Command Excellence Exemplified - NIOC Yokosuka

The Crew of U.S. NAVIOCOM Yokosuka, Japan

In the Model for Command Excellence, between the inputs and results, were factors the model termed intermediate outputs. The intermediate outputs of superior commands also distinguished them. Sailors in the command had a sense of mission. They were motivated and committed to the command. Morale, pride, and teamwork were evident throughout the command. Attitudes and values of Sailors on board reflected this. These intermediate outputs directly affected the final outputs.

What accounts for the differences between them in superior and average commands?

Three areas make a difference between the results of superior and average commands:

• the Sailors in the command,
• the relationships between them
• the activities they perform

"Sailors" refers to the different people in the command. This includes the Commanding Officer (CO), the Executive Officer (XO), the Wardroom, the Chiefs Quarters (Mess), and the Crew.

"Relationships" refers to the relationships between different groups of Sailors and the ways these groups of people interact with each other. "Activities" include those things that people do that make the biggest differences between average and top commands.

Five activities were identified:

• Planning
• Maintaining Standards
• Communicating
• Building Esprit de Corps
• Training and Development

The book is available HERE.  Check the document properties; this is our (former CO/XO NSGA Yokosuka) 2005 update of our (CO/XO NSGA Yokosuka) original version from 1997.  There are two companion summaries: Command Excellence and the Wardroom and Charting the Course to Command Excellence.

Navy Humor - The Fight for the Admiral's Zipper - A "Sea Story" (It may or may not be true).

BEFORE READING ANY FURTHER, UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS IN WHAT FOLLOWS.  I WAS HONORED TO BE SELECTED FOR AND TO SERVE AS A FLAG AIDE/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.  MY FLAG WAS AN AWESOME GUY AND IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO WORK FOR HIM. HE WAS SAINTLY IN HIS PATIENCE WITH ME AS I LEARNED 

"THE ROPES".

Being a Flag Aide or Executive Assistant to a Navy Admiral is very serious business nearly all the time.  International travel with a Flag officer is a complicated process and can be a logistics nightmare. While never stated explicitly anywhere, it is understood by all in the Flag Office that the Aide/EA is responsible for all things (large and small/significant and insignificant) - even acknowledged "Acts of God". Responsibility for the Flag officer's care, comfort, feeding, and movement involves a lot of moving parts and can be further complicated by a senior officer traveling partner (in this case a Navy Captain) who may want to take on the role of Aide/EA.

For this particular trip, I've successfully moved my Flag from DC to London (where the Captain joined our 'party'), after a 6 hour delay by UNITED for an equipment (aircraft) mechanical issue. Spending 6 hours at Dulles with a seriously inconvenienced Flag officer can be a real drag on one's energy. - Do we go back home and wait? - What's wrong with the plane? - Why did you book this flight? - How long is the expected delay? - Can you get us another flight? - Have you notified London that we are delayed? - Should we get some dinner? - What does our new schedule look like with the 1,2,3,4,5, or 6 hour delay?  - What events need to be rescheduled?

With many thousands of travel miles in the bank, my Flag traveled business class and I found myself free to relax in the comfort of economy class, far removed from the boss and the questions (none of which I could answer satisfactorily). We land at Heathrow and are met by the Captain and a vehicle with driver for the one hour trip on the M4 and A4 to London. 

I'll jump ahead two days and move the three of us to Digby via rental car, driving through Stevenage, Alconbury, and Peterborough with stops in great pubs in each town. We received a Flag greeting at RAF Digby and were assigned a "sergeant at arms" to see to us. We spent way too long in the pub that evening before dinner and way way to long in the bar after dinner.  The sergeant got us all safely back to our quarters. (I was a non-drinker back then).

The following morning, I had my coffee and went to check on my Flag in his quarters to get him and the Captain for breakfast before continuing our trip to Edzell.  The Admiral was quick to answer the door in his summer white uniform and declared that his zipper was broken. Being that the Aide is responsible for all things, it was my immediate job to tell the Admiral that his zipper was not broken, but merely stuck. At this point, the Captain arrived. The Captain immediately forgot what the aide's responsibilities were and wanted to assist in resolving the zipper issue. Keep in mind, the Admiral is wearing the pants in this relationship. I know what my responsibilities are and proceed to pull on the zipper up the fly of the Admiral's pants, catching only the left side teeth.  I am doing it all wrong and the Captain wants to correct my behavior and insists on a try at the zipper. Naturally when our battle over the zipper is at its zenith, with the Captain and I literally on our knees, and tugging on the Admiral's fly and his zipper, our sergeant at arms arrives to escort us to breakfast.  He pops to attention and turns slightly away and with an aloofness and feigned disinterest that only the British can pull off, says - "Jolly well, I see you gentlemen are otherwise occupied, I will return at a time more convenient for all of you." With that, he walked away - leaving the Captain and I on our knees still pulling at the Admiral's zipper in opposite directions. Thankfully, he never came back.  The Captain and I fought over the Admiral's zipper a bit more before I was able to get the slide back over the lower stop, connect the right/left teeth again (see the photo above) and zip the Admiral's zipper. 

