Shipmate ?

"I think that the term 'shipmate' is something honorable and it's something that each one of you earns. It should be something to be very proud of."

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SW/FMF) Joe Campa

A Code For Naval Leaders

Leadership is the essence of our profession.

It is the ability to inspire people and make them feel confident that they can do the job no matter how tough it gets. Leadership provides direction, sets priorities, and upholds standards.

People are the Navy's most valuable asset.
Your people are by far your most valuable asset, no matter how expensive the machines and systems entrusted to your care. A corollary to this is the fundamental concept that we must retain our quality people. A positive atmosphere will aid you in retaining your valuable people.

Provide recognition to deserving people.
When people do well, be sure they are rewarded, both formally and informally by your personal comments and reactions, and formally through letters of appreciation and commendation, and medal nominations. Our people work incredibly hard, both at sea and ashore. Awards and other recognition mean a great deal to your Sailors and will create a positive command atmosphere.

Listen to your people.
Cooperation and teamwork are vital for readiness and accomplishing the mission, so encourage open communications up and down the chain of command within your command. Involve your subordinates in all aspects of planning, decision making, and problem solving-although remember you are in charge and must be decisive when the chips are down.

Accept change and plan for uncertainty.
There is an old saying that you must always have a "Plan B." This means that even when everything has been carefully planned, the nature of naval operations is such that something will change or go wrong; you must therefore be ready with a backup plan. Don't become frustrated or upset-try to think through the crisis and come up with a solution, working with your chain of command.

From Admiral James Stavridis' - DIVISION OFFICER'S GUIDE

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

Rudyard Kipling

If you can do that, you've done enough...
Don't worry about the doubters, blamers, haters and liars.

Most important characteristic

"Perhaps the most important characteristic of all for a person in any profession is INTEGRITY. In the Navy, integrity is absolutely essential or the person fails and the service fails."

Admiral Arleigh A. Burke

You will shine as a Navy leader

"The essence of leadership is making people better. In most cases, people will sense what your expectations are and meet them. If you believe in your people, support them, and challenge them, they will almost always rise up to the occasion and perform superbly.

On the other hand, if you are suspicious, quick to criticize, and unsupportive, they will frequently perform poorly. believe in your people, let them know you trust them, listen to them, be biased toward change and improvement, and you will shine as a Navy leader. In a phrase, people will almost always be what you expect them to be. If one of your principle objectives is to develop those who work for you, success will be assured."

Admiral James Stavridis, DIVISION OFFICER'S GUIDE

The Navy as a threat to the Navy ??

"The problem starts at a conceptual disconnect between strategy and reality. The Navy’s Cooperative Strategy for 21^st Century Seapower is a set of concepts that was not linked to any clearly defined force plan, modernization plan, program, or budget. Navy shipbuilding plans are now shaped more as the result of budgetary constraints than as a response to strategic requirements. They seem to be an expression of wishful thinking rather than a realistic strategic guideline for naval procurement."

"The Navy’s procurement policy is in serious disarray. Unrealistic force plans, overoptimistic cost estimates, unrealistic projections of technical feasibility, and inadequate program management have created an unaffordable ship building program, led the Navy to phase out capable ships for new ships it cannot fund, and threaten the US Navy’s ability to implement an effective maritime strategy."

A harsh assessment from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. FULL REPORT HERE.

Our Information Warfare vision is...

"... to capitalize on our dual asymmetric advantages; our talented and highly motivated people and our cutting edge technology to deliver overwhelming information superiority to naval and Joint commanders. Achieving this vision requires the continued development of our people and the creation and sustainment of robust programs that deliver Information Warfare capabilities, including new strategic concepts, tactics, techniques, procedures, training, and new acquisition programs of record. As we continue our evolution as Information Warriors, we must maintain our unparalleled expertise and relevance as the premier military Signals Intelligence and Cryptologic force."

RADM Edward H. Deets, Vice Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command in September 2007 letter to Information Warfare Officers

Joint Vision 2020 and the Information Warrior

The Department of Defense's "Joint Vision 2020" makes it clear that attracting and retaining people with the intellect, training and motivation to prevail across the spectrum of military operations is critical to the future success of our forces. To that end, developing and retaining "information warriors" capable of conducting decisive information operations is a strategic, operational and tactical imperative. To fail in this endeavor will significantly jeopardize our ability to prevail in future conflicts.

