Unlucky Number 13 Fired - "Loss of confidence in his ability to command"? or to drive a ship safely?

Rear Admiral Phillip Sawyer, Commander Task Force 74/54, relieved Captain Eric Merrill - CO USS EMORY S. LAND (AS39) as a result of an investigation into an incident that occurred June 21 in which AS39 struck a channel buoy during an inbound transit to Mina Salman port in Bahrain. At admiral's mast July 15, Merrill was awarded non-judicial punishment for violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 110 (improper hazarding of vessel). 

In early 2010, Emory S. Land completed its conversion from an all U.S. Navy Sailor crew to an integrated crew of Sailors and civilian mariners, becoming the first submarine tender to operate under this hybrid crew concept.  Emory S. Land remains under the command of a U.S. Navy captain, though not the one who assumed command in September 2010.

Captain Merrill completed nearly 10 months in command of AS39.  He has been administratively reassigned to the staff of Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Captain Thomas Stanley, previous commanding officer of submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), has assumed command of AS39  until a permanent replacement is named. Following the collision, the submarine tender pulled into port in Bahrain where it is currently making preparations for repairs. No crew members were injured in the incident. Investigations are in progress.

Importance of writing

Therefore, I count writing among the most significant of all human efforts. Good writing, after all, is simply the result of enormous reading, detailed research, and careful thought. It means studying to gain a good vocabulary, and practicing to learn how to use it. It seems to me that these kindred skills should be developed and nourished from the very first, if man is to grow intellectually. And unless he can express his thoughts well, he can exert little influence on his fellow men.

Admiral Chaim Rikower

The Fate of the World Depends on You

I believe it is the duty of each of us to act as if the fate of the world depended on him. Admittedly, one man by himself cannot do the job. However, one man can make a difference. Each of us is obligated to bring his individual and independent capacities to bear upon a wide range of human concerns. It is with this conviction that we squarely confront our duty to prosperity. We must live for the future of the human race, and not of our own comfort or success.

Admiral Chiam Rikower

The Principle of Excellence

This principle of excellence is one which Americans seem to be losing, and at a time when the Nation stands in need of it. A lack of excellence implies mediocrity. And in a society that is willing to accept a standard of mediocrity, the opportunities for personal failure are boundless. Mediocrity can destroy us as surely as perils far more famous.

It is important that we distinguish between what it means to fail at a task and what it means to be mediocre. There is all the difference in the world between the life lived with dignity and style which ends in failure, and one which achieves power and glory, yet is dull, unoriginal, unreflective, and mediocre. In a real sense, what matters is not so much whether we make a lot of money or hold a prestigious job; what matter is that we seek out others with knowledge and enthusiasm—that we become people who can enjoy our own company.

Admiral H. Rickover

Overheard in the passageway

"As we understand it, the Commanding Officer is using our Sailors as "crash test dummies" to fine tune his leadership approach. 

The Executive Officer and I are trying to wrest the keys away from him before he hurts anyone else, even if it kills us."

The Master Chief

Rear Admiral Edward H. Deets III to retire

Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM), RADM Ned Deets has requested to retire from the Navy effective 1 October 2011.  His retirement ceremony will be held on 5 August 2011.  More details to follow from his executive assistant - Mr. Tim Bovill. 

Rear Admiral Deets is the leader of the Information Warfare and Cryptology community and a qualified Information Dominance Warfare officer (IDWO).  

His full bio is available HERE.

In March 2011, Vice Admiral Jack Dorsett announced the CNO's intent to disestablish NETWARCOM this summer.

writing...thinking clearly

"If you can’t write clearly,

 you probably don’t think nearly as well as you think you do."

- Kurt Vonnegut

Deputy Commander, United States Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet

Rear Admiral Matthew J. Kohler

Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/

U.S. 10th Fleet

 

A native of Erie Pennsylvania, Rear Admiral Kohler graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and was commissioned an Ensign in 1984 through the Aviation Officer Candidate School, Pensacola Florida. His operational tours include Aviation Intelligence Officer for Fighter Squadron One Hundred Two (VF 102) at NAS Oceana, Virginia; Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (N2) for Commander Amphibious Squadron One (COMPHIBRON One) in San Diego, California; and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (N2) for Cruiser Destroyer Group Two (CCDG Two)/USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Battle Group based in Norfolk, Virginia.