We made our way to breakfast and I was later able to make a complete and permanent repair of the zipper by sewing a new lower stop on the bottom of the zipper during a brief visit  at the home of one of our Commanding Officer's while the Admiral was forced to wear the Skipper's wife's pink bathrobe in the process. The story about who walked in on us is even funnier and will have to wait for another time. The stuff our Navy Flags have to put up with is ridiculous.

Word to the wise for COs

 "A desk is a dangerous place from which to view your command."

CTMC (IDW/SS) Adam J. Birkholz wins 2015 NCVA Award for Cryptologic Support Excellence

Congratulations to Chief Petty Officer Adam Birkholz who today was announced as the winner of Commander, U.S. TENTH Fleet's 2015 Award for Cryptologic Support Excellence (ACSE).

Chief Birkholz was nominated for the 2015 ACSE due to his exceptional leadership as the NIOC Yokosuka Fleet Electronics Support (FES) Leading Chief Petty Officer during calendar year 2014. He transferred to NIOC Bahrain in late 2014.

C10F's official announcement (RMG 231803ZMAR15):

RMKS/1. In 1987, an award for cryptologic excellence was created by Commander, Naval Security Group based upon a proposal by the Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association (NCVA) to recognize Navy and Marine Corps personnel for their superior accomplishments in cryptologic support functions.

2. Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command U.S TENTH Fleet is pleased to announce CTMC(IDW/SS) Adam J. Birkholz, USN, Navy Information Operation Command (NIOC) Bahrain as the 2015 ACSE winner. Before transferring to NIOC Bahrain, Chief Birkholz expertly led NIOC Yokosuka's mission to provide cryptologic maintenance support to multiple ships across the Forward Deployed Naval Forces, including helping USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62) prepare for and ultimately pass the SSES portion of their INSURV inspection. Further, he coordinated the deployment of one DIRSUP CTM to USS MCCAMPBELL (DDG 85) for five months in order to assist them during a period of austere CTM manning. His leadership in this area enabled FDNF ships to maintain a high level of cryptologic operational readiness which is challenging due to the distance and time zone difference from the surface ship TYCOM and SPAWAR System Centers (SSC) in Charleston, SC and San Diego, CA and FDNF surface ships.

3. The competition was particularly keen for this year's

nominees and congratulations also go to the following nominees:

a. YNCM Donald R. Carter, NAVIOCOM Georgia

b. CTM1 (IDW/SW/AW) Asia S. White, NAVIOCOM Whidbey Island

c. YN1 (IDW/AW) Philip M. Breeze, NAVIOCOM Pensacola

d. YN1 (IDW/EXW/SW/AW) Phefelia E. Flournoy, NAVIOCOM Colorado

e. CTM2(SW) Kiia Synnestvedt, USS CHOSIN (CG-65)

f. CTM3(SW) Anthony Turner, USS NEW YORK (LPD-21)

4. These outstanding information warriors and cryptologists exemplify leadership, initiative, resourcefulness and dedication, and personify the highest traditions established for cryptologic excellence by the ACSE.

5. Congratulations and well done! Released by VADM Jan E. Tighe, USN, Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet.//

Leadership Lesson - ENSIGN 101 - OIC's Rules of the Road

Nearly 100 years ago, when I was an Ensign at my first duty assignment, I lost a prisoner. Or maybe it was the Chief that lost the prisoner. In any case, let's say for this argument's sake that "we" lost our prisoner - The Mulch.

In the 1980's, the (illegal for American consumption/purchase) Japanese cough suppressant 'bron' was very popular among young Sailors due to its unrestricted availability, low cost and perceived low rate of detection.  One of our stellar Second Class Petty Officers succumbed to the temptation of a cheap and easy high and was caught in a routine urinalysis sweep of our detachment's Sailors.  Captain's Mast resulted in a reduction from E5 to E3, a fine and 30 days in Correctional Custody. ((NOTE: CC is the most serious deprivation of liberty authorized as a punishment under the UCMJ, article 15. UCMJ, article 15 is designed to be a means of disposing of minor infractions of discipline without having to stigmatize a service member with a court-martial conviction.)) Administratively, he lost his security clearance, flight orders and was detailed to general duty as a Seaman aboard ship.  Funny that as CTs, we thought orders to a ship was punishment for a Sailor.

