Diane K. Gronewold returns to NCWDG

Great news for the team at Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group - their former Commanding Officer, Captain Diane K. Gronewold has returned in a senior civilian capacity.  Ms. Gronewold was CO from 2008-2011.  She relieved Captain Bob Zellman as CO in 2008 and was relieved by Captain Steve Parode concurrent with the name change from NIOC Suitland to NCWDG in 2011.  Captain Andy Stewart is the current Commanding Officer.

Welcome back Diane!!

Today's Change of Command

Not normally a Kurt Cobain fan but this rings true

The Standing of The Whole Is Essential

Character  and  standards  of  personal conduct  remain  of  highest  importance, as has always been true of military leaders. The effective naval officer of the present and future, like his brother of the past, must regard his commission as a career, not a mere job. He dedicates himself to the high ideals of military leadership.  Some who receive commissions, all being  human, will  prove  unequal to these standards. There  have been a  few  unfortunate  events of  recent years, well  known  to most people, which  have weakened  the standing  of the  Armed  Forces in  the eyes of many people. 

 

To whatever extent this feeling persists, to that degree the security of the nation has been compromised. People will not entrust willingly their sons or husbands to military leadership, even in time of emergency or  war, unless  they have abundant faith in the character as well as the professional competence of the great mass of military leaders. The presence of a  few  names of  national  prominence  will not  alone  suffice. Ensigns  and  lieutenants  are  important,  as  captains  and  admirals  are  important.  The standing of the whole is essential. Enlisted  men  will not  willingly and  effectively train  or  fight if  they have doubts  where there should  be confidence.

From: The Naval Officer's Manual

The First Navy SEAL

'I'll try it, Sir; I'll do my best.'

Lieutenant William Barker Cushing's words to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Fox before his successful sinking of the CSS Albemarle.

All through the civil war William B. Cushing distinguished himself by signal acts of perilous adventure. He combined coolness and sound judgment with a courage unsurpassed, and on all occasions proved himself a valuable officer. (From his obituary in the New York Times).

Though SEALs did not exist during the Civil War, Cushing has often been called 'the first Navy SEAL.

Battle of Midway Commemoration June 4-7

Information Dominance Leaders,

On Wednesday, June 4, the U.S. Navy will once again pause to commemorate the Battle of Midway, which occurred June 4-7, 1942.

In official ceremonies at the U.S. Navy Memorial here in the Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, in Hawaii and other Navy stations around the world, we will take the time to honor those who triumphed over the Imperial Japanese Navy in this historic encounter.

Midway was the turning point in the Pacific theater of operations in World War II.  During that battle, U.S. Navy carrier strike forces, augmented by shore-based bombers and torpedo planes decisively defeated an Imperial Japanese navy carrier task force.  These actions prevented the Japanese from capturing Midway Island and the success marked the dawn of the U.S. Navy's global prominence.

The Battle of Midway also looms large in the history of what we now call the Information Dominance Corps (IDC).  As detailed in the Navy's "Course to Midway" webpages (http://www.navy.mil/midway/midway.html) and in the attached IDEA No. 26 from May of 2013, key to Admiral Chester Nimitz's decision to engage the Japanese at Midway were the seminal efforts of the U.S. Navy's code breakers.

Led by Admiral Nimitz's Fleet Intelligence Officer, Captain Edwin Layton, and his Fleet Cryptologist, Commander Joe Rochefort, these unknown and unheralded specialists enabled an enhanced awareness of the Midway battlespace that culminated in Nimitz's superior decisions. They not only provided insight into Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's intentions, but revealed where and when his carriers would focus their attack. This highly skilled and knowledgeable group decrypted the Japanese Navy's operational code and delivered timely, actionable information that allowed Nimitz to ambush Yamamoto's force.

In doing so, they pioneered the concepts of Information Dominance that we maintain today.

As we approach this year's commemoration, I urge you to share the IDEA and link with your respective staffs and crews, and take the time to discuss what this battle represents - the emergence of the U.S. Navy as a global power and the foreshadowing of the IDC as warfighters bringing the power of information dominance to the fight.

Twig//

Ted "Twig" Branch
VADM              USN

Navy - Least Respected Service? I don't think so.

