Communication of Expectations

- Expectations of a JO - A Master Chiefs Perspective

- Community Management and Detailer Overview

- FITREP/EVAL writing 101

- Ethics, Critical Thinking and Decision Making with Capstone Case Studies

No requirement for him to do so, but feedback from students, commanding officers, and his own personal critique of the state of training give him reason to take permission and do all that he can to meet and ultimately exceed expectations. Sometimes it's not the training solution that is the constraint. This is but a case where the training requirement is the limiting factor. Mr. Vulcano is indirectly shaping the requirement by delivering what we need beyond what was stated as a requirement. Thank-you, Shipmate.

Clearly, there are numerous action leaders serving our country, the Navy and the IDC community. I would love to feature them here so that we can all be more aware of their significant contributions, be inspired to follow their lead, and think about how we might be able to contribute to the cause they are championing. We speak of collective ownership, self-synchronizing, and taking permission. This series is about those who do more that talk the talk. Please nominate action leaders you appreciate so we can shine the spotlight on those most deserving.

Thank-you, Mario, for your leadership, personal initiative, and strong desire to make us better. May every IWO who graduates from their 8 weeks with you arrive to the Fleet ready, willing, and committed to following your example.

Nautical term - One that I had not heard before

TO SWALLOW THE ANCHOR

To leave the Navy for good - implying that one has no further use for the implement one has for so long trusted. 

Commonly used in reference to retirement from the Navy.

More awesome advice from a mentor

How to Brief a Senior Officer 

The first step is giving the boss the big picture. In a couple of sentences, try to outline the basics of the situation and the problem you seek to solve or the creative idea you are pushing.

Next, offer an assessment that lays out the key facts the decision-maker needs. Put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker and tailor the background info to what he or she doesn't already know. You'll need to state your assumptions up front as well.

Third step – and the key, of course – is articulating what you propose. Make this simple, creative, and sensible. Think through and discuss second order effects. Mention how your idea will play with the ‘customers' the boss reports to as appropriate. Address the challenges – especially the resources required -- in a realistic way.

Be honest and clear-eyed, not an impassioned advocate for a pet theory or project. Give both sides of the argument and anticipate objections. You need to be able to walk through the plan in such a way as to make it understandable.

Never read from a slide or a text. The decision maker doesn't need you for that. 

Be confident, relaxed, and don't be afraid to use a little humor as appropriate.

Realize that you will probably be asked questions you don't know the answer to, and the only answer is "I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you with the information.” Focus on outcomes.

And speak up, with good posture – as always, what we learn early in life stands us in good stead later. All of this is a skill at which you can improve with practice and observation.

If you are able, watch others as they brief senior leaders and watch the interaction. What was well received? What was poorly conveyed? What would make it better? These are "free” practice sessions for you—someone else did all the work!

Above all, be honest and work hard to convey the information—the brief is about the info, not about you. The odds are good that you'll know more than anyone else in the room about the subject. Sharing that expertise in a brief, concise, and sensible way is the goal. Good luck!

ADM James Stavridis

Thank You U.S. Navy

Sailors always remember a thank-you note, long after they forget what exactly they did to deserve it. Of course, there are the usual occasions to write thank you notes, but what are often more interesting are the unexpected ones.

A thank-you note is a gift in and of itself. Thank those Sailors for the great job they did on the Quarterdeck during the Commodore's visit, for the great job they did at Colors this morning, Thank them for the super job they did on the engineering inspection. Thank them for keeping the Command's 5 year safety record intact.

There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to writing thank-you notes. Most would prefer that you follow this rough guideline.

1. Write the thank-you note.
2. Affix stamp.
3. Mail it. I have been using this formula for 25 years or so and have yet to have one note returned.

If you are the succinct type, a correspondence card works perfectly, as does a small foldover note. Punctuality counts – and it certainly appears more sincere. Generally speaking, the message is brief and usually consists of four parts.

1. The greeting. Dear Petty Officer Smith/Lieutenant Jones.

2. An appreciation of the item or favor.

"Thank you for the the great job on the IG inspection last week."

3. Mention how important it was.

"We couldn't have passed without your great work."

4. Sign off with an appreciation of their service.

"Thank you for your service in our great Navy." That’s it. That is all there is to it.

Good intentions don’t get the job done, and while everyone intends to express a thank you, not everyone does. If your thank-you note is tardy, don’t apologize for being late. You know you are late, and the person you are writing knows it. Just get on with it.