Our awardee was about to be released from Yokosuka Naval Base's Correctional Custody Unit (CCU) and we (the Chief and I) were being briefed on the 'rules of the road' by our Officer in Charge (OIC).  ((NOTE: CC is the most serious deprivation of liberty authorized as a punishment under the UCMJ, article 15. UCMJ, article 15 is designed to be a means of disposing of minor infractions of discipline without having to stigmatize a service member with a court-martial conviction.))

The OIC's  'rules of the road" were to be:

• Rule 1. Prisoner will make no phone calls. 
• Rule 2. Prisoner will eat no meals.
• Rule 3. Prisoner will not be allowed to shower or shave.
• Rule 4. Prisoner will not be allowed a change of clothes.
• Rule 5. Prisoner will never be out of sight (even in the head (toilet).
• Rule 6. Prisoner will not smoke.

Now, even after 30+ years of analysis, I can't say for certain which violation of these rules led to the prisoner's escape. But, he did escape.

With the 'rules of the road' fully explained and understood, the Chief and I made our way in the command vehicle from Atsugi, Japan down to the Yokosuka Naval Base CCU via Route 16.  Recovering our "awardee" (once a stellar PO2 and now a Seaman) from CCU was quite an experience.  They had broken him down to his least survivable component.  I should say that CCU of 1983 and CCU of today are two VERY DIFFERENT animals. When he went into CCU 30 days prior, he had been stripped of all his clothing and walked around the circular CCU cell area, searched and then placed in a holding cell.  Quite a traumatic experience for our former Sailor of the Quarter and for me, a brand new Ensign. These behaviors are prohibited now but were standard practice then:

• Requiring awardees to salute enlisted personnel or address them as sir/ma'am.
• Requiring awardees to face the bulkhead at close range when a staff member passes.
• Requiring awardees to request permission to speak when there is no valid reason for the requirement.
• Requiring permission to move normally within spaces when not engaged in formal activities.
• Requiring silence as a routine condition. 

The Chief and I signed for our awardee and began our trip to Narita International Airport to put our awardee on a commercial flight to the U.S. so he could join his ship in San Diego.  He was a broken young man, in need of a shower, shave, change of clothes and a hot meal - all prohibited by the OIC in his 'rules for the road'.  As we headed for the airport, we made an unexpected (by me) detour back to Atsugi on Route 16.  The Chief said he had forgotten something at home and needed to grab it before heading to Narita.  

Once at the Chief's home in Atsugi, we all went in where we were greeted by the Chief's very gracious wife who invited us into the kitchen for breakfast, which was already well underway - violation of rule #2.  Our awardee had not eaten for more than 15 hours at this point.  After the meal, the Chief sent The Mulch to take a shower and shave in the back bathroom and to put on his dress blues (violation of rules 3, 4 and 5).  We had maintained strict adherence to rules 1 and 6 for more than two hours.  We were strong on 1 and 6.

The Mulch thanked the Chief's wife for breakfast and then we headed out for the airport.  We made it there in about 2 hours and had not broken any more rules.  We checked in at the UNITED counter with The Mulch and check-in counter attendant engaging in a lively conversation in fluent Japanese.  The Mulch had immersed himself in Japanese culture during his tour in Japan and was leaving behind a Japanese fiancé that he had not seen or spoken to in 35 days and who was several months pregnant with their little girl.

With the check-in complete, we were about 90 minutes from seeing our awardee get on a plane and head to his new assignment as a deck Seaman aboard USS MONTICELLO (LSD-35).  We stored his seabag in a locker, stopped at a phone bank so he could let his fiancé  know that he was departing the country and would not see her for some time.  Again, he spoke fluent Japanese and we didn't have a clue how his conversation went.  We could only assume there was plenty of crying on the other end. 

Then we began the wait for departure at Bob's Big Boy restaurant on the second level of the terminal area.  The Chief, The Mulch and I had lunch (Why not, we had already violated rule #2; once broken there was no fixing it.)  The Mulch toyed with his lighter and cigarettes but the Japanese were enforcing rule #6 and this is the one rule which would remain intact for the entirety of this story. As one would expect over a 6 hour period, The Mulch needed to go to the head.  Rule #5 reared its ugly head.  The Mulch was not to be left alone, not even to go to the head.  I suggested the Chief go with him.  The Chief suggested that we could both see the door to the head and could keep an eye on it from the table.  After all, where was The Mulch going to go?  He had already checked in and confirmed for the flight to Los Angeles For Further Travel (FFT) to San Diego.