"Have an exhalted pride in the uniform you wear and all that it represents. Wear it correctly; wear it proudly. Salute it with respect when you meet it; behave in it in a seemly manner when you wear it; protect it when it is offended or in danger. It represents the fleet, the nation, your home, and your family. It is a symbol of all that is dear to you and all that men are willing to die for."

NAVAL ORIENTATION
NAVPERS 16138-A (Restricted)
December 1948

Congratulations to this new group of Information Warfare Officer (IWO) Commander Selectees

 In alphabetical order.  The number to the right is the order in which they will be promoted.


BEJAR ADRIAN Z               0013
BERRIOS JOSE ENRIQUE         0004
BIGGS CHRISTOPHER M          0007
BROWN SCOTT TOURAY           0015
COWAN FRANK RAYMOND IV       0016
DAVIS DEMARIUS               0003
DUNN ROBERT THOMAS           0028
FINK KALLIE DAWN             0006
ISHIKAWA JOHN M              0017
KEMPISTA LAWRENCE W          0027
KRIPPENDORF TIMOTHY FE       0001
LAMBETH IRA DENARD III       0020
LASSEK KENNETH WELLING       0019
MCDEVITT DAVID LAWRENC       0008
MELICHAR BRAD DEWAYNE        0018
MILNER SCOTT D               0010
NOBLES CALVIN                0025
ONEILL BERNARD THOMAS III    0022
PINDER SHARON DENISE         0009
REEVES ANDREW THOMAS         0005
SALAZAR EDUARDO EUGENE       0023
SALEHI MICHAEL S             0011
SANDERS JOSHUA J             0024
SMITH CHAD MCLAIN            0014
SMITH IRVIN DUVAL JR         0002
WOODRUFF ROBERT A III        0021
YUSKO DEBORAH BECK           0012

Have you shared this with your Sailors? You really should.

You can read the entire strategy HERE.

As described in my “Sailing Directions,” one of our guiding principles is “People are the Navy’s foundation.” The Navy has always recognized that command at sea is a unique privilege, and a uniquely demanding position, requiring self-reliance, judgment, confidence, and dedication to the welfare of shipmates. At all levels of the Navy, leadership and character have always been vitally important dimensions of who we are and what we do. Leadership is not a unique skill set; it is alloyed with character and integrity. Each is an essential part of the whole. In today’s complex and dynamic strategic environment, leadership is more important than ever, and developing enlisted and officer leaders must be one of our top priorities. 

Time associated with rigorous leader development cannot conflict with the demands of tactical and technical competence. These skills are complementary, and necessary. They are necessary foundations of every community in the Navy.

The purpose of this strategy is to synchronize the Navy’s leadership and strengthen our naval profession by providing a common framework for leader development – regardless of community – that is comprehensive in scope and enduring. Leader development in the Navy is accomplished through professional experience, training, education, and personal development. We need a single vision of Navy leader development that integrates these functions and binds us together as trusted members of the naval profession. For these reasons, we will move forward with this Navy Leader Development Strategy.

Jonathan W. Greenert
Chief of Naval Operations

And be sure to capture this Navy Leadership Development Outcomes Wheelbook for your officers. It's a useful tool.

Command Excellence - The Crew Makes All The Difference

U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Yokosuka, Japan

It is THE CREW, led by the officers and Chief Petty Officers, who must ultimately accomplish the command's mission. 

THE CREW is where "the keel meets the water." Without a top performing crew, no command can be successful. COs of superior commands are particularly adept at molding their crew into a highly unified, spirited, fighting team with a laser-like focus: accomplishing the command's mission. When asked, these crews can not only clearly describe the command's philosophy and goals, but they also voice wholehearted support of the CO and his approach. Because the CO, XO, officers, and Chief Petty Officers frequently explain what they want done and why. 

THE CREW knows what is expected of them and feels a part of the team. The result is enthusiasm, motivation, and pride in the command. These crews often praise their CO with the ultimate accolade: "I'd go to war with him." 

In average commands, THE CREW may not be sure of the command's philosophy or may withhold their total support of it. 

