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.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Change of command at U.S. NIOC Yokosuka
https://stationhypo.com/2017/08/30/cdr-joel-yates-assumes-command-of-navy-information-operations-command-yokosuka-japan/
Thanks Station HYPO blog team !!
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Handwritten letter
A good handwritten letter is a creative act, and not just because it is a visual and tactile pleasure. It is a deliberate act of exposure, a form of vulnerability, because handwriting opens a window on the soul in a way that cyber communication can never do. You savor their arrival and later take care to place them in a box for safe keeping.
Catherine Field - The New York Times
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Waste no more time
Don't waste your time arguing what a good Naval officer should be. Be one.
Marcus Aurelius - once removed
Monday, August 28, 2017
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Ten Years Ago Today - CTMCM Ronald N. Schwartz Passed Away

Master Chief Petty Officer Ronald N. Schwartz passed away on 27 August 2007 following a fatal tractor accident near his home in Indiana. He had a distinguished career as a Cryptologic Maintenance Technician in the Naval Security Group. He served in USS BIDDLE, in The White House Communication Office, at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Education and Training, as an instructor at Naval Technical Training Center - Corry Station - Pensacola, Florida and as Command Master Chief for U.S. Naval Security Group Activity - Yokosuka, Japan. One of the young men he influenced there (now CTRCM Cedric Rawlinson) took his place as the Command Master Chief twelve years later.
On the tenth anniversary of his passing, I suspect he continues to smile upon us knowing that, Naval Network Warfare Command reversed their decision to disestablish the Cryptologic Technician Maintenance rating in the Navy. The CTM rating is stronger than ever. He was foremost a career-long advocate for Sailors and, in particular, the Cryptologic Maintenance Technicians afloat and serving in the Fleet Electronic Support shops around the world. THE MESSAGE: Never doubt the value of our Cryptologic Technicians; for the most part, theirs is a unique contribution to the Navy's warfighting ability. That capability must be preserved for the good of the nation.
His son, Ronnie, proudly served our country in the United States Marine Corps.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
A remarkable Sailor was born on this date -- Rest in Peace Steven -- 16 May 79 - 6 Jul 07

CTT1 (SW) Steven Daugherty was born today (my birthday) in 1979 in Apple Valley. No one thought he would leave this earth before he was 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years old. But, the young man is gone. Gone, but not forgotten. No. Not by a long shot.
He was from Barstow, California and really never intended to join the Navy. He was a student in my schoolhouse at the Naval Center for Cryptology at Corry Station, Pensacola. We had about 8000 students graduate in a year. So, I can't say that I even recall who he was. That won't keep me from remembering him.
After his time at Corry, he served in the typical billets of our young Petty Officers. He went to sea and advanced reasonably quickly. While at Navy Information Operations Command Norfolk he became interested in the SEALs and qualified to deploy to a U.S. Navy SEAL team operating in Iraq. He advanced to Petty Officer First Class (E-6) at a pretty good pace.
On 6 July 2007 (my daughter's birthday) he was killed in Iraq by an improvised explosive device (IED).
We can argue about whether Steven Daugherty was a hero or not. We can't argue about his patriotism. There is no doubting that.
Navy Dedicates Premiere Joint Warfare Lab to Honor Sailor Killed by IED
Story Number: NNS090529-25
Release Date: 5/29/2009 4:24:00 PM
By Troy Clarke, Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Public Affairs
NORCO, Calif. (NNS) -- The Navy dedicated the latest addition to the nation's premiere Joint Warfare Assessment Laboratory at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona May 28 at a ceremony to honor a Sailor killed by an improvised explosive device.
The Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center, a 39,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art center, bears the name of Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Steven Phillip Daugherty and commemorates the work NSWC Corona is doing to combat the IED threat that killed Daugherty July 6, 2007.