After a lengthy period, I became nervous that The Mulch had not returned from the head (though his VALUABLES - $4 pack of cigarettes,  $2 lighter and $8 Casio watch were still at the table).  I'd had enough of the rule breaking, I was going in to the head and lay down 'the rules of the road'.  I didn't see The Mulch at any of the urinals and all the stalls were empty except one.  Thank goodness, there was still a chance he was in that stall.  I called out his name.  No answer.  I called it out again.  No answer.  I banged on the stall door.  No answer.  I climbed on the toilet in the adjoining stall to look over into the last stall.  A poor Japanese gentleman was cowering on the toilet looking up at the LUNATIC Ensign.  Our prisoner had escaped !!

I went back out to the table to let the Chief know, we had lost our prisoner.  He said, "You know sir, the OIC put you in charge of this detail."  Inside the Chief was laughing the laugh that only a Chief can laugh.  "Well sir, you'd better call the OIC and let him know The Mulch is gone."

I made the call to the OIC.  

- Me - "Sir, The Mulch is gone"

- OIC - "Glad I could send you and the Chief and get the job done.  Good job."

- Me - "No, sir, I mean he took off.  He's gone."

- OIC - "You're calling because he assaulted you and the Chief, and then took off?"

- Me - "No, sir, I'm calling because he went to the head and went out the back door."

- OIC - "Mad Dog Murphy, the XO is not going to be happy to hear about this from you tomorrow when you get back.  Grab the Chief and come back to Atsugi."

That was a long drive back to Atsugi.  There were about two dozen leadership lessons in there and the story has been told many times over.

The Mulch made it to his ship on time.  We had no authority over him after he did his time in CCU. There were no 'rules of the road'.  The Chief did everything right that day for the Sailor and the Navy.  The OIC had no bad words for us upon our return.  The XO feigned outrage over our loss of the prisoner.  The Chief knew better.  He restored that young man's dignity from the first moment of contact with him and he taught me lessons all day long and for many months to come at that little detachment in Atsugi, Japan. I was the butt of many a JO joke and paid many tabs at the O Club where my shipmates left their $4 cigarettes and $2 lighters as 'collateral' when they left $40 checks at the table.

The Mulch told his girlfriend on the phone that he was at Narita but would be "home" soon for a few days before he'd have to fly to San Diego to join his ship.  He told the ticket counter attendant not to check him in that day and that he'd be back for a later flight.  All of this was unknown to us because we hadn't immersed ourselves in the culture as he had.  True to his word, he made the later flight and made it to his ship on time.  He served out the rest of his time in the Navy honorably and married his fiancé.  I only hope that they lived 'happily ever after.' 

Constructive criticism

Art by SEFARSTAD

From the archives:

"Mike, I find most of your posts to be questionable, yet still useful."

Looking for the * ? Don't rely too much on Dumb Luck

Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group Superstar CTR2 Melisa Wink !!

William Penn University Photo

The Fiscal Year 2015 Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) Selection Board met on 10 February 2015 to consider 15 highly qualified applicants. The board used the "whole person" concept to identify those applicants with the greatest potential for successful service as a Navy Judge Advocate.

Please join us in congratulating and welcoming to the JAG Corps this year's impressive selectee:

CTR2 (IDW) Melisa J. Wink, Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group, enlisted in the Navy in 2012 after graduating summa cum laude from William Penn University with a Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law and History. While in school, CTR2 Wink served as captain of the women's soccer team, ran cross-country, studied abroad in Rwanda, was twice elected Student Body President and was elected Homecoming Queen. After graduating first in her class at CTR "A" School she reported aboard the Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group in Washington, D.C., where she conducts cyber intelligence analysis in support of U.S. TENTH Fleet operations. She quickly made critical contributions to projects with CNO and interagency involvement, earning recognition as her command's 2013 Bluejacket of the Year. In addition to her professional excellence, CTR2 Wink has also volunteered hundreds of hours as a local youth soccer coach and took the initiative to learn about the JAG Corps by performing additional duties as a paralegal for the Fleet Cyber Command Staff Judge Advocate's office.