THE CREW in superior commands also live up to the high standards demanded by their officers and Chief Petty Officers. They know that when they succeed, they will be recognized and rewarded; equally well, they know that when they make mistakes, they will be told and corrective action taken. Their commitment to upholding the command's standards generates a strong sense of responsibility for their individual work areas. They act on the principle that if you're going to do something, then do it right, and do it right the first time. 

Crew members of superior commands realize that success depends on a team effort. They don't act or do their jobs in disregard of the rest of the command. They communicate frequently, coordinate activities, and help each other out when necessary. In addition, they are careful about following the chain of command. They know that violating it disrupts teamwork, creates confusion, hurts morale, and hinders leadership.

Also see Admiral John Harvey,  (former) Commander Fleet Forces Command message on his BLOG.

The Command Excellence approach is all well-documented and taught at the Naval Ethics and Leadership Center for PCO/PXO and CMC courses.

A leadership tip from NASA's Dr. James T. Brown

Another tool in the leader's toolbox for recognizing Sailors is the handwritten note - not an e-mail, not a preprinted thank-you card, but a handwritten note. This means ink on paper in your distinctive handwriting. You should have within arm's distance of your work environment, and in your briefcase assorted blank thank-you cards. Handwritten notes go a long way because they show that you value the recipient enough to take your personal time to acknowledge his or her contribution and effort.

Many leaders don't write thank-you cards because they don't know what to write. If you fall into this category, I suggest you get a copy of Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisal by James E. Neal.  This book is equally helpful in writing performance appraisals, letters of recommendation, award nominations, etc. No one is going to give you a medal for struggling to write every word yourself.

Information Capable Warrior (ICW)

"Information dominance in the 21^st century Navy will require specific focus, deep expertise developed over an entire career, new mindsets, and new processes. If we accept the assumption that "information effects" are both supporting kinetic operations and supported by kinetic effects, the Navy must take immediate steps to build and sustain Information Domain warfighting expertise in order to develop future Maritime or Joint Information Warfare Component Commanders. After reviewing all options for long-term effectiveness and near-term feasibility, the Information Capable Warrior study recommended establishing a new Information Officer (URL) warfighting community as a comprehensive solution with the best opportunity to realize the Navy’s goals for the future Information Capable Warrior."

Information Capable Warrior Whitepaper 2007
Captain Mark A. Wilson, USNR, Retired
President/CEO - Strategy Bridge International

Seven years later and we are getting closer to the comprehensive solution proposed by Mark Wilson.  Information Capable Warriors encompasses all designators in the Information Dominance Corps.

Words from the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

"As Chief Petty Officers, we must set and maintain the highest of standards," said Stevens. "As such, we must set the conditions for success by leading and setting the example and mentoring our Sailors. And we must do so by treating them with dignity and respect."

During his visit, MCPON talked about the importance of having an informed and trusted command triad.

"A successful triad cannot fail and a dysfunctional triad cannot succeed," said Stevens. "The relationship that you have with the commanding officer and executive officer is critical to the command."

Amusing anecdote

Some Command Master Chiefs (Senior Chiefs, too) are fairly wise men and women.  I was talking to a retired CMC the other day and he was talking about the TRIAD and their roles in the command.  I asked him to describe their respective roles. He said, "My job is to make sure the CO and XO get to do their jobs.  The Commanding Officer's job is to give speeches and make Sailors feel good.  The XO's role is to think.  My job is to make sure the CO doesn't think and the XO doesn't give any speeches or make the Sailors feel good."

Never Forgotten. A remarkable Sailor was born on this date -- Rest in Peace Steven -- 16 May 79 - 6 Jul 07

CTT1 (SW) Steven Daugherty was born today (my birthday) in 1979 in Apple Valley. No one thought he would leave this earth before he was 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years old. But, the young man is gone. Gone, but not forgotten. No. Not by a long shot.

He was from Barstow, California and really never intended to join the Navy. He was a student in my schoolhouse at the Naval Center for Cryptology at Corry Station, Pensacola. We had about 8000 students graduate in a year. So, I can't say that I even recall who he was. That won't keep me from remembering him.

After his time at Corry, he served in the typical billets of our young Petty Officers. He went to sea and advanced reasonably quickly. While at Navy Information Operations Command Norfolk he became interested in the SEALs and qualified to deploy to a U.S. Navy SEAL team operating in Iraq. He advanced to Petty Officer First Class (E-6) at a pretty good pace.

