Friday, January 31, 2014

Some readers have suggested that I have a bias toward NIOC Yokosuka

They are 100% correct.

And, so I say:

Congratulations to CTT1(IDW/SW) Shayne Franklin for his selection as 1 of 5 Finalists for the Fleet Cyber Command (FCC)/Navy Cyber Force (NCF) Shore Sailor of the Year.
 
Congratulations to CTMC(IDW/SS) Adam Birkholz, the NIOC Yokosuka 2014 nominee for the NCVA Award for Cryptologic Support Excellence (ACSE).

Congratulations to CTRC(IDW/NAC/PJ) Alexander Ollison, the NIOC Yokosuka 2014 nominee for the On-the-Roof Gang (OTRG) Award.
 
Best of luck Shipmates.  You are already winners and carry forward the legacy of the fine NSGD Yokosuka and NSGA Yokosuka Sailors who served there before you.
 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

I guess it is official now

CDR Mike Rogers turns over command of NSGA Winter Harbor to CDR E.F. Williamson
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. NR-058-14
January 30, 2014



DOD Announces Nomination of Cyber Command Commander/ NSA Director

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced today Navy Vice Adm. Michael S. Rogers as President Obama's nominee to become commander of U.S. Cyber Command. In addition, the Secretary announced that he has designated Vice Adm. Rogers to serve as director of the National Security Agency, and chief of the Central Security Service.
Vice Adm. Rogers currently serves as the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command commander. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he will replace Gen. Keith Alexander, who has served as the NSA director since 2005, and the Cyber Command commander since 2010.

Additionally, the department is announcing that Richard Ledgett has been selected to serve as the NSA deputy director.  In his new role as the senior civilian at NSA, Ledgett acts at the agency's chief operating officer. He replaces J. Chris Inglis, who retired from the position in January.

How is your Mess doing? MCPON Guidance for CPO365

MCPON's Guidance is HERE.

A Final Note

I expect every Chief Petty Officer to read this guidance in its entirety, and for all CPO Messes to discuss it as groups. While the guidance is not all-inclusive, it does provide a proven foundation for effectively developing a new generation of CPOs. Solid leadership, sound judgment, common sense and situational awareness need to prevail in all situations not expressly covered in this document.

I expect you and every member of your Mess to exercise the leadership and professionalism that we are entrusted with each and every day; hence CPO 365. We each know the difference between right and wrong and will be held accountable. I have the utmost confidence in our ability as a Mess to continue to build upon the legacy of success forged by all that have worn anchors.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

A recent conversation - "Director of Sailor Success"?


I had a nice conversation with one of our Navy Information Operations Command's officers recently. He said that his Skipper had begun calling him his "Director of Sailor Success".  At first I thought perhaps they were reading too many business books or those Harvard Business Review book summaries.  After hearing him out, it made more sense.

He explained...Along with their Command Master Chief, he was responsible for all training at the command.  Together, they co-chaired the Planning Board For Training (PB4T).  They set up the long range command schedule for a two year period year and reviewed it (along with the short range schedule) on a monthly basis.  Their philosophy - "great plan, great training; good plan, good training; no plan, no training".  They spent their time planning for and executing programs focused on Sailor success.

He continued..."At this command, we value training and that value is recognized.  We keep it realistic and practical - no wasting our Sailors' time.  Our training programs are monitored and evaluated.  We are fortunate to have some real Master Training Specialists right out of the Center for Information Dominance (CID) Corry Station who have turned our training program upside down.  Our Sailors thirst for knowledge.  Believe it our not, some of our training sessions are "Standing Room Only."  Everyone in the command participates in training and development - Seaman to CO - no exceptions.  Our professional development programs are second to none!  Our Sailors take this stuff seriously.  Our Sailors qualify on time and they promote better than the average of the other NIOCs - at every paygrade.  And it's especially nice to have a Chiefs Mess that is really the driving force behind the professional development of our Sailors.  It's one of the keys to our success.  We train for it."

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Admiral James R. Stavridis - would have been a Naval aviator, except for that one bad experience in his youth


Admiral James Stavridis' speech at the Surface Navy Association (SNA) from 16 January is HERE.

Briefly, he said, we should:
  • Listen more
  • Build intellectual capital
  • Learn languages
  • Use social networks
  • Use every available technology to our advantage
In the past, we focused on building walls.  Today, we need to focus on building bridges to create collaboration.