A Chief Petty Officer of Note

Peter Tomich 
Date of birth: June 3, 1893
Date of death: December 7, 1941
Burial location: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Entombed in USS UTAH)
Place of Birth: Austria, Prolog
Home of record: New Jersey
Status: KIA

Five years before World War I began, Peter Tomich (Tonic) immigrated to the United States. When war broke out he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served until January 13, 1919. He received U.S. Citizenship and, ten days after his Army enlistment expired, joined the Navy. He had no known relatives so when the destroyer named in his honor was commissioned in 1943, it was decided to award his Medal to the ship itself. The award was presented on January 4, 1944 by Rear Admiral Monroe Kelly. In 1946 the U.S.S. Tomich was mothballed. In 1947, Governor Herbert B. Maw of Utah proclaimed Peter Tomich an honorary citizen of that State, and guardianship of his Medal was granted to Utah. In 1989 the Navy built the Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, RI and named the building TOMICH HALL. The facility is a combination of academy, dormitory and museum. Chief Tomich's Medal of Honor was displayed there until 2006 when surviving family were identified and his Medal of Honor was presented to them. It went to a distant cousin of Chief Tomich, Lt. Col. Srecko Herzeg-Tonic (ret.) of the Croation Armed Forces.  He is the grandson of John Tonic with whom Tomich had immigrated to the United States in 1913.

The prestigious Peter Tomich Award for exceptional military excellence is awarded to the honor graduate of the U.S. Navy's Senior Enlisted Academy.  Our current MCPON Mike Stevens has earned this prestigious award.

AWARD: Medal of Honor

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, United States Navy, for distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, and extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by the Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Although realizing that the ship was capsizing, as a result of enemy bombing and torpedoing, Chief Watertender Tomich remained at his post in the engineering plant of the U.S.S. UTAH (AG-16), until he saw that all boilers were secured and all fireroom personnel had left their stations, and by so doing lost his own life. 

Action Date: December 7, 1941 

Service: Navy 

Rank: Chief Watertender (CWT)

Division: U.S.S. Utah (AG-16)

Pulled from various sources.

STRACOMMWING ONE FIRED

Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CNAP), relieved the commander of Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW 1) and Task Force (TF) 124 - Captain Heather E. Cole at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma on  March 17, due to a "loss of confidence in her ability to lead". 

The firing was the result of initial findings of an investigation, which determined that Captain Cole had not performed up to the high standards demanded of a Navy officer in command. (See the CNO's "Charge of Command" HERE for specifics).

Captain Cole has been temporarily assigned to the CNAP staff pending the final adjudication of the case. Captain Brian McCormick, the former deputy commander of SCW 1 and TF 124, has been assigned as acting commander of the wing and task force. 

SCW1's aircraft allow the president and the secretary of defense to directly contact the submarines, bombers and land-based missiles that comprise the nation's strategic nuclear force.

A spokeswoman, Cmdr. Jeannie Groeneveld, said the firing was based on findings of an investigation into deficiencies in her management of the wing. Details were not released.

Captain L. David Marquet is stealing Navy leadership secrets and selling them to business

From my twitter feed. ALERT!! @ldavidmarquet is stealing #Navy leadership secrets & sharing w #business http://www.davidmarquet.com  Success 4 all.

Why you should share your leadership stories

Several Navy leaders have left Naval service and written very good books about their leadership experiences.  Some names you may recognize are Captain D. Michael Abrashoff (It's You Ship, Get Your Ship Together and It's Our Ship) and Admiral James Stavridis (Destroyer Captain).

Captain L. David Marquet is getting a lot of attention for his book Turn The Ship Around and its companion workbook Turn Your Ship Around-A Workbook for Implementing Intent-Based Leadership in Your Organization.  The Motley Fool recently named his book as being among the top 12 business books of all time - mentioned with people like Peter Drucker, Seth Godin, Warren Buffett and Dale Carnegie.  That's some pretty high praise for a former submarine skipper who was able to translate Navy leadership lessons into a best seller and solid business model.

Each one of these successful books by former Navy leaders centers around taking care of their Sailors and developing new leaders.  I encourage you all to put pen/pencil to paper, put a new sheet of paper in the typewriter, or fingers to computer keyboards to tell your own stories of leadership.  The blogosphere abounds with new military writers every day, telling inspiring stories of leading our fine men and women of the armed services.  Add your voice.  We'd like to hear it.

I just found this book - Your Leadership Story - today, 19 March on AMAZON.  There are some good tips in HERE.

Advice for the day

From our awesome Shipmate High MacLeod at www.gapingvoid.com

USS DEL BLACK - a great idea

The late master chief has been chosen as the namesake for the DDG 119, dubbed guided-missile destroyer Delbert D. Black, the 60th Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer.