"The Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center nearly doubles Corona's secure analysis and assessment area and significantly enhances our ability to do collaborative performance assessment," said NSWC Corona Commanding Officer Capt. Rob Shafer to the overflow crowd of more than 450 attendees. "It will stand as an ever-present reminder of Steven - and to every Sailor, Soldier, Airman, and Marine who has given their life in defense of this country. This dedication commemorates his sacrifice and recognizes the groundbreaking work NSWC Corona is doing to help combat the threat of IEDs against our armed forces."
Daugherty's parents, Tom and Lydia, attended the dedication ceremony with one of their sons, Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Daugherty. Each of the four Daugherty children has served in the armed forces, and two are currently in the air force.
"Steven was proud to serve his country," said his mother Lydia. "He took pride in his work and always did the best he could."
Daugherty recently received one of the nation's top awards in the intelligence community for his bravery and contribution to cryptology.
"It was an honor for the Intelligence Community to bestow one of its highest awards on Steven – the National Intelligence Medal for Valor – in deep appreciation for his example of courage," said Dennis C. Blair, director of National Intelligence, about the dedication. "It is entirely fitting that the Department of the Navy has honored the memory of Cryptologi[c] Technician Tactical First Class (SW) Steven P. Daugherty by giving his name to its new Assessment Center at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division."
"To the elite Corona engineers, I say this: As you go about your good work supporting the men and women in uniform, may this building serve as an ever-present reminder, a monument to heroes, named after Steven Daugherty, our hero," said Senior Executive Dr. William Luebke, NSWC Corona's incoming technical director. "Never forget how important the work we do here is for them fighting over there. For truth in performance means dominance on the battlefield. It is our mission, it is our purpose, it is our calling."
U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, whose congressional district encompasses NSWC Corona, and Col. Tom Magness, Los Angeles district commander for the Army Corps of Engineers, also spoke at the ceremony. Magness served as the senior engineer trainer of the National Training Center Sidewinder team at Fort Irwin, Calif., when he worked with Corona analysts on counter-IED efforts.
In addition to supporting counter-IED efforts, the Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center greatly enhances NSWC Corona's ability to support key national missions. With it, NSWC Corona can provide Strike Group interoperability assessment needed to certify ships for deployment; provide critical flight analysis for all Navy surface missile systems; and provide performance assessment of Aegis and Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense ships throughout their entire lifecycle. NSWC Corona can also centralize, process, and distribute the Navy's combat and weapon system data on one of the largest classified networks in the Department of Defense.
Following the dedication, the Daugherty family toured the facility and learned how Corona analysts are helping defeat the threat that killed their son and brother.
"He would have been very humbled by it all," Daugherty's mother said about the building dedication. "He would have said he was just doing his job."
Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona is the Navy's only independent assessment agent and is responsible for gauging the warfighting capability of ships and aircraft, analyzing missile defense systems, and assessing the adequacy of Navy personnel training. The base is home to three premiere national laboratories and assessment centers, the Joint Warfare Assessment Lab, the Measurement Science and Technology Lab, and the Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center, which are instrumental in fulfilling NSWC Corona's mission and supporting the nation's armed forces.
He was from Barstow, California and really never intended to join the Navy. He was a student in my schoolhouse at the Naval Center for Cryptology at Corry Station, Pensacola. We had about 8000 students graduate in a year. So, I can't say that I even recall who he was. That won't keep me from remembering him.
After his time at Corry, he served in the typical billets of our young Petty Officers. He went to sea and advanced reasonably quickly. While at Navy Information Operations Command Norfolk he became interested in the SEALs and qualified to deploy to a U.S. Navy SEAL team operating in Iraq. He advanced to Petty Officer First Class (E-6) at a pretty good pace.
On 6 July 2007 (my daughter's birthday) he was killed in Iraq by an improvised explosive device (IED).
We can argue about whether Steven Daugherty was a hero or not. We can't argue about his patriotism. There is no doubting that.