LCS will work.  We've had early problems with every ship type.  Sailors overcome.

We need to think more about cyber.  "Vice Admiral Rogers, this is for you.  I was more worried about cyber than any other aspect in my last job."

No one should doubt the ability of the U.S. Navy or the surface warfare community "to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations at sea.  It is who we are and what we do."

Monday, January 27, 2014

A Great Read - Robert Gates’s book, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War


Guest Post by LCDR Christopher Nelson, USN

Wow, just...wow.  I recently finished Robert Gates’s book, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War -- it’s a great book. I had, like many of you, read some excerpts in the Wall Street Journal, the review in the New York Times, and heard the hoopla prior to it hitting the shelves.  Some of the early reviews managed to pull the same quotes from the book, giving us the impression -- wrongly as it turns out -- that the former Secretary of Defense was slinging mud all over the place.  Not so.  Not even close.  Well, instead of writing a review of the book, I want to highlight a few things in the book that are unfortunately missing from other reviews.  And that is 1) his management style, and 2) some tid-bits that deserve some reflection and thought for anyone wearing a uniform in today’s military.  I hope these scraps are enough to persuade you to pick up a copy and add it to your personal library.  Here we go:

“Symbolic gestures have substantive and real benefits.”  Secretary Gates made an effort early in his tenure to meet senior military commanders -- Combatant Commanders, the Joint Chiefs -- on their turf (e.g., COCOM HQs, “The Tank”) rather than summoning the Commanders to the Pentagon.  He noticed that [his] “approach in dealing with the military leadership had a far more positive impact than [he] had expected.” 

On PowerPoint. “...it was the bane of my existence in Pentagon meetings; it was as no one could talk without them.”

Write the note.  Following Admiral “Fox” Fallon’s Esquire interview, and the subsequent fallout, he sent Secretary Gates a “very gracious, handwritten letter of apology...”

Go into a meeting with a strategy and a desired outcome.  “A meeting in the Situation Room was never just another gathering...outcomes were important, and I always had a strategy going in.”

On Influences.  “Political scientists, historians, and reporters are often completely unaware of events or experiences unseen by the public eye that influence important decisions...an HBO movie, Taking Chance...had an important impact” [on his decision to publicly honor fallen service men/women arriving at Dover, AFB].  (Me: If you haven’t seen Taking Chance, you need to find a copy and watch it.)

Not all leadership is equal...and just because you are the “next in line” doesn’t mean you are the best qualified for the job. “...[T]he qualities important for military leadership and success in war are not the same as those required in peacetime.  In war, boldness, adaptability, creativity, sometimes ignoring the rules, risk taking, and ruthlessness are essential for success.  These are not characteristics that will get you very far in peacetime...too many officers were assigned to command positions because the stateside personnel system identified them as “next in line” rather than because they were selected as best qualified for the combat mission.”

Know your expertise; Know your lane.  “For some reason, more and more senior officers seem compelled to seek a high public profile and to speak out, often on politically sensitive issues or even on matters beyond their responsibility (not to mention expertise).”

And I could go on.  There is a lot to absorb in 594 pages.  Even from the few quotes I included above there is plenty to chew on.  It is one of the most honest and candid political memoirs that I’ve read.  Yes, to some the word “honest” is an oxymoron when coupled with the words “political memoir.”  I get it.  But my guidepost when reading this type of work has always been this:  is the writer able to criticize and analyze themselves?  And can they highlight mistakes they made?  Do they discuss how they would have done it differently if given the chance?  If they can do these things, then in my opinion, I would consider it an excellent candidate for an “honest and candid political memoir.” I believe Secretary Gates has done all these things, and done them well.  But hey, go pick up a copy for yourself and make your own decision.

LCDR Christopher Nelson, USN, is an intelligence officer currently attending US Naval War College and the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School in Newport, RI.  The views above are his and his alone, and do not reflect those of the United States Navy or the Department of Defense.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

This great news from the Washington Post

Obama signs off on nomination of Vice Admiral Michael S. Rogers, Commander Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet as NSA Director

President Obama has signed off on the nomination of Vice Admiral Michael S. Rogers to lead the embattled National Security Agency and the Pentagon’s cyberwarfare organization, according to sources familiar with the decision.

In an unusual move, Obama himself interviewed Rogers last week, in a reflection of the job’s high profile at a time when the NSA has drawn fire for the scope of its surveillance practices.
Vice Admiral Michael S. Rogers would succeed General Keith Alexander, who is retiring this year.
White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden declined to comment, but people familiar with the matter said an announcement is expected soon.