New warriors

Joining a legion of cyber warriors in the IDC as full fledged "war fighters" are intellectual warriors (our public affairs team of PAOs and Mass Communication Specialists). These folks are on the front lines in the battle of ideas.  After all, the pen has always been mightier than the sword.

CDR James W. Adkisson III - OUR 2015 CAPTAIN JOSEPH J. ROCHEFORT INFORMATION WARFARE OFFICER DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD

Plaque from HYPO station in Pearl Harbor provided by CDR Rob Damsky

1.  Captain Joseph John Rochefort was a major figure in the U.S. Navy's development of cryptologic and intelligence capabilities from 1925 to 1947.  He headed the Navy's fledgling cryptanalytic organization in the 1920's and provided singularly superb cryptologic support to the U.S. fleet during World War II, leading to victory in the Pacific.  At the end of his career (1942-1946), Captain Rochefort successfully headed the Pacific Strategic Intelligence Group in Washington, D.C..  In 1986, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions during the Battle of Midway.
2.  Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet is pleased to announce CDR James W. Adkisson III, USN, assigned to the staff of Commander, Carrier Strike Group THREE as this year's winner of the Captain Joseph J. Rochefort Information Warfare (IW) Officer Distinguished Leadership Award.  CDR Adkisson's contributions to the community include deploying with Special Operations Command Africa as the J2, where he maintained network integrity in support of coalition strikes and oversaw the analysis of recovered intelligence materials. During Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, he served in Iraq with the U.S. Army's 402nd and 431st Civil Affairs Battalion and TENTH Mountain Division, where he planned routes and conducted combat patrols to counter RCIEDs, saving countless U.S. lives.  During Operation RESTORE HOPE/RESTORE PROMISE in Mogadishu, Somalia, he flew over 400 hours in direct support of combat operations and provided over-watch during the "Black Hawk Down" incident.  Additionally, CDR Adkisson has deployed as a Deputy Information Warfare Coordinator; he has accumulated several thousand hours in the air aboard VQ and VPU P-3 aircraft in operations around the globe; and, he has deployed in support of a variety of special undersea missions.
3. Congratulations to the following nominees for their significant leadership contributions to the IW mission:
   a. CDR Ann Casey, (DIWC) Carrier Strike Group ONE
   b. CDR Marc Ratkus, Commander, NAVIOCOM Colorado
   c. CDR Dominic Lovello, Commander, NAVIOCOM Whidbey Island
   d. CDR Michael Elliot, Cyber National Mission Team TWO
   e. LCDR David Barnes, XO, NAVIOCOM Pensacola
   f. LCDR Joshua Sanders, CRC, Carrier Strike Group TEN
   g. LT Brian Salter, NAVIOCOM Norfolk (EWTGU)
   h. LT Shawn Wilkinson, COMPACFLT N2/N39 Staff
   i. CWO4 Hayward Murray, Technical Director, NAVIOCOM Yokosuka
4. Special thanks to the following officers who provided peer nominations for this year's consideration
   a. LCDR Troy Smith
   b. LCDR Brian Schulz
   c. LCDR Trevor Day
   d. LT Eren Cataloglu
   e. LCDR Kevin Barrett
   f. CDR Leonard Caver
   g. CDR Jenna Hausvik
   h. CDR Cynthia Keith
   i. CDR Michael Elliot
   j. LCDR Gary McConaghy
5. Congratulations and well done!  VADM Jan E Tighe, Commander,U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet.//

Only true for those who possess one

“There is no witness so terrible or no accuser so powerful 

as the conscience.”

Huntsman, Jon M. (2008-10-29).
Winners Never Cheat: Even in Difficult Times

You're invited - National Women's History Month Event - VADM Tighe Keynote

80th Anniversary of the Naval Security Group passes quietly

Montage of the Naval Security Group Command 

presented to RADM Ike C. Cole at his change of command

On 11 March 1935, "Communications Security Group", the predecessor organization to the Naval Security Group Command, was established. Today is our 80th Anniversary !

Navy tweet HERE.

Naval Hospital Rota Commanding Officer Fired For Unprofessional Conduct

From Navy News:

Captain Michial S. Warrington, CO U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain, was fired by Rear Admiral Terry Moulton on Monday, March 9, 2015.

Rear Admiral Terry Moulton, commander, Navy Medicine East, fired Warrington for "loss of confidence in his judgment and ability to command" after a substantiated investigation of unprofessional behavior.

