Musings, leadership tidbits and quotes posted by a retired Navy Captain (really just a high performing 2nd Class Petty Officer) who hung up his uniform a bit too early. He still wears his Navy service on his sleeve. He needs to get over that. "ADVANCE WARNING - NO ORIGINAL THOUGHT!" A "self-appointed" lead EVANGELIST for the "cryptologic community". Keeping CRYPTOLOGY alive-one day and Sailor at a time. 2015 is 80th Anniversary of the Naval Security Group.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
FY12 Information Warfare Officer (IWO) Captain Selectees
Congratulations to these FY12 IWO Captain selectees:
Commander Mike Conner
Commander Cliff Bean
Commander Heidi Berg
Commander Bill Diehl
Commander Jeff Scheidt
Commander Andrew Stewart
Looking at an old post on this blog, wasn't there a CDR Mateo that is currently a CO right now that was in zone for CAPT. What does it say to us more junior folks to see a CO not get selected... we should all aspire to command?? Hmmm... Didn't help him. I would think if you screen for command and do it well, you should be a lock for promotion...
As the former CO of that same command, I was VERY surprised that CDR Mateo was not selected for Captain. But, I was not selected until 2 years after I left.
Anon 3:42 - Your comment speaks to what I believe to be the biggest problem in our wardroom...choosing a job based on how we perceive it will help us to someday wear the collar devices to which we aspire instead of following our passion and leveraging our strengths. It also tells me that we don't understand promotions and community health as well as we should. Simply put, a healthy community has so much talent that we leave good officers behind at every promotion gate. An unhealthy community is required to lower the bar to promote enough people to fill the vacancy. Given your comment, how would you assess our health? Lastly, I would take CDR Command (and I am honored to currently be in that position right now) over promotion to Captain any day of the week. As I have attempted to communicate in another forum, all Captains may be perceived as successful (we have a flawed metric), but not all are significant. You strive for success as you "check boxes" to obtain rank. The rest of us will focus on being significant and helping others to do the same and see if success follows. After all, success is a byproduct...
Thoughts on the very issue when it happened last year to other very qualified Commanders -http://seanheritage.blogspot.com/2010/04/letter-to-me.html
As for the board, I can't sit here and second guess their decisions without having ALL the information available to them.
Until then, I will continue to work towards gaining command which, in my opinion, will be much more rewarding on its own than simply making the next rank.
I actually first met CDR Mateo when he was in BOOST as an MM2 (I think that was his rate), went to college with him, commissioned as a 1610 at the same time, and attended NPGS together. I have to scratch my head why he wasn't selected. He was one of the most competent officers I worked with over the years and was highly regarded by everybody who knew of him. I can't say that about every name on the selection list. You have to be a top performer to become a CO, but unfortunately, one CO gets rated as 1 of 10 and another as 10 of 10. The CO's in the bottom half are definitely at a disadvantage regardless of their performance, even compared to a candidate without command experience.
my bad ... I saw a name that wasn't in zone ... I initially thought is was a newcomer .. I didn't realize that there was an above zone select ... There are indeed second chances ;)
As an officer currently at NIOC Yokosuka, CDR Mateo is an excellent CO! One of the most well spoken, charismatic, mission-focused and forward thinking CO's I've served with...and he's my 5th.
Looking at an old post on this blog, wasn't there a CDR Mateo that is currently a CO right now that was in zone for CAPT. What does it say to us more junior folks to see a CO not get selected... we should all aspire to command?? Hmmm... Didn't help him. I would think if you screen for command and do it well, you should be a lock for promotion...
ReplyDeleteAs the former CO of that same command, I was VERY surprised that CDR Mateo was not selected for Captain. But, I was not selected until 2 years after I left.
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:42 - Your comment speaks to what I believe to be the biggest problem in our wardroom...choosing a job based on how we perceive it will help us to someday wear the collar devices to which we aspire instead of following our passion and leveraging our strengths. It also tells me that we don't understand promotions and community health as well as we should. Simply put, a healthy community has so much talent that we leave good officers behind at every promotion gate. An unhealthy community is required to lower the bar to promote enough people to fill the vacancy. Given your comment, how would you assess our health? Lastly, I would take CDR Command (and I am honored to currently be in that position right now) over promotion to Captain any day of the week. As I have attempted to communicate in another forum, all Captains may be perceived as successful (we have a flawed metric), but not all are significant. You strive for success as you "check boxes" to obtain rank. The rest of us will focus on being significant and helping others to do the same and see if success follows. After all, success is a byproduct...
ReplyDeleteThoughts on the very issue when it happened last year to other very qualified Commanders -http://seanheritage.blogspot.com/2010/04/letter-to-me.html
Another important point, command is only one criteria considered by selection boards. Precepts for this board are at www.npc.navy.mil.
ReplyDeleteIt's a mystery to me. This list does not match our stated values at all. Why not?
ReplyDeleteFrom Navy Commander, "This list does not match our stated values at all..."
ReplyDeleteWhat does this mean?
Anon 6:58 PM -
ReplyDeleteCan you give some concrete examples?
As for the board, I can't sit here and second guess their decisions without having ALL the information available to them.
Until then, I will continue to work towards gaining command which, in my opinion, will be much more rewarding on its own than simply making the next rank.
Is that a lateral transfer at the 05 level getting selected over 1810s with 19yrs yrs exp. Theres an indicator.
ReplyDeleteAs CDR Heritage said, it's great to have a strong enough community where the board can't make a wrong decision. EXCELLENT group.
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:17 AM, "Is that a lateral transfer at the 05 level getting selected over 1810s with 19yrs yrs exp. Theres an indicator."
ReplyDeleteNone of these selects laterally transferred at O-5. Sounds like there may be grinding on a selection from a few years ago -- water over the dam.
As Mike said, this is an excellent group.
I actually first met CDR Mateo when he was in BOOST as an MM2 (I think that was his rate), went to college with him, commissioned as a 1610 at the same time, and attended NPGS together. I have to scratch my head why he wasn't selected. He was one of the most competent officers I worked with over the years and was highly regarded by everybody who knew of him. I can't say that about every name on the selection list. You have to be a top performer to become a CO, but unfortunately, one CO gets rated as 1 of 10 and another as 10 of 10. The CO's in the bottom half are definitely at a disadvantage regardless of their performance, even compared to a candidate without command experience.
ReplyDeleteRetired 1610-
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. CDR Mateo is an outstanding officer and skipper.
my bad ... I saw a name that wasn't in zone ... I initially thought is was a newcomer .. I didn't realize that there was an above zone select ... There are indeed second chances ;)
ReplyDeleteAs an officer currently at NIOC Yokosuka, CDR Mateo is an excellent CO! One of the most well spoken, charismatic, mission-focused and forward thinking CO's I've served with...and he's my 5th.
ReplyDeleteVery surprised that CDR Mateo was not selected.
There was an above the zone pick this year - CDR Mike Conner. Let's hope that CDR Mateo is picked up next year.
ReplyDelete