Criticism

 To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. 
- Aristotle

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Legacy


-->This involves the lasting impact you have on the people in your command. In this respect, your legacy “can be seen in the thoughts and actions of the people who have worked with or for you long after your tour has ended.
We define this type of legacy as “the sum total of the difference you make in people’s lives, directly and indirectly, formally and informally.”  In other words, when you turn over command to your relief, what attitudes or ways of thinking have you instilled into the command that will continue after you are gone? 

The fact that your command earned an “outstanding” on an inspection is not a legacy; a legacy is the commitment to excellence and attention to detail you developed in the command. It's the pride of ownership you have instilled in your Sailors and the skills they take with them to improve things at their next command.  

Friday, January 24, 2014

What they really mean...

1. A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES ARE BEING TRIED—
We are still clueless.
2. EXTENSIVE REPORT IS BEING PREPARED ON A FRESH APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM—
We just hired three kids fresh out of college.
3. CLOSE PROJECT COORDINATION—
We know who to blame.
4. MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH—
It works only so so, but looks very hi-tech.
5. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS DELIVERED ASSURED—
We are so far behind schedule the customer is happy just to get it delivered.
6. PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL TESTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE—
The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch.
7. TEST RESULTS WERE EXTREMELY GRATIFYING—
We are so surprised that the stupid thing works.
8. THE ENTIRE CONCEPT WILL HAVE TO BE ABANDONED—
The only person who understood the thing quit.
9. IT IS IN THE PROCESS—
It is so wrapped up in red tape that the situation is about hopeless.
10. WE WILL LOOK INTO IT—
Forget it! We have enough problems for now.
11. PLEASE NOTE AND INITIAL—
Let's spread the responsibility for the mistake.
12. GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF YOUR THINKING—
We'll listen to what you have to say as long as it doesn't interfere with what we've already done.
13. GIVE US YOUR INTERPRETATION—
I can't wait to hear this nonsense!
14. SEE ME OR LET'S DISCUSS—
Come into my office, I'm lonely.
15. ALL NEW—
Parts not interchangeable with the previous design.
16. RUGGED—
Too darn heavy to lift!
17. LIGHTWEIGHT—
Lighter than RUGGED.
18. YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT—
One finally worked.
19. ENERGY SAVING—
Achieved when the power switch is off.
20. LOW MAINTENANCE—
Impossible to fix if broken.

From the U.S. government's plain writing website.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Command in the spotlight - Navy Information Operations Command Colorado

"Work Hard, Play Hard, Do What's Right"
MISSION
Motivate, train and qualify Sailors to accomplish the operational objectives of the Navy, Aerospace Data Facility Colorado and NSA/CSS Colorado. We provide Sailors robust opportunities to develop, improve and excel to meet the dynamic challenges of our future. We also provide first-rate administrative and security services to Company A, CSG TRANSCOM, CSG STRATCOM, and NIOCR Colorado.

VISION
Operational excellence, effective training and Command programs that provide a content rich environment for Sailors of NIOC Colorado.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Some thoughts

  • Always bring something to the table that will make you more welcome.
  • Critics are good. They are the ones who show they care about what you are doing. Their criticism is affirmation that you are doing SOMETHING.
  • Make sure the artifacts of your life show purpose and meaning.
  • Benjamin Zander's rule #6 - "Don't take yourself so damn seriously".
  • Command is the zenith of military achievement.
  • Be worthy to lead. Then, lead a life of consequence.
  • Think as a man of action; act as a man of thought.
  • Honor never grows old.
  • The truth provides a fixed point of reference.  Where ever you go, you will always find your way back to the truth.  It is a steady marker.
  • Audacity matters. Be audacious !
  • Be extraordinary for your Sailors.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

VADM Ken Malley Rule # 6

Before you utter that next complaint about your Skipper, DH, DIV OFF, DIV CHIEF or LPO, consider:

6. No matter what you think of your boss, if he or she does not end up being a hero, neither do you.

Taking a page from one of Captain Andy Stewart's leadership interests - Patrick Lencione

In the interest of remaining 100% honest and true to the original precepts of this blog ("ADVANCE WARNING - NO ORIGINAL THOUGHT!"), the idea of NAKED LEADERSHIP is "stolen" lock, stock and barrel from a genuine thought leader in the field of organizational leadership - Patrick Lencione, founder of the table group - a patrick lencione company.  