Rear Admiral Kohler’s shore tours include: Fleet Ocean Surveillance Information Center/U.S. Naval Forces Europe in London England; Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington DC; Joint Warfare Analysis Center in Dahlgren, Virginia; United States Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida; and Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida. Rear Admiral Kohler most recently served as Deputy chief, Tailored Access Operations, S32, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland.

He was announced as Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet by the Secretary of the Navy on 5 July 2011.

Rear Admiral Kohler is a Naval Intelligence Officer, Information Dominance Warfare Officer, and Joint Specialty Officer. He holds Masters Degrees from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (Computer Science) and from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (Military History).

Rear Admiral Kohler's personal awards include two Defense Superior Service Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, three Naval Commendation Medals and one Joint Achievement Medal.

2011 CAPTAIN JOSEPH ROCHEFORT INFORMATION WARFARE OFFICER DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD

COMMANDER, U.S. FLEET CYBER COMMAND IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE FIRST WINNER OF THE CAPTAIN JOSEPH ROCHEFORT INFORMATION WARFARE (IW)  OFFICER DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD.  THIS YEARS SELECTEE IS CDR NICHOLAS HOMAN, USN, COMMANDING OFFICER, NAVIOCOM COLORADO.

THE COMPETITION WAS EXCEPTIONAL WITH 12 NOMINATIONS FOR THIS INAUGURAL AWARD.  CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING OTHER NOMINEES FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IW MISSION:

LTJG CHRISTOPHER BJORNNES

CDR DAMIAN BLOSSEY

LCDR SCOTT BROWN

CDR MICHAEL ELLIOT

CDR CLARENCE FRANKLIN

LT DAVID HALEY

CDR SEAN HERITAGE

CDR DANNY NOLES

LCDR KEVIN ROBERTS

LCDR OWEN SCHOOLSKY

LCDR ROBERT SUH 

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), ROCHEFORT SUCCESSFULLY HEADED THE PACIFIC STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE GROUP IN WASHINGTON.  IN 1986, HE POSTHUMOUSLY RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS DURING THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY.

CDR HOMAN WILL RECEIVE A PLAQUE COMMEMORATING HIS SELECTION AND HIS NAME WILL BE ADDED TO A DISPLAY IN THE HERITAGE ROOM AT FLTCYBERCOM/COMTENTHFLT.

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE.

Cryptologic Operations - One of Fleet Cyber Command's/TENTH Fleet's discrete lines of operation

Commander, TENTH Fleet (CTF 1000) 

Five Discrete Lines of Operation:

1. Service Cryptologic Component Operations

2. Network Operations and Defense Group

3. Information Operations

4. Fleet and Theater Operations

5. Research and Development

Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Cyber Command, Ft Meade, Maryland

Rear Admiral Sean R. Filipowski

Deputy Director of Operations, J3, U.S. Cyber Command

 

Rear  Adm. Filipowski, a native of New Jersey, graduated and was commissioned in 1982 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He subsequently graduated from the Naval War College in 1994.

Originally a Submarine Strategic Weapons System officer, he served his initial assignment in USS Nathanael Greene followed by duty at commander Submarine Squadron 18. In 1987 he was redesignated as a special duty officer (Cryptology), now information warfare officer.

Shore assignments have included U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Misawa, Japan as a division officer, assistant department head, and as the executive officer; the National Security Agency; and the Naval Network Warfare Command.

Operational assignments have included commander in chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet Staff; commander Carrier Group 7 staff, embarked in USS Nimitz, which deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Southern Watch and Vigilant Sentinel; the Joint Special Operations Command where he deployed to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Aviano, Italy in support of Operation Joint Guard; and commander 7th Fleet Staff, embarked in USS Blue Ridge, which deployed throughout the Western Pacific.

He commanded both U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Yokosuka, Japan and Navy Information Operations Command Georgia.

In his first assignment as a Flag officer, he served as the Director for Cyber, Sensors, and Electronic Warfare on the OPNAV Information Dominance Staff.  The Secretary of the Navy announced his assignment as Deputy Director of Operations, J3, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland on 5 July 2011.