Adapted from Crane's Guidance on Correspondence

Criticism aids growth

My old boss, SECDEF Rumsfeld was fond of saying, "If you're not being criticized, you may not be doing much." If you are a man of action (MOA), you are bound to upset some folks. Providing constructive criticism is an art form in and of itself. How do you practice the art?

Please don't be offended, sir.

I never did get your response.

I'm sure it's in the mail.

What the Navy always was for me.

Freedom and Happiness.

"Clutch" Commander Carrier Air Wing THREE

Captain Sara “Clutch” Joyner, a native of Maryland, received her commission in 1989 graduating with merit from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Oceanography. After graduation, she attended flight school and earned her Naval Aviator wings in July 1991 from VT-24 in Beeville, Texas. After completing flight training, Captain Joyner reported to VC-5, the “Checkertails,” in Cubi Point, Philippines to fly the A-4E Skyhawk. In May of 1992, due to the imminent closure of Cubi Point, she was assigned to VC-8, the “Redtails,” in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico.

Captain Joyner reported to COMSTRKFIGHTWINGPAC in Lemoore, California in November of 1994 as Assistant Operations Officer. She subsequently received a transition to the F/A-18 Hornet and reported to VFA-125, the “Rough Raiders,” for training in October of 1996.

Upon completion of her training as a Hornet Pilot, she reported to VFA-147, the “Argonauts,” in May of 1997. Remaining with VFA-147 for both her Junior Officer and Department Head tours, she completed two Western Pacific Cruises to the Arabian Gulf aboard USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) in September of 1997 and USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) in September of 1999 in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. In November of 2001, she again deployed with VFA-147 aboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. During her tour at VFA-147, she served in many capacities, including the Department Head in Maintenance, Operations, and Safety. 

In January 2002, she reported to United States Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia where she served in the Current Operations Branch as Force Deployment Officer for the NORTHCOM, EUCOM, and CENTCOM Areas of Responsibility in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. She reported to VFA-105 in November of 2006 as Executive Officer.  

In March 2007, Captain Joyner assumed command of VFA-105. On 2 November 2007, she led the Gunslingers on their combat cruise to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Under her leadership the squadron performed nearly 2,000 combat missions totaling over 4,900 flight hours and delivering 35,000 pounds of ordnance in support of coalition ground forces in Iraq.  

Captain Joyner recently completed her tour at OPNAV N88 as the Joint Strike Fighter Requirements officer responsible for bringing the next generation of carrier strike aircraft to the fleet. 

Lots of AWESOMENESS in there.  All GO and not too much show.

It's not legacy

Cryptology remains one of five Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet "Lines of Operation."

Success ?

"If at first you don't succeed, try doing it the way I told you to when I assigned you the task."

Anonymous Navy leader and infamous micromanager

Happy Birthday United States Navy

Command/Skipper in the spotlight - U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Yokosuka Japan

MISSION: We provide professional and quality Cryptologic and Information Operations Augmentation, Maintenance, Signals Analysis, Administrative, Supply and Training support to our Sailors, the Forward Deployed Naval Forces, and Theater Allies.

OUR VISION: We serve at U.S. Navy Information Operations Command, Yokosuka living our core value of Honor, Courage and Commitment.
Honor - We honor country, our Navy, our naval ancestors, our shipmates, our family and ourselves by being outstanding Sailors all day, every day. "Service before self" is our core principle.
Courage - Regardless of our rank or position, we all possess the courage to offer our opinions and will speak our when we observe inequality, injustice of misconduct.
Commitment - We remain ever faithful and committed to our country, our Navy, our mission, our shipmates and our family.

Commander Douglas enlisted in the Navy December 1984 as an Electronics Technician. In 1988, he was selected for the Navy's Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection Training (BOOST) program. He attended The George Washington University and was awarded a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance. 

Upon commissioning in December 1992, he immediately joined Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Key West, Florida, where he served as Reporting and Analysis Division Officer, Direct Support Officer, and Operations Officer. In May 1996, he reported to USS THORN (DD-988) as Electronics Warfare Officer and Outboard Division Officer. In May 1998, he attended Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California, and was awarded a Master of Science degree in Space Systems Operations. He then transferred to SPAWAR Space Field Activity at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in September 2000. He completed his tour as Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force/Director, NRO. In May 2003, CDR Douglas reported to OPNAV N3/N5 DEEP BLUE, performing duties as Cryptologic/Information Operations representative. He then assumed responsibilities as Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, Cryptologic Resource Coordinator, embarked USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, in April 2005. For his subsequent tour, he assumed duties as Information Warfare (IW) Junior Officer Detailer in September 2006. In November 2009, CDR Douglas was awarded a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College. Upon earning his degree, he reported as Executive Officer, Center for Information Dominance Corry Station and Officer-in-Charge, Center for Information Dominance Detachment Corry Station. He assumed his current responsibility as Commanding Officer, Navy Information Operations Command, Yokosuka, Japan, in July 2011. 