On 6 July 2007 (my daughter's birthday) he was killed in Iraq by an improvised explosive device (IED).

We can argue about whether Steven Daugherty was a hero or not. We can't argue about his patriotism. There is no doubting that.

Obituary: CTT1 (SW) Steven Phillip Daugherty, USN, 28, passed away July 6, 2007, on duty in Baghdad, Iraq. He was born May 16, 1979, in Apple Valley. Besides his love for the Navy, he enjoyed playing his guitar and spending time with family and friends. He is survived by his parents, Thomas and Lydia Daugherty of Barstow; a son, Steven P. Daugherty Jr. of Tacoma, Washington; two brothers, Robert Daugherty of Omaha, Nebraska, and Richard Daugherty of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a sister, Kristine Daugherty of Killeen, Texas; and his grandmother, Pearl Watkins of Yermo. A graveside service with full military honors was conducted in Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday, July 24, 2007, at 10 a.m.

People make the difference

• Every platform will sense and report via the network.
• Every sensor and processor will be adaptively connected to the network.
• Collectors and sensors will be dynamically tasked and managed over the global network. Every shooter and weapon will be capable of compiling, assessing, exploiting and using composite target data from any collector, sensor or data repository.
• Data processing, correlation, exploitation, fusion and analysis will be network-hosted for enterprise level dynamic management and load balancing.
• Remotely piloted, autonomous and unattended platforms and sensing and communication node capabilities will be emphasized.
• Globally-integrated, service-oriented backbone architecture will be implemented with scalable enterprise-wide services.
• Any sensor, data link, terminal or processor system that currently supports only one model platform or weapon will be migrated to the globally interconnected net-centric architecture or divested.
• All data and information will be rendered universally discoverable, transparent and accessible; data will be standardized across Navy and the maritime domain.
• Joint, Defense, interagency, Intelligence Community partner architectures and data resources will be aggressively leveraged in support of Navy missions and operations. 
• Vulnerabilities and risks uniquely associated with net-centric operations will be rigorously accounted for, assessed and mitigated.
• Navy information professionals will receive world-class training, qualification, experience and tools, and be expected to become prominent elements of Navy‘s warfighting arsenal.

Check out our Shipmate LT Ryan Haag's Article in MOC Warfighter

You can read Ryan's article A Better Cyber Culture in Six Steps HERE.

And don't miss VADM Jan E. Tighe's article The Impact of Cyber on the Maritime Operational Level of War HERE.

I love that we are seeing more and more writing from officers in our Information Warfare Community.

Snapshot of my visitors today

Thank you for stopping by.

Getting there "first" is not what it’s all about. What matters always is taking the path that assures you have the ability to execute the mission.

GUEST POST from an anonymous (to you) member of the Information Warfare Community who has tired of all the discussion about "first woman this and first woman that".

If the Navy feels the need to repeatedly tell the world that a stellar Naval officer was the "first" woman to do something, they are failing in their public relations efforts and in the newsworthiness of that officer's accomplishments. Pointing out that someone is the "first" anything is usually a waste of time.  "First" matters a lot less than "BEST". Even "better" matters more than "first". Honestly, "first" diminishes the achievement when it is followed by religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, country of birth, branch of service, sex, or virtually any other 'qualifier'.

Such is the case with VADM Jan Tighe.  It is not so much the achievement of the "first" that should be focused on, but rather the road she took getting there.  And, it was a long hard road.

• 1984 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, (not the first).
• EA to the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command. (Not the first).
• Command of NSA/CSS Hawaii. (Not the first).
• Russian linguist. (Not the first).
• Wartime Flight Operations - Desert Shield/Desert Storm. (Not the first).
• Deputy PM, Navy Information Warfare Activity. (Not the first).
• U.S. Cyber Command Deputy J3. (Not the first).
• OPNAV N2/N6 Director, Decision Superiority. (Not the first).
• President of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). (Not the first).
• Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet. (Not the first).
• M.S. Applied Mathematics, NPS (Not the first).
• PhD Electrical Engineering, NPS (Not the first).
• Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet. (Not the first).
• Mastered the art of life/work balance - wife to a pretty cool guy and mother to two bright children. (Not the first).