This is a model well worth exploring further, which I intend to do  The idea comes from Patrick Lencione's exceptional book - Getting NAKED - which I highly recommend.

Monday, January 20, 2014

I really like this post from LT Ryan Haag about taking time to read

The BOLD in this post is my own highlighting of Ryan's points.

Seth Godin nails it about taking time to actually read:  His post is HERE.

It is AMAZING to me the number of people that don't read email.  The conversation I get normally goes like this:

"Hey, did you read my email? I need an answer about X."

"No man, I didn't have time. It was too long."

Even more amazing is the number of people that don't read papers that are routed to them.

It would seem everyone is in such a hurry because of all the work that needs to be done that there simply isn't enough time to read.  Except that when I walk around, I see people updating Facebook, chatting about sports or their latest shopping trip, or in general not working balls to the wall.

I refuse to believe that you don't have time to read email, or papers, or whatever comes across your desk.  While I do believe that if you send your boss a long email you should put a Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) line at the top so that he or she can get the gist, most of my emails are one paragraph.  Telling me you can't read it because you are so busy really tells me you don't care, that my issue is less important than you updating your Facebook status.

I read every piece of paper that comes across my desk.  The great thing about this is that over time I get better and better at reviewing.  I'm able to work through a stack of routine papers in only fifteen minutes because I have learned what good and bad paperwork looks like.  Besides, if I'm going to sign my name on it, I should at least go through it to make sure it doesn't come back to bite me.

By no means am I perfect, but the only way to get better at reviewing paperwork and working through email taskers is to actually read them.  If you're one of those folks that says you're too busy, stop lying to the rest of us and simply admit you are lazy and not prioritizing those that took the time to do the research and send you a well written email.

Read all of Ryan's stuff.  I have not been disappointed once.  You can click on his blog at the top of my WORTH YOUR TIME, ALWAYS widget on the top left side of my Blog or go HERE.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

From the archives: WHEN LETTERS WERE HANDWRITTEN: SOME ADVICE TO A YOUNG DESTROYER CAPTAIN

Royal Navy Air Station, Somewhere in Britain
1944

Dear Phillip,
I am sorry I have been away, so your letter has laid unread for some days; and I am, as usual, very busy on returning to the job.

There are, of course, hundreds of pit-falls into which a new destroyer captain may fall; but they are so many and varied that I cannot possibly think of putting them all down in one letter. Moreover, unlike Jehovah of old, I don't think that a list of "thou shalt nots " can ever be very much help, so I will try and give you a few "thou shalts."

Your first concern in producing a good ship must, of course, be discipline. Never forget that the whole discipline of a ship is vested in the person of its commanding officer. My Lords. in their wisdom have evolved the existing system with a view to keeping it absolutely fair. Summary justice, if sympathetically and intelligently wielded by the captain, can be the fairest form of justice known to men. (Do not imagine that courts martial, etc., are fairer. They are not, because they are so mixed up with legal procedure that the human element is lost.) On the other hand summary justice wielded by one man can be very unfair since we are all subject to prejudices and partialities. So Rule One is: see to it that your summary justice is utterly fair and impartial. On your success in this rests the discipline and morale of your ship.

Next in importance I think I would put your relations with your officers. Having been one of my officers you have probably a pretty fair idea of my ideas on the subject, but I would like to emphasize that you cannot get on without efficient officers; and officers, particularly inexperienced ones, will never be efficient unless they are given a full sense of responsibility. Never let an officer get the impression that you are not prepared to trust his judgment, but try and always give the impression that you assume 100 per cent. zeal and efficiency on the part of your officers and are rather surprised and hurt when you find that standard is not reached. If you get a really bad officer, the only cure is to fling him out; there is no room for a bad officer in a small ship. Do not forget, however, that a mediocre officer can quickly blossom into a good one if properly led, and that if not properly handled he will in all probability become a bad one. Fortunately there are few officers in our Service who are fundamentally bad and incurable. I can think of one, can't you?