Warrington has been reassigned to Navy Medicine East in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Captain Todd Wagner, the hospital's executive officer, has temporarily assumed command until a permanent replacement is named.

A subject of perpetual concern for me - This has been edited for brevity

Is Letter Writing A Lost Art?  You can read the entire article HERE.

January 23, 2015 by Leah LaRocco, WYSK Lifestyle Contributor

One of the best parts of my day is getting the mail. I know this is not the case for everyone. Bills come in the mail. Useless flyers from new dentists and Chinese restaurants in town also come in the mail. But every evening when I head out to my mailbox…

I hope there will be a letter.

The act of purchasing a card, writing a note, buying a stamp, and mailing the letter spoke of care and love louder than any email I ever received.

“And none will hear the postman’s knock without a quickening of the heart. For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?” – W.H. Auden

Then, there is the matter of thank you letters. I will never forget all the times as a kid when my mother made me sit down at the dining room table and write thank you notes to anyone who’d ever sent me a check, a gift, or did something nice for me. I think she was trying to convey the importance of acknowledgement when another human being displays a kind and generous nature. We’ve all had those moments when we’ve sent a wedding gift only to never hear from the bride or groom that it was even received. Bummer.

It’s not about getting a huge ovation so you can stroke your ego about how awesomely kind you are, but it is nice to know that your friend appreciated the time and care you took to send a gift. There have been times when I’ve neglected to send a thank you note for a gift and felt like the biggest jerk, riddled with remorse, and paralyzed by laziness. I am not proud of these lapses in acknowledgement because the old fashioned part of me thinks it’s only polite to say thank you. I’ve sent thank you emails and texts for the simple immediacy of letting someone know how a gift they’ve sent has thrilled me, but part of me fights against this instant gratification of the digital age for the simple fact that it’s not as personal as a letter.

Call me a sentimental fool, but I worry that the art of letter writing will be utterly lost, disappearing into the binary code of the future. Many schools no longer teach cursive handwriting, and children grow up learning how to use iPads and computers from infancy. Heck, my cats even enjoy the occasional iPad game. But something beautiful is vanishing. I can recognize who a letter is from by the handwriting on the envelope. Handwriting is part of our identity, and yet we have little need for it in the digital age, making a letter all the more special and personal.

Despite murmurings about its pending collapse, I hope the US Postal Service can hang in there and people will be able to send letters for many years to come. I also hope that more people are encouraged to resurrect this lost art of communicating with the handwritten word. There are so many reasons to write a letter to someone you care about, if only to know that it might bring a much-needed smile to their face.

Admiral Grace Hopper - Fact and Fiction

From http://gracehopperfilm.com

Grace was an amazing woman - FACT.

Note of thanks to an old timer - From the U.S. NSGA Yokosuka TSUNAMI PRESS

Where are the thought leaders in the IW community? Who are they?

"What is a Thought Leader? Thought leaders are the informed opinion leaders and the go-to people in their field of expertise. They are trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas; turn ideas into reality, and know and show how to replicate their success. They create a dedicated group of friends, fans and followers to help them replicate and scale those ideas into sustainable change not just in one company but in an industry, niche or across an entire ecosystem." 

Glenn Llopis says this about thought leaders over at Forbes.com - "Those leaders in your organization that are applying new ways of thinking to propel growth, innovation and opportunity are the game changers. They are the ones that intimately know the mechanics involved with each line of business, trends, recent challenges, competitive pressures and where the growth opportunities exist. Game changers represent those in your innovation lab that champion ideas and fuel new thinking."

To a great extent, our IW Junior Officers are some of the leading thinkers in our community. This new generation of leaders is leading the charge for change and, in some cases, calling for a return to our cryptologic roots.

Task Force INNOVATION

Admiral James Stavridis on innovation HERE.  He likes the Navy's Task Force Innovation.

From the PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL - Susan K. Cerovsky named director of University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity

Photo Special to the News Journal

From staff reports, Pensacola News Journal 11:29 a.m. CST March 3, 2015

The University of West Florida has named retired Navy Captain Susan K. Cerovsky as director of the Center for Cybersecurity, effective March 16, 2015. Cerovsky joins UWF after nearly 30 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy. As director of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, Cerovsky will develop and enhance multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs, research activities and regional and national industry partnerships. She will ensure that UWF is a preferred partner in Cybersecurity research, workforce education and professional training across Northwest Florida and the Central Gulf Coast region. She most recently held the title of commanding officer of the Center for Information Dominance (CID) at Corry Station in Pensacola.