Even in that long list, there are many things that are missing. "First" has never mattered to VADM Tighe and it should not matter to us.  Keep in mind, she has often been "better" and not infrequently, the "BEST". 

There is a lesson for Sheryl Sandberg, author of LEAN IN, here. "Sheryl, if your aim is to help women sit at the table - your aim is a bit off. You should have them focus on sitting at the head of the table. VADM Tighe can tell you that, especially with regard to the Navy, women have been at the table for quite some time. And many are rightfully sitting at the head of that table."  

2014 NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE WRITING CONTEST - $3000.00 First Prize

DEADLINE: JUNE 30, 2014

Welcome to the 2014 National Intelligence Writing Contest sponsored by AFCEA Intelligence (AFCEA) and the Naval Intelligence Professionals (NIP).

Both AFCEA and NIP are not-for profit associations.  We have joined forces for this writing contest to encourage thoughtful discussion of issues relevant in today’s intelligence and national security environment. 

2014 Topic                        
Developing, Mentoring and Leading Intelligence Professionals in the Midst of Change

Expansion:  Many forces are impacting the intelligence community: budget, aging workforce, technology, emerging issues to be examined and physical infrastructure lagging commercial advances.  Additionally, generational change in the workforce and differing levels of expectations are creating a "knowledge and experience gap" between older professionals and those just entering the workforce.  What are the factors in dealing with these changes?  What can professional organizations such as AFCEA and NIP do to help build a professional intelligence workforce in the current reality?  How can we work with the Intelligence Community on programs to enhance professional knowledge and tradecraft?  How can ideas like "reverse mentoring" (e.g., technology mentoring senior employees by younger members) be a tool in helping to modernize the total workforce?

Prizes 
First Place:           $3,000 and a three-year membership in AFCEA and NIP

Second Place:      $1,500 and a three-year membership in AFCEA and NIP

Third Place:          $750 and a three-year membership in AFCEA and NIP

(If an essay is co-authored, each co-author will receive one-half the monetary prize as well as a three-year AFCEA and NIP membership.)

Eligibility                         
The contest is open to everyone and can be approached from any relevant perspective: strategic, operational and/or tactical.

Deadline                             
11:59pm EST, June 30, 2014

Guidelines                   
Entries must be submitted via email to E-Mail.  The email subject line must say “NIWC Contest” and the body of the email must include the author’s name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and the exact title of the submission.

There must be two attachments to the email.  The first is the author’s biography – consisting of no more than 50 words.

The second attachment is the entry itself which must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document.  The second attachment’s file name should reflect the essay’s title to the extent practical, but not the author’s name.  Submissions can be no longer than 2,000 words (inlcuding footnotes and captions for graphics), double-spaced, with a minimum of a 12-point font.  To ensure anonymity of the author during judging, the document must not include the author’s name on any page, but each page of the submission must show the exact title of the paper as a header.

Appropriate graphics or illustrations are permissible, but not required.  Graphics may be embedded in the entry or a placeholder inserted to mark the location of the graphic.  In either case, please send the graphic (photos or illustration in JPEG format; others (table/spreadsheet) in native format) as a separate attachment to enable proper viewing and formatting for possible publication.

Submissions will be evaluated based on originality, strength of argument and recommendations, adherence to the norms of spelling, grammar, and syntax, and clarity.  Entries must be unclassified original analytical and/or interpretive work not previously published or currently submitted for publication elsewhere.  Entries not fully complying with the following contest guidelines will not be considered.

Winners will be requested to submit a 3-5 minute video of themselves summarizing thier papers.  The videos will be posted along with the winning entries on the AFCEA and NIP websites.

Evaluation                        
A panel of intelligence professionals from the AFCEA Intelligence Committee and the Naval Intelligence Professionals will judge all entries and make the final selections. Entries will be judged without knowing the authors’ identities.

Permission to Publish 
Submission for the contest constitutes the author’s permission to publish.

Winning entries become the property of AFCEA and NIP and may be published in SIGNAL Magazine, the NIP Quarterly, or other sponsored journals. It is the responsibility of the author to meet any requirement for pre-publication security review prior to submission.