Next in order, but of equal importance, is your reputation on the lower deck. Don't imagine for one moment that the lower deck can be "bounced." In a small overcrowded community, cut off from the world, such as the mess deck of a destroyer, one of the main recreations is gossip; and the great subject, which is always ready to hand for the gossiper, is his officers and particularly his commanding officer. The lower deck's judgment of their officers is terrifyingly perceptive, and the slightest foibles or weaknesses of their commanding officer are leapt upon with the pleasure of a gossiping washerwoman. Fortunately, however, the sailor is a generous soul; and when he has made his mind up about you he will overlook many little human frailities and keep his eye firmly on the bright side. But before he does this you must establish yourself in his confidence, and there is only one way to do this. He does not look upon you as a better man than himself because you happen to be wearing gold lace and brass buttons, but he does acknowledge that by your training and experience you are capable of doing a job which he could not hope to do. The way to gain his confidence, and the only way, is the hard way of proving your capabilities. However sympathetic with his domestic difficulties you may be (and it is important that you should be so) you will never gain the sailor's whole-hearted support until you have proved to him that you know your job.

I think perhaps the next subject should be handling the ship. The more detailed aspects of this gentle art I expect you learned from me during our time together, particularly when you were "the pilot." But there are a couple of golden rules which I have always followed and I cannot think of better advice to give you. The first is: "never fight the elements if you can help it." By this I mean that if you can possibly make use of the wind and the tide to get your ship into the desired position those elements will get you there quicker than all the horse-power in the world. In its simplest form this rule is expressed in the time-honoured rule which every coxswain of a boat is taught, namely; "always stem the tide coming alongside." But it has a much wider application if you think about it. Thus you will know that as soon as way is off your ship it will be impossible to get the bows up into wind by manoeuvring the engines. Therefore arrange that you get in such a position that you do not wish to put your bows up into the wind. Similarly you will also know that with the ship stopped in a beam wind the stern will go very easily up into the wind, so plan your approach so as to make use of this phenomenon.

The second golden rule is: "as fast as possible at sea and as slow as possible in harbour." I think you have probably heard me say this before. The slowness in harbour can of course be overdone in boisterious weather conditions, since a destroyer has a nasty habit of going sideways if she is not going ahead very quickly; but on the other hand if you hit something going slow you will not do a great deal of harm, whereas a really decent crash with 1,500 tons behind it is apt to cost the country a great deal in wasted time and manpower. It is often easier to take a destroyer alongside a difficult berth at excessive speed and rely upon the engine-room to provide you with efficient brakes at the right moment. This is not seamanship. In the worst case the engine-room boys may let you down, in which case there is one hell of a hole in your bows; but in all cases you have virtually lost control as soon as your screws are going full speed astern, and there is also a strong likelihood that one engine will either start or stop before the other one which will give you an uncontrollable swing and, to use an expression borrowed from my present trade, "You've had it ! "

Another way not to do it is to approach a place where you are being blown on to the berth by a strong beam wind, by leaving yourself plenty of room and then drifting down on top of it. It is surprising how much damage a destroyer can do to her tender hull by arriving violently on the fenders with a really good drift on. I don't think I can go into any more details; there are so many hundreds of situations with which you will be faced and which you must solve for yourself, but the above two golden rules can be trusted not to let you down really badly. There is only one really good reason for getting your ship smashed and that is in action with the enemy, and even then only if you are achieving something useful by smashing him worse.

If you are going to stick to the racket of war very long one of your chief concerns must be the training of your officers of the watch at sea. This is becoming more and more difficult in these days of inexperience amongst the majority, but it is by no means impossible to avoid the necessity for remaining yourself on the bridge for excessively long hours. The only way to make a good officer of the watch is to teach him first your way of going about things and then insist upon him doing it himself without your supervision but with the knowledge that you are ever at his call if he wants you quickly. Excessive super­vision will never make a bad officer of the watch into a good one. The only way is to build up his confidence in himself. This may sometimes turn your hair grey; but it is, as I said, the only way. I have spent many hours on the lower bridge before I was confident that some particular officer was competent to carry on in my absence - on the lower bridge because he did not know that his actions were being supervised. It paid me handsomely and I have never yet been in a ship where I could not get almost all the sleep I wanted (and I can take a good deal). Always be prepared, however, to arrive on the bridge at double-quick time if you are wanted. The responsibility is yours; and it is unfair to a young officer to expect him to hold the baby if he is not confident in himself. Your job is to build up that confidence.

Well, I think that is about enough fatherly advice for one letter. I tried to write you when you were in your prison camp; but the censor kept on sending it back because I had broken some piffling rule, so I eventually chucked my hand in. I wanted to write and tell you how very proud I was of the old ship's last action-she certainly had a Viking's funeral. ­

Give my respects to your wife and tell her that my present station is an excellent one for Wrens. My own family is flourishing, thank you. Unfortunately the brat is now high enough to see over the top of the table and everything comes off it on to the floor ­she needs much more supervision than any officer of the watch.