Training Excellence - 6 years ago

“You have a great many shipmates in the intelligence and cryptology business across the world; and working together, our advantage in combat will be moreso the intelligence and the information that we share about the enemy and what our next move should be. I, in fact, suggest that may very well be more important than the actual tools of direct combat."

“Today, I am especially gratified and pleased to be here with you and award the Chief of Naval Education and Training’s Training Excellence Award. We have over 150 training organizations that we’re responsible for at CNET, and NTTC Corry Station is one of a relative few handful of commands that are recognized for their exceptional performance and their exceptional service in the business of training and education,” he said.

“It is really an honor for me to award your command this prestigious award because it represents the very best that we do in our Navy as it relates to training and education. And again, it is no surprise to me that with Capt. Deets, his distinguished faculty and staff here, and the extraordinary quality of the young men and women who fill the ranks out here, that you have achieved this Training Excellence Award.”

Vice Admiral Al Harms, Chief of Naval Education and Training

Chief of Staff of the Air Force has a plan

Key Actions

• We will drive performance
• We will look hard at third rail issues
• We will be visible, approachable and inclusive
• We will be devastating on poor performers and personal misconduct
• We will partner with Sec Donley and his successor to stop the slide and regain our stature as professionals and as uncompromising Joint warfighters

Correct deficiencies on the spot

"Any time we see something wrong and don’t correct it, we lose some of the professionalism that earns our Sailors' respect and confidence. Each time we look the other way and ignore a minor deficiency because we’re in a hurry or it’s not that important, it becomes easier to overlook other things. We tend to let more slide until, one day, we overlook something that causes an accident. With luck, it only costs damaged equipment. All too often the price is an injured or dead Sailor."

Document Important Decision Processes

"When important decisions are not documented, one becomes dependent on individual memory, which is quickly lost as people leave or move to other jobs. In my work, it is important to be able to go back a number of years to determine the facts that were considered in arriving at a decision. This makes it easier to resolve new problems by putting them into proper perspective. It also minimizes the risk of repeating past mistakes. Moreover if important communications and actions are not documented clearly, one can never be sure they were understood or even executed."

Rear Admiral Hyman Rickover

Navy Ethos - We already have one

"The Navy doesn’t need another written attempt to piece together what it stands for. It already has Core Values, a Sailor’s Creed, a Maritime Strategy and more.

What it needs is to start living up to the standards and traditions naval leaders have developed over generations.

The core values of honor, courage and commitment are a good start. Honor to the truth and to justice; courage to do what’s right and defend the nation even in the face of mortal danger; and commitment to getting the job done, and doing it well.

An ethos is innate. And this is what the Navy’s ethos is supposed to be.

So, the Navy doesn’t need a new ethos statement. It just needs to start living up to the high standards it already has set for itself."

From NAVY TIMES Editorial

Global Commons - gaining popularity in DoD terminology

"Global Commons" is a term which is gaining popularity in DoD circles. We are seeing it more and more in strategy documents and in speeches by senior DoD and Navy officials.

In the civilian commercial sector we are seeing "Global Commons" as a reference to (1) information, (2) commerce and (3) community.

For DoD, "Global Commons" broadly refers to the domains of (1) land, (2) sea, and (3) air - including space and cyberspace.

In old English law, the common (or commons) was a tract of ground shared by residents of a village of town, but not belonging to anyone in particular.

Skillsets Vitally Important to This War

"The skill sets of our Information Professional officers, information system technicians (IT), information warfare officers (IWO) and cryptologic technicians (CT), the capabilities they bring to the fight, and the effects they deliver, are vitally important to this war. There is no question about it — they are in the fight.

And while I’m focusing primarily on those from our NETWARCOM domain, I can’t say enough about the Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and civilians who are all part of this massive team effort. Everywhere I went I heard great stories of the professionalism and dedication of our Sailors involved in network operations, signals intelligence (SIGINT), cryptology and information operations. They are motivated; they understand the vital nature of their mission, and they are performing jobs in their skill sets. Their morale is very high."

Rear Admiral Ned Deets,
Vice Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command

CHIPS Magazine, December 2007