Notification            
Winners will be notified in writing not later than August 31, 2014.

Questions?           
703-631-6219

Good luck!

Five Disciplines of the Multipliers

Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe, Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet
Information Warfare Community Leader, Chief Engineer, PhD

My friend Liz Wiseman (a Top 50 Thinker) found that great bosses share these MULTIPLIER characteristics:

1. The Talent Magnet attracts talented people and uses them at their highest point of contribution
2. The Liberator creates an intense environment that requires people's best thinking and work
3. The Challenger defines an opportunity that causes people to stretch
4. The Debate Maker drives sound decisions through rigorous debate
5. The Investor gives other people the ownership for results and invests in their success

By any measure of the 5 characteristics above, we have to give credit to Vice Admiral Tighe as a MULTIPLIER.  Multipliers do exactly that - "multiply".  They multiply the talent around them to get the best from their people.  VADM Tighe sees intelligence in abundance throughout the Information Dominance Corps (Sailors, civilians and contractors) and believes it exists in multiple forms - up and down the chain of command. 

This cautionary note from Liz: Although people love—love—love—to work for multipliers, these leaders are not necessarily the type to come up and give you a big hug. These leaders can be tough, demanding bosses. They ask people to do hard things and they expect people to do great work. People who work for them say that although they are exhausted, they are also exhilarated. They say, "I would work for this person forever."

Stand by for exhaustion and exhilaration.  It will be worth it. 

Say Thanks Before It Is Too Late

Recently, while facing a perplexing budget issue, I was telling a colleague of mine about a great professor who I was fortunate to have at Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.  He taught an excellent course called the 'Social Software of Financial Accounting'.  He was either a singularly impressive professor or I am suffering from an increasingly poor memory because I can't recall another professor's name from that time.  Norman B. "NB" Macintosh was on loan to us from Queen's University in Canada where he was Professor Emeritus.  Dr. Macintosh received both research and teaching awards from the Canadian Academic Accounting Association during his career.

The conversation with my colleague brought to mind the fact that I had allowed my correspondence with "NB" (nota bene ~ meaning to 'note well') to lapse.  I was determined to renew my correspondence with him and send him a note of thanks for the lasting impression he made on my education and my thinking.  

I searched for his address in the international 411 directory and also found him in the Queen's University faculty directory.  I wrote my letter and searched for additional details about what he had been up to since NPS.  To my great dismay, I came across an "In Memoriam Tribute" to him on the Queen's School of Business website from 19 May 2011.  My heart sank.  I was too late.  He had passed away a day after my birthday.

The lesson for me (and perhaps for you) is not to wait too long to say thanks to those who have helped expand our minds and who have demanded more of us than we thought ourselves capable. 

Thank you professor Macintosh. 

N.B.

Writing is an important leadership skill

Writing is an important leadership skill that is often overlooked. It is unlikely that you will ever see writing at the top of any list of important leadership skills. For a leader to be effective they must communicate their outlook, vision and worldview to the people they are leading. A leader who cannot communicate well using written words is going to be severely handicapped.  (You know who/what we are talking about here.)

Another reason leaders need to write is to help them develop and clarify their ideas. Much of what makes someone a good leader is his or her viewpoint and perspective. Someone who makes good decisions usually does so because of how they look at problems. Someone who instinctively does the right thing will often have a difficult time explaining their decision-making process to others.

A leader who doesn’t take the time to develop and refine ideas and viewpoint can still be successful. But they will have a difficult time replicating their skills in others. You can’t teach someone to have the same “gut feeling” as you.

Entire article by Mark Shead at LEADERSHIP 501 is HERE.

As others have suggested, leaders can have success without writing about their views and ideas but it unlikely they can be significant without clearly expressing their ideas, perspective and viewpoint.  More about success versus significance HERE.

OPNAV N2/N6 Industry Day is tomorrow - 7 May

"N2/N6 is always looking for opportunities to collaborate with Industry in ways that will realize our top priority - providing Naval and Joint warfighters with the Assured Command and Control, Battlespace Awareness, and Integrated Fires capabilities they need to fight and win in the Information Age.  Our annual Industry Day event is the single most important venue for this kind of engagement and collaboration, and my leadership team and I are very much looking forward to this year's assembly.  We're aggressively reviewing our challenges, updating our goals and objectives, and preparing to share them directly with those who can help.  And with CNO's commitment to delivering this year's keynote, I think this will be the best Industry Day yet!"