Commander Douglas' awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3), Joint Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3), Good Conduct Medal, and various unit and campaign awards.

Thought leaders

Thought leaders are great and plentiful.  Now, show me some action leaders !

For my Shipmate - the reciprocity of your generosity

The Pattern – of the successful leader

There is a pattern in the fundamental traits of character that can be identified with the successful naval officer.

• The pattern includes
     o Selfless desire to serve their Sailors
     o The ability to accept responsibility for decision making
     o A “sixth sense” for decision making
     o They aren’t “yes men”
     o They read and write widely
     o They accept opportunities to work longer hours and face greater challenges than their peers
     o They are concerned and considerate of their Sailor
     o They delegate
     o They try to “fix the problem and not the blame”

A Difference Maker's Manifesto

• We will always give more than we take. We'll share all that we have.
• We reject complacency, mediocrity, conformity, and dependency. 
• We are not held captive by fear of failure or anything else. 
• We are fueled by vision and passion, governed by principles, guided by ideals and values.
• We do not succeed through luck or chance. We succeed through deliberate, conscious effort. 
• We are not entitled to the fruit of another man’s labor. 
• Our lives, careers and results are our responsibility. We are not victims of circumstance. 
• We are victors by choice and determination. We aren't going to quit.
• We live lives of purpose, not excuses.
• We don't enjoy the security of a safe harbor, but prefer the exhilaration of the open sea. 
• While others complain about problems and obstacles, we seek to create opportunities and solutions. 
• We are relentlessly committed to sustained improvement. Steady strain on all lines.
• We are not afraid to act and fail; failure is simply accelerated learning and training for tomorrow's challenges. 
• We value persistence as much as natural talent and intelligence. We may not be the smartest in the room but we're not leaving until the job is finished.  You can count on that.
• Where others are content to gnaw on the bones of the security of the status quo, we feast on the meat of change and new ideas. 
• While others criticize us from the cheap seats, we work relentlessly to change things for the better.  You'll find us on the field of play still practicing our craft long after the others have quit.
• While others are blaming, we are busy building teams and collaborating. 
• We intend to leave a legacy of service, contribution, participation and leadership. 

WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE !  Join us.

Command/Skipper in the spotlight: U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Misawa, Japan

The origin of U.S. Navy Information Operations Command, Misawa dates back to December 1945 when RM1 Brillhart was Petty Officer in Charge of COMMSUPACT in Ohminato, Japan. In April 1946, COMMSUPACT operations moved to Yokosuka, Japan. Twelve years later operations were relocated to Kamiseya, Japan with CDR C. M. Smith as head of NAVSECGRU Department NAVCOMMSTA Kamiseya. U. S. Naval Security Group Activity, Kamiseya was established on 15 January 1960, under the command of CAPT E. W. Knepper. The activity remained on the Kanto Plain until March 1971 when most functions of NIOC Kamiseya were moved to Misawa. On 1 July 1971, U.S. Navy Information Operations Command, Misawa was commissioned under the command of CAPT G. P. March.

Commanding Officer

CDR Kelley is a native of Barnstable, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont.
Afloat, CDR Kelley’s early assignments include service as the Intelligence Officer for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 participating in “Eyes over Mogadishu” and Operation CONTINUE HOPE. After service in Somalia, he redeployed for Operation SUPPORT DEMOCRACY in Haiti and also served with a Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron during Operation DENY FLIGHT over the Balkans. Additional, operational assignments include duty as Assistant Intelligence Officer on the staff of Commander, Carrier Group Four and as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (N2), Commander, Carrier Strike Group Eight/USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER Strike Group. While assigned to Strike Group Eight, CDR Kelley served as N2 for the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 50 in the Northern Arabian Sea during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. 

Ashore assignments include duty at the Office of Naval Intelligence, Joint Analysis Center Molesworth, U.K., Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS J2), and the U.S. Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Operations Center (PACOM JIOC). 

CDR Kelley is an Intelligence Officer, Information Dominance Warfare Officer, and Joint Qualified Officer. He holds a Master’s Degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School (1998) and diplomas from the Defense Language Institute (1998) as well as the Joint Forces Staff College (2006). 

CDR Kelley is a recipient of the Office of Naval Intelligence’s Edwin Layton Award for Leadership.