Best of luck to you with your first command, and do write and tell me how things are going.
Yours very sincerely,
G.H.S

From the U.K. Naval Review

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Follow this example of leadership

MEMORANDUM

From: Commanding Officer
To: All Officers


Some thoughts:

(1) A junior officer must be most concerned with his or her performance in the job assigned. There is too much discussion in our ranks about the merits of particular jobs as "career enhancing". It's natural to look upon various jobs in different lights - you might like one better than another - but don't get caught up in the "I need this job to get promoted syndrome"...that's bull.

(2) Continue to show our people you care. You must follow my lead and my example. I expect you to - and I watch closely. That ranges the gamut from counseling, to mid-watch visits, to attending command events, to going to basketball games.

(3) DON'T BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. I want to concentrate on important matters and continue to emphasize "dealing with facts" - not rumors and B.S.

(4) Finally, leadership by example is not a buzz phrase. We cannot, as officers and chiefs or petty officers, expect to gain respect and credibility unless we can do it too. Keep that professional curiosity, keep working hard and take pride in making NSGA the best.
Once again, I need and expect the support of each one of you to make Misawa a better place to live and work. We are on a positive tack. With your help, we'll sail smoothly through 1980.

J.S. MCFARLAND
Commanding Officer
U.S. NSGA Misawa, Japan
1 February 1980

Friday, January 17, 2014

So says John Tkacik...

"...needs to do more to nourish the right habits of mind within the naval service."

You can read more HERE.

And keep an eye out for our Shipmate LCDR Christopher Nelson's piece in USNI PROCEEDINGS titled "Where Have All the Naval Memoirs Gone?"

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Command in the Spotlight

Navy Information Operations Command Texas

NIOC Texas executes SIGINT and Computer Network Operations at sea, in the air and on the ground-in support of Fleet, theater and national maritime requirements in the USSOUTHCOM and USNORTHCOM AOR.

NIOC TX is committed to the training, welfare and professionalism of our Sailors, to supporting our families and to the honor of the United States Navy and our country it serves.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

And we have this UNHAPPY news

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy announced Jan. 15 that Robert C. Martinage has resigned as Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy (DUSN)/ Policy, Plans, Oversight, and Integration (PPO&I).

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus asked for the resignation following a loss of confidence in Martinage's abilities to effectively perform his duties.

Martinage had also been performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy. Effective immediately, Thomas W. Hicks, Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy/ Deputy Chief Management Officer (DUSN/DCMO), will perform those duties until a new Under Secretary is confirmed or until further notice, whichever comes first. Hicks will also continue his role as DUSN/DCMO.

Jodi Greene, Senior Director for Policy in the Office of DUSN (PPO&I), has been appointed acting DUSN (PPO&I).

For more news from Secretary of the Navy, visit www.navy.mil/local/secnav/.

"CRIC"kets making a lot of noise


Ever made a suggestion to your boss or sent a message with a recommendation for changes in policy or procedures in the Navy and heard nothing but crickets in response?  Well, no more.  The CNO's Rapid Innovation Cell (CRIC) is interested in your ideas and they have plenty of their own.  Learn more about this awesome team HERE.  They can help give voice to your ideas and help you make some noise of your own.

Getting from 'we should' to 'I will' - It's not that much of a leap

We should - I will !

They should - We will !

Read LT Ben Kohlmann's article which is available HERE.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Looking for answers? LT Darryl Diptee and I share the same point of view. ASK A BLUE SHIRT !!





Episode 14: LT Darryl Diptee

7 days ago52 minutes

Can innovation help us with an issue as important as suicide in the military? LT Darryl Diptee seems to think so. This episode is about Design Thinking, empathy and how LT used a combination of both to create something that might become a very powerful tool in looking out for our shipmates. Please share this episode with a friend. The CNO's Rapid Innovation Cell is an organization of 15 junior officers and enlisted. Its goal is to empower and enable emerging Naval leaders to rapidly create, develop and implement disruptive solutions that tackle warfighter needs while advocating for, and inspiring, deckplate innovation throughout the Fleet.  ET1(SW) Jeff Anderson is a member of the CNO's Rapid Innovation Cell. The views expressed are his alone, and not the official position of the CRIC, Naval Warfare Development Command, CNO, the United States Navy or any other entity explicitly or implicitly mentioned in the above. Check us out on Facebook! Get involved at www.facebook.com/NavyCRIC . Join the CRIC[x]! The CRIC[x] is our extended network of sailors and innovators.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Female Navy Engineers and Scientists Worth Knowing More About

Captain Barbara A. Sisson retired in 2008 after a pioneering 28 year career in the Navy’s Civil Engineering Corps. She distinguished herself as the first female instructor at the Civil Engineer Corps Officer School and the first female regimental commodore of a CD regiment, the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment.