VADM Ted "Twig" Branch Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance

OPNAV N2/N6 industry program is HERE.

Lunatic about writing

Followers of this blog know I am a LUNATIC about writing.  Writing is important.  Yesterday, I found this from Terry Pearce who wrote LEADING OUT LOUD.

"Steve Farber, a fellow devotee of leadership and superb public speaker will frequently ask his audience:  “How many of you have ever received a note from someone expressing sincere appreciation for something you did?”   Most in the audience will raise their hands.  “And how many of you still have that note?”  Again, most will keep their hands up.  He goes on to ask how long the members of the audience have kept the notes.  “Five years?”  “Ten years?” “Twenty years?”  Many hands remain even as Steve asks “Twenty-five years.”  But the record is forty years, and when Steve asked his respondent if he remembered what the note said, the person reached into his pants pocket and pulled the note from his wallet. After forty years, he still considered it one of his most prized possessions.   

How many of us have kept a similar note?  And for those of us who have, what is our opinion and feeling about the person who wrote it? 

These are not rhetorical questions.  The ability and willingness to express sincere appreciation is one of the most valuable skills of leadership communication.  People will tend to willingly follow others who make them feel good about themselves. 

It sounds simple, yet the expression of sincere gratitude is rare…witness the significance of those notes.   It is simply not easy, and frequently not considered important to convey real appreciation in our world where convention rather than authenticity rules most of our communication."

When is the last time you demonstrated "authentic appreciation" for your Sailors?  If it hasn't happened in the last 24 hours, you are behind the power curve. 

Navy Turns Online Game To Attract Cryptologic Technicians

Because the job itself is cloaked in secrecy, information about the Cryptologic Technician rate can be hard for the general public to find.

If you conduct and internet search on Navy intelligence you won't find anything about cryptology but rather about our intelligence specialist," said Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interperative) Steven Barbee, NRC enlisted information dominance corps branch lead. "Many recruiters do not know anything themselves about the CT ratings or the jobs associated with these ratings. Barbee explained that although the type of work may appear to be like a James Bond movie, he added, "nope, we are Sailors just like all of our shipmates; no laser watches or shoe guns or cool cars are issued to us!

Navy Cryptologists are charged with analyzing encrypted communications, deciphering foreign languages, jamming the radars of enemies, and maintaining the equipment and networks necessary for top-secret intel.

You can "like" cryptology and technology on FaceBook HERE.

Check out Project Architeuthis HERE.

TAKE THE UNOFFICIAL NAVY RETENTION SURVEY HERE

You can take the survey HERE.

2014 Navy Retention Study

“The Ultimate 360 Degree Evaluation”

To: All Active Duty U.S. Navy Officer and Enlisted

The recent paper “Keep a Weather Eye on the Horizon” was written to provide our Navy’s senior decision-makers with an argument for approaching manpower with proactive incentives rather than reactive controls. The paper went viral within days, and the subject matter has evidently hit a chord with many of you. The force-wide implications remain substantial, and to get a better understanding of the landscape, a few of us elected to dig deeper.

Led by Guy “Bus” Snodgrass, our survey team has created a product that will hone in on the factors vital to retaining our future leaders, while gaining a better understanding of why many choose to leave. Most importantly, the results of this study will provide our Navy’s senior decision makers with timely and relevant information – facilitated by servicemembers, for servicemembers – to help enable the proactive steps required to keep our service’s best and brightest in uniform.

You can read the entire letter HERE.

Does this mean NPC can't do its job?  Or they just need help doing it right?

Where Have All The Naval Memoirs Gone?

The budding Navy writer at sea.

My friend, Shipmate and writer Lieutenant Commander Christopher Nelson has an article in this month's PROCEEDINGS magazine over at www.usni.org.

Head over HERE and read it.  Membership in USNI is required to read the entire article.

We need more Sailors to write about their Navy experience.  If it's not written down, the history is lost.  We can't allow that to happen.

Do as Admiral Stavridis implores us to do - "Read - Write - Publish and be Heard".