CNO's TENETS

The key considerations we should apply to every decision:

• Warfighting First:  Be ready to fight and win today, while building the ability to win tomorrow.
• Operate Forward:  Provide offshore options to deter, influence and win in an era of uncertainty.
• Be Ready:  Harness the teamwork, talent and imagination of our diverse force to be ready to fight and responsibly employ our resources.

This doesn't apply to "BIG NAVY"; this applies to the U.S. Navy.

Leadership Embodied

A book worth reading and then rereading.

Joseph J. Thomas and Dr. Marolda have put together a wonderful book with 49 stories of true Navy leaders. They captured the essence of the leadership skills of those 49 Navy Sailors and Marines very well. This is a must read for any student of leadership. This book was originally funded by the class of 1978 at the U.S. Naval Academy as a gift to the fine men and women studying at the USNA to become Naval officers. You have an opportunity, through this book, to share in their learning. Don't miss the opportunity to purchase this book. Contact me and I will send you a suitable chapter 50 about another great Navy leader - CWO4 Wallace Louis Exum. 

Back in 2005, the Leadership, Ethics, and Law Department (LEL) of the U.S. Naval Academy put together a compendium of short biographical essays focusing on naval (Navy and Marine Corps) personnel who have embodied certain leadership characteristics.

Joseph J. Thomas Ph.D. is the Chair and Distinguished Professor of Leadership at the United States Naval Academy Annapolis.

Command Guidance - USMC Style

From: Commanding Officer, Marine Attack Squadron 211

To: Squadron Attack Pilots

Subj: COMMANDER’S GUIDANCE FOR SQUADRON ATTACK PILOTS

1. Professional hunger.

My goal is to identify those Officers who want to be professional attack pilots and dedicate the resources required to build them into the flight leaders and instructors that are required for the long-term health of our community. This is not a socialist organization. We will not all be equal in terms of quals and flight hours. Some will advance faster than others, and because this is not a union, your rate of advancement will have nothing to do with seniority. Your rate of advancement will instead be determined by your hunger, professionalism, work ethic, and performance.

If flying jets and supporting Marines is your passion and your profession, you are in the right squadron.

If these things are viewed simply as your job, please understand that I must invest for the future in others. Your time in a gun squadron might be limited, so it is up to you to make the most of the opportunities that are presented.

2. Professional focus.

Our approach to aviation is based upon the absolute requirement to be “brilliant in the basics.”

Over the last few years Marine TACAIR has not punted the tactical nearly so often as the admin. Sound understanding of NATOPS, aircraft systems, and SOPs is therefore every bit as important as your understanding of the ANTTP and TOPGUN. With this in mind, ensure the admin portions of your plan are solid before you move onto objective area planning. Once you begin tactical planning, remember that keeping things “simple and easy to execute” will usually be your surest path to success. If the plan is not safe, it is not tactically sound.

3. Attitude.

I firmly believe in the phrase “hire for attitude, train for skill.”

Work ethic, willingness to accept constructive criticism, and a professional approach to planning, briefing, and debriefing will get you 90% of the way towards any qualification or certification you are pursuing. The other 10% is comprised of in-flight judgment and performance, and that will often come as a result of the first 90%. Seek to learn from your own mistakes and the mistakes of others. Just as a championship football team debriefs their game film, we are going to analyze our tapes and conduct thorough flight debriefs. It has often been said that the success of a sortie is directly proportional to the caliber of the plan and brief. The other side of this coin is that the amount of learning that takes place as a result of a sortie is directly proportional to the caliber of the debrief.

4. Moral courage.

Speak up if something seems wrong or unsafe.

We all know what the standards are supposed to be in Naval Aviation and in the Corps. Enforce them! When we fail to enforce the existing standards, we are actually setting and enforcing a new standard that is lower.

5. Dedication.

If you average one hour per workday studying, 6 months from now you will be brilliant. That is all it takes; one hour per day. As you start to notice the difference between yourself and those who are unable to find 60 minutes, I want you to know that I will have already taken note.

Then, I want you to ask yourself this question: “How good could I be if I really gave this my all?”

6. When all else fades away, attack pilots have one mission: provide offensive air support for Marines.

The Harrier community needs professional attack pilots who can meet this calling.

It does not require you to abandon your family. It does not require you to work 16 hours per day, six days per week. It requires only a few simple commitments to meet this calling: be efficient with your time at work so that you can study one hour per day; be fully prepared for your sorties and get the maximum learning possible out of every debrief; have thick skin and be willing to take constructive criticism; find one weekend per month to go on cross country. When you are given the opportunity to advance, for those few days go to the mat and give it your all, 100%, at the expense of every other thing in your life.