He holds various decorations and awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, two awards of the Legion of Merit, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Closing the gaps between Plans, Actions and Outcomes

Author Stephen Bungay, in his book The Art of Action offers the following actions to close the gaps between Plans, Actions and Outcomes:

• "Decide what really matters" - Forget about developing the perfect plan.  Use the available knowledge to target the best possible outcomes.  Make your strategy 'The Commander's Intent' rather than a plan.
• "Get the message across" - Tell your Sailors, Chiefs, officers and civilians the results you seek and why they matter.  Keep things simple.  Don't overwhelm your command with instructions.
• "Give your people space and support" - Nobody can predict future outcomes.  Encourage your command to be adaptable so that they always work to achieve your main goals.  Let them operate freely within broad boundaries.

Succession Management

"History offers many examples of how to choose leaders. It has been the last man standing after a duel, the eloquent visionary able to incite throngs of followers to action, or the person with the most votes after a popular election. Although sometimes difficult or resulting in unpalatable leaders, these selection methods are instantly recognizable."

E.L. Hatfield

FINDING LEADERS

Occasional Paper Number Seventeen

"There is no more important human capital issue confronting the federal government than the methods and systems for selecting, developing, and managing its executive leaders."

Patricia W. Ingraham

Strengthening Senior Leadership

"If we fail to get the workforce issue right, our overall attempt to position the (intelligence) community for the future will fall short."

Vice Admiral L.E. Jacoby

Revitalizing and Reshaping the Workforce

A defensible succession plan will feature:

• Defined leader competencies, linked to mission/strategy and leadership positions.
• An established iterative methodology for identification and review of critical leadership positions.
• A managed process for development of future leaders-using both experience and training.
• Institutionalized procedures for assessing current performance and future potential.
• Formalization of the professional, requiring technical and leadership development.
• An established mechanism for issue resolution.
• A published implementation plan, including a communication strategy.

The full text of FINDING LEADERS - Preparing the Intelligence Community for Succession Management can be found HERE.

Chief of Naval Operations Staff - OPNAV N2N6F4 - Director of Decision Superiority

Rear Admiral Jan E. Tighe

 Director, Decision Superiority - OPNAV N2N6F4

 

Rear Admiral Jan E. Tighe was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky., and raised in Plantation, Florida. She was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy as an ensign (Special Duty Cryptology - now Information Warfare) in 1984 after earning a B.S. in Mathematics.

Tighe’s operational cryptologic tours include duty with Naval Security Group Activities in Florida, Virginia, Atsugi/Misawa Japan and on the Commander, Pacific Fleet staff.

In 1989 Tighe studied Russian at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. She was subsequently assigned to the U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment Atsugi, Japan, where she earned Naval Aviation Observer wings while deployed as an airborne special evaluator (COMEVAL) aboard VQ-1 EP-3E aircraft in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. During her tour, Tighe served as operations officer and assistant officer in charge, in addition to accumulating over 1,200 operational flight hours in the EP-3E aircraft.

Tighe attended the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California., and in 2001 was awarded a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Applied Mathematics. She subsequently reported to the Naval Information Warfare Activity (now Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group - Suitland), where she served as chief staff officer and chief engineer. During her tour she earned a Level III DAWIA certification in Program Management.

Tighe reported as director, Sea Warrior at Naval Security Group Command Headquarters in July 2004 where she oversaw the development of the Human Capital Strategy for NSG (Strategy for Our People) and the IW/Cryptologic community. She fleeted up to the chief of staff in August 2005 and prepared the staff for merger with Navy Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM). She also served as deputy director of Information Operations within NETWARCOM.

From July 2006 through September 2009, Tighe commanded over 2800 multi-service and multi-agency personnel at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service Hawaii in Kunia. Following command, she served for a year as the executive assistant to director, National Security Agency/chief, Central Security Service and commander, U.S. Cyber Command.

Tighe was selected for rear admiral by the FY11 Selection Board and reported as the deputy director of Operations for U.S. Cyber Command in August 2010.  She was announced as Director, Decision Superiority OPNAV N2N6F4 by the Secretary of the Navy on 5 July 2011.

Tighe has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (second award), the Strike/Flight Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (fourth award), and the Navy Achievement Medal.

More IDC/N2N6 assignments

Captain Robert V. Hoppa, who has been selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, National Maritime Intelligence Center, Washington, D.C.  Hoppa is currently serving as chief of staff for intelligence, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.

Captain Dewolfe H. Miller III, who has been selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, N2/N6F2, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Miller previously served as commanding officer, USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), Norfolk, Va.