Obituary: CTT1 (SW) Steven Phillip Daugherty, USN, 28, passed away July 6, 2007, on duty in Baghdad, Iraq. He was born May 16, 1979, in Apple Valley. Besides his love for the Navy, he enjoyed playing his guitar and spending time with family and friends. He is survived by his parents, Thomas and Lydia Daugherty of Barstow; a son, Steven P. Daugherty Jr. of Tacoma, Washington; two brothers, Robert Daugherty of Omaha, Nebraska, and Richard Daugherty of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a sister, Kristine Daugherty of Killeen, Texas; and his grandmother, Pearl Watkins of Yermo. A graveside service with full military honors was conducted in Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday, July 24, 2007, at 10 a.m.
Navy Dedicates Premiere Joint Warfare Lab to Honor Sailor Killed by IED
Story Number: NNS090529-25
Release Date: 5/29/2009 4:24:00 PM
By Troy Clarke, Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Public Affairs
NORCO, Calif. (NNS) -- The Navy dedicated the latest addition to the nation's premiere Joint Warfare Assessment Laboratory at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona May 28 at a ceremony to honor a Sailor killed by an improvised explosive device.
The Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center, a 39,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art center, bears the name of Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Steven Phillip Daugherty and commemorates the work NSWC Corona is doing to combat the IED threat that killed Daugherty July 6, 2007.
"The Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center nearly doubles Corona's secure analysis and assessment area and significantly enhances our ability to do collaborative performance assessment," said NSWC Corona Commanding Officer Capt. Rob Shafer to the overflow crowd of more than 450 attendees. "It will stand as an ever-present reminder of Steven - and to every Sailor, Soldier, Airman, and Marine who has given their life in defense of this country. This dedication commemorates his sacrifice and recognizes the groundbreaking work NSWC Corona is doing to help combat the threat of IEDs against our armed forces."
Daugherty's parents, Tom and Lydia, attended the dedication ceremony with one of their sons, Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Daugherty. Each of the four Daugherty children has served in the armed forces, and two are currently in the air force.
"Steven was proud to serve his country," said his mother Lydia. "He took pride in his work and always did the best he could."
Daugherty recently received one of the nation's top awards in the intelligence community for his bravery and contribution to cryptology.
"It was an honor for the Intelligence Community to bestow one of its highest awards on Steven – the National Intelligence Medal for Valor – in deep appreciation for his example of courage," said Dennis C. Blair, director of National Intelligence, about the dedication. "It is entirely fitting that the Department of the Navy has honored the memory of Cryptologi[c] Technician Tactical First Class (SW) Steven P. Daugherty by giving his name to its new Assessment Center at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division."
"To the elite Corona engineers, I say this: As you go about your good work supporting the men and women in uniform, may this building serve as an ever-present reminder, a monument to heroes, named after Steven Daugherty, our hero," said Senior Executive Dr. William Luebke, NSWC Corona's incoming technical director. "Never forget how important the work we do here is for them fighting over there. For truth in performance means dominance on the battlefield. It is our mission, it is our purpose, it is our calling."
U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, whose congressional district encompasses NSWC Corona, and Col. Tom Magness, Los Angeles district commander for the Army Corps of Engineers, also spoke at the ceremony. Magness served as the senior engineer trainer of the National Training Center Sidewinder team at Fort Irwin, Calif., when he worked with Corona analysts on counter-IED efforts.
In addition to supporting counter-IED efforts, the Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center greatly enhances NSWC Corona's ability to support key national missions. With it, NSWC Corona can provide Strike Group interoperability assessment needed to certify ships for deployment; provide critical flight analysis for all Navy surface missile systems; and provide performance assessment of Aegis and Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense ships throughout their entire lifecycle. NSWC Corona can also centralize, process, and distribute the Navy's combat and weapon system data on one of the largest classified networks in the Department of Defense.
Following the dedication, the Daugherty family toured the facility and learned how Corona analysts are helping defeat the threat that killed their son and brother.