Cerovsky served as the president and CEO for Intelligence, cyber, cryptology, information warfare and information technology technical training for the U.S. Navy Information Dominance Corps and associated communities.

 She has collaborated with agencies such as the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to create cybersecurity and cyberwarfare solutions. For additional information about the Center for Cybersecurity, visit www.uwf.edu/cybersecurity.

More detailed report from UWF NEWS:

The University of West Florida announces retired Navy Capt. Susan K. Cerovsky as Director of the Center for Cybersecurity, effective March 16, 2015. Cerovsky joins UWF after nearly 30 years as an officer in the United States Navy, and most recently held the title of commanding officer of the Center for Information Dominance (CID) at Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida.

As director of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, Cerovsky will develop and enhance multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs, research activities and regional and national industry partnerships. She will ensure that UWF is a preferred partner in Cybersecurity research, workforce education and professional training across Northwest Florida and the Central Gulf Coast region.

“I am honored to join UWF and to have this opportunity to help prepare the next generation of leaders who will protect the U.S. against cyber attacks,” Cerovsky said. “Defending the United States against such attacks requires highly trained specialists who can design secure computing systems, wire secure computer code and create new tools to protect, detect and recover from malicious acts. The need is now, and the stakes are high.”

As commanding officer for the CID, Cerovsky served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Intelligence, cyber, cryptology, information warfare and information technology technical training for the U.S. Navy Information Dominance Corps and associated communities. She commanded a multi-million dollar global enterprise with more than 1,300 worldwide assigned personnel directly supporting 25,000 students annually across 22 geographically dispersed training sites and more than 232 cumulative courses. Under Cerovsky’s leadership, CID was awarded the training excellence and retention awards for operation excellence, readiness and efficiency for maintaining superior mission levels across the board.

Cerovsky has collaborated with agencies such as the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to create cybersecurity and cyberwarfare solutions. These efforts sustained and improved relationships between the agencies and Department of Navy staff. Additionally, she developed strategic communication programs to increase transparency by offering interviews to technical magazines and newspapers, and being the keynote speaker at many events. Cerovsky has earned numerous military awards and decorations and is published in a variety of publications and professional papers concerning cybersecurity and cyberwarfare.

Cerovsky earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of South Alabama and a master’s degree in information technology management with a concentration on innovation, artificial intelligence, integrated databases, cyber defensive and offensive operations from Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.

“I am delighted to have filled an important position with an important individual,” said Dr. Martha Saunders, UWF provost and executive vice president. “Sue Cerovsky brings experience and connections to our Center for Cybersecurity. I’m expecting big things from her.”

The UWF Center for Cybersecurity provides a hub for research on Cybersecurity and opportunities for students to move into high-demand career fields through collaborative partnerships. The Center was funded and made possible by an IT Performance Grant provided through the Florida Legislature. For additional information about the Center for Cybersecurity, visit www.uwf.edu/cybersecurity.

Cryptology at a crossroads - LT Jake Bebber

Maritime cryptology stands at a crossroads, and for it to succeed in the Indo-Pacific region, it will have to adapt and change. The Navy is making investments in new technology and systems, but will also need to reinvigorate its training and development of sailors and officers. The Navy’s unique access to the littoral provides the intelligence community and warfighters with capabilities that may not be available from other national systems during times of crisis. The Navy has recognized some of the shortfalls and critical needs facing the cryptologic/information-operations community, but more must be done.

You can read the article HERE. For the full article, you may need to join the United States Naval Institute and support the professional journal of the United States Navy.

If that is entirely too much to ask, you cheapskates can read it here for free on FACEBOOK but keep in mind that Zuckerburg is collecting all your info.

Bias for action

"What we think, know, or believe in is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence . . . is what we do."

(Haines, 1995)

USS MISSISSIPPI CO FIRED

USS MISSISSIPPI (SSN 782 - VIRGINIA Class Fast Attack) Commanding Officer, Commander Tory Swanson, was fired on Friday, 27 February due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.

Captain Harry Ganteaume, Commander, Submarine Squadron ONE, based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam fired Commander Swanson, who had been in command since April 2013 only 10 (23 months).

A command investigation into the circumstances leading to Swanson's relief is ongoing. Swanson was USS MISSISSIPPI's second commanding officer.  

Captain John McGrath, USS MISSISSIPPI's first CO, led the crew from the beginning of construction through the attack submarine's christening, commissioning, Post Shakedown Availability, culminating in the first change of command in April 2013.

Commander Swanson has been administratively reassigned to the staff of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

H/T to LT Justin Rogers. I missed this news completely.