To quote Roger Staubach, “there are no traffic jams on the extra mile.”  ((But I hope to see you there from time to time)).

If you can be efficient during the workweek, give an Olympian effort for check rides and certifications, and are a team player, the sky will literally be the limit for you in this squadron.

C. K. RAIBLE

MORE about Lt Colonel Raible in a future post.  Is he a MOH candidate?  Perhaps he should be.

Command/Skipper in the spotlight: Navy Information Operations Command Pensacola, Florida

Mission
 Execute Computer Network Defense and Digital Network Intelligence objectives supporting naval and national cyber supremacy.

Vision
Total Force Team of the highest character, collaboratively delivering Computer Network Defense focused Digital Network Intelligence expertise today, with an eye towards deliberately expanding the depth and breadth of Computer Network Operations proficiency necessary to both shape and satisfy the requirements of tomorrow.

Commander Pat Count assumed command of NAVIOCOM Pensacola, Florida in July 2012.  

CDR Pat Count, a native of N. Augusta, SC, enlisted in the Navy in 1986 as a Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive). He attended Arabic language training at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) winning the Maxwell D. Taylor Award. In 1988 he was assigned to Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Athens, Greece deploying to U.S. Sixth Fleet combatants and to Operation DESERT SHIELD. In 1990 he reported to NSGA Fort Meade, MD where he deployed to Commander Middle East Force and Operation DESERT STORM. 

Awarded a Naval ROTC scholarship, CDR Count attended the University of South Carolina graduating Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa earning a Bachelor’s Degree and a commission in 1995.

After returning to DLI to study the Russian language, in July 1996 CDR Count reported to NSGA Misawa, Japan and served as a Division Officer and Special Evaluator on board EP-3E aircraft of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) earning designation as Naval Aviation Observer and accumulating over 1,700 flight hours. During this tour he deployed throughout Asia, the Middle East and to Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. 

In June 1999 CDR Count attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA earning a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) and was awarded the IEEE Monterey Chapter Outstanding Student Thesis Award. In 2001, he was assigned to the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet where he served as Signals Intelligence Collection Manager during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. 

In February 2003, CDR Count reported to NSGA Fort Gordon, Georgia where he served as Operations Officer and as the first Fleet Information Operations Center (FIOC) Department Head (N3). In November 2004, CDR Count was assigned as Executive Officer and oversaw the Command’s transition to Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Georgia and its growth to nearly 1,000 Sailors and Major Command status. 

In November 2006, CDR Count reported to the staff of the Commander, Carrier Strike Group EIGHT where he simultaneously served as Cryptologic Resource Coordinator (CRC) and Deputy Information Warfare Commander (DIWC). He deployed twice onboard USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69) and USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) to the U.S. Central, European, Southern and Pacific Command areas of responsibility supporting Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM and Partnership of the Americas 2008. 

In December 2008, CDR Count reported to the U.S. European Command staff in Stuttgart, Germany where he served as Chief, Information and Cyberspace Operations Plans Branch (J39) responsible for integrating IO and Cyberspace operational concepts into theater-wide strategy, plans and operations. In August 2012, Commander Count assumed his present duties as Commanding Officer, NIOC Pensacola, FL. CDR Count is proficient in multiple languages and graduated the Naval War College Command and Staff Program with highest distinction. 

Awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (3), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and numerous campaign and service medals.

Loyalty - up and down the chain of command

While the fabric that has held society together has worn ever thinner in our modern age, it is still loyalty that lends the cloth its strength. It is loyalty that keeps the world functioning. We could not conduct business transactions or personal relationship without it. Loyalty is the idea that we are who we say we are and we will do what we say we will do. It is the hope that the integrity with which we initially encountered someone will endure indefinitely.

It’s also what keeps us unified. We live out our lives as part of agreed upon norms that allow us to operate from day to day. We need to know who we can count on. We all understand that ideally, friends will have your back, lovers will remain true, and businesses will not cheat you out of your money. When someone is disloyal, they break from these expectations and weaken the trust that holds us together.

From The Philosophy of Loyalty by Josiah Royce

Harvard Lecture Series 1908

Stray voltage on the net

At a recent Freedom Through Vigilance Association (FTVA) meeting at headquarters Air Force Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, one of the Air Force briefers announced the closing of the Misawa Security Operations Center in Japan in 2014. Sad news for me from a nostalgic point of view. I began my cryptologic career at U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Misawa, Japan. I also met my wife there. Truly the end of a grand era if they follow through with these closure plans. I have not seen an announcement of any kind from the Navy but I hope some of that mission finds its way to U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Yokosuka, Japan.