"He would have been very humbled by it all," Daugherty's mother said about the building dedication. "He would have said he was just doing his job."
Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona is the Navy's only independent assessment agent and is responsible for gauging the warfighting capability of ships and aircraft, analyzing missile defense systems, and assessing the adequacy of Navy personnel training. The base is home to three premiere national laboratories and assessment centers, the Joint Warfare Assessment Lab, the Measurement Science and Technology Lab, and the Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center, which are instrumental in fulfilling NSWC Corona's mission and supporting the nation's armed forces.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Sunday, March 26, 2017
The Marketplace of Ideas
In this rapidly globalizing 21st century, our nation and our military are out competing in a marketplace of ideas. We live in a 24/7 news cycle with near instant reporting and widespread dissemination of stories. It is a teeming, tumultuous, and exhausting marketplace. There has been a tremendous push for military professionals to understand, quantify, and assess our ability to compete in this arena. On all fronts, we must excel at strategic communication—the ability to get our message out to the right audience, at the right time, with the proper effect, and in all media.
Each of us has a clear obligation to contribute to this effort, to be a part of the conversation, to help our ideas compete. Our nation was founded on ideas that just could not be repressed—those of freedom and liberty. In 1776, we launched these ideas into a world ruled by a different system. Our ideas faced stiff competition, and throughout the years we have even suffered wars to defend them—wars like today’s struggle against extremists who use terrorism as a weapon, often to suppress freedom of expression. Our second President, John Adams, once wrote that the best way to defend our ideas was through using our minds: “Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.”
Admiral James Stavridis
USNI Proceedings
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
In case you forgot - 'Sailor' is capitalized
2-6 paragraph 11 Identifying Navy and Marine Corps Personnel . . .
Capitalize the words "Sailor," "Marine" and “Service member” when referring to members of the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.
Secretary of the Navy, John Dalton in 1994 and reaffirmed in the March 2010 update.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Practicing Reciprocity
Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, uses the phrase “emotional bank account” to describe the principle of reciprocity in relationships. The emotional bank account describes the trust that accumulates in a relationship. Of course, you need to make deposits before you make withdrawals, so before you think about getting, take the first step to give. Practice reciprocity to build trust between management, employees, and key stakeholders. To serve as a role model, be the first to engage in reciprocal behaviors. What can you give on your side of the exchange?
Mike Mears (2009-03-20). Leadership Elements, Kindle Edition.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Powerful thoughts
If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.
—Peace Pilgrim
Sunday, February 19, 2017
10000 hour rule - Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell dubs this phenomenon the "10,000-hour rule." I think this can be applied equally to leadership. Becoming truly great at anything -- (leadership included) -- requires ten years of experience and 1,000 hours of practice per year. "Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness," he argues.
Becoming a leader requires "deliberate practice."
What are the elements of 'deliberate practice'? It's designed explicitly to improve performance -- the little adjustments that make a big difference. It's repetitive, which means that when it's time to perform for real, you don't feel the pressure. It's informed by continuous feedback; practicing leadership only works if you can see how you're improving.
Bits and pieces paraphrased (and others cut and pasted) from HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Officer conduct
"Unless and until officers conduct themselves at all times as officers, it is useless to demand and hopeless to expect any improvement in the enlisted ranks.
Matters of correct attitude, personal conduct, and awareness of moral obligations do not lend themselves to control by a set of rules or to scientific analysis...Many methods of instruction and different approaches to teaching them will present themselves. Each naval officer must consider himself an instructor in these matters and the future tone of the naval service will depend on the sincerity which he brings to this task."
United States Navy
1947
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Henry Miller on Writing
Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery. The adventure is a metaphysical one: it is a way of approaching life indirectly, of acquiring a total rather than a partial view of the universe. The writer lives between the upper and lower worlds: he takes the path in order eventually to become the path himself.
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