Rear Admiral Jan E. Tighe, continues service as the Deputy Commander, Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet.  She earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.  She was the CHIEF Engineer at the Naval Information Warfare Activity Suitland, Maryland.  She is the senior engineer in the Information Warfare Community.

Rear Admiral Kathleen Gregory continues her service as Commander, NAVFAC Engineering Command and Chief of Civil Engineers.  She is a 1982 graduate of USNA and is a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  She is a Seabee Combat Warfare Officer.

Rear Admiral Alma Grocki continues her service as Deputy Chief of Staff for Fleet Maintenance, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.  She is a 1981 USNA graduate.  She completed her Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Hampshire. 

Captain Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is on active duty in the Navy.  She holds Bachelor of Science (1984) and Master of Science (1985) degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  She is also a NASA Astronaut.

And, one of my favorites -

Captain Wendy Barrien Lawrence is a retired United States Navy Captain, former helicopter pilot, an engineer, and a former NASA astronaut. She was the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy to fly into space and she has also visited the Russian Space Station Mir. She was a mission specialist on STS-114, the first Space Shuttle flight after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

Please help me add to this list.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Cryptologic Community Foundational Principles


One of the many things that drew us to the Cryptologic Community is the sense of belonging to a group that had unique and highly sought after skills.  Today, we continue to honor Captain Joseph Rochefort and his celebration of the fact that “we can accomplish anything provided no one cares who gets the credit.”  

In an effort to share expectations across the community, the following general responsibilities are recognized:

The Community Leader is committed to the following...

Pushing regular updates directly to all interested community members  (i.e. record message, blog, RSS subscriptions, social networking, etc.)

Biannual updates to Community Vision and Strategic Plan

Creating opportunities to engage and celebrate traditions as a community

Championing cryptologic contributions and capabilities to other warfighters

Delegating and empowering as much as possible


The full package is HERE


prin·ci·ple
ˈprinsəpəl/
noun
plural noun: principles
1.
a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.


synonyms:truth, proposition, concept, idea, theory, assumption, fundamental, essential, ground rule More
"elementary principles"
  • a rule or belief governing one's personal behavior.
    "struggling to be true to their own principles"
    synonyms:morals, morality, (code of) ethics, beliefs, ideals, standards; More
    integrity, uprightness, righteousness, virtue, probity, (sense of) honor, decency, conscience, scruples
  • morally correct behavior and attitudes.
    "a man of principle"
    synonyms:morals, morality, (code of) ethics, beliefs, ideals, standards; More
  • a general scientific theorem or law that has numerous special applications across a wide field.
  • a natural law forming the basis for the construction or working of a machine.
    "these machines all operate on the same general principle"
2.
a fundamental source or basis of something.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

And, this NEWS FLASH from the Army !!

In 2012, the Army revised its leadership bible, Army Doctrine Publication 6-22, to detail what toxic leadership means for the first time.

"Toxic leadership is a combination of self-centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance. This leader lacks concern for others and the climate of the organization, which leads to short- and long-term negative effects. The toxic leader operates with an inflated sense of self-worth and from acute self-interest. Toxic leaders consistently use dysfunctional behaviors to deceive, intimidate, coerce, or unfairly punish others to get what they want for themselves. The negative leader completes short-term requirements by operating at the bottom of the continuum of commitment, where followers respond to the positional power of their leader to fulfill requests. This may achieve results in the short term, but ignores the other leader competency categories of leads and develops. Prolonged use of negative leadership to influence followers undermines the followers' will, initiative, and potential and destroys unit morale."

Full NPR story is HERE.

Based on a FOIA request, I am guessing that the Navy definition is pending the results of an ongoing investigation.

And you may recall this from 2011 http://navycaptain-therealnavy.blogspot.com/2011/06/thankfully-navy-does-not-have-this.html