Award Winner - Proud of this one

After my award rant a week ago, I did want to point to one award I have that still gives me a great deal of pride, even 39 years later.  It was awarded to me as a Squadron Commander when I was a Cadet Lieutenant Colonel in Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps in the GR71st AFJROTC at General H.H. Arnold High School in Wiesbaden, Germany.

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (DAR) AWARD

This award consists of a bronze medal and ribbon and is presented annually to one third-year (in a 3-year program) or fourth-year cadet (in a 4-year program) that meets the following criteria:

1. Rank in the top 25% of their AS class. 
2. Rank in the top 25% of their high school class.
3. Demonstrate qualities of dependability and good character.
4. Demonstrate adherence to military discipline.
5. Possess leadership ability and a fundamental and patriotic understanding of the importance of JROTC training.

America's Webbed Feet

Nor must Uncle Sam’s web-feet be forgotten. At all the watery margins they have been present. Not only in the deep sea, the broad bay, and the rapid river, but also up the narrow muddy bayou,and wherever the ground was a little damp, they have been and made their tracks.

Abraham Lincoln, 1863
President of the United States

As cited in the 2010 Naval Operations Concept available HERE.

Birth of the Naval Security Group and the Cryptologic Community - 77 Years Ago Today

In July 1922, the U.S. Navy formally established a cryptologic element, known as the Communication Security Unit, or Director of Naval Communications (DNC) OP-20-G. The unit was located at the Main Navy Building, commonly referred to as "Main Navy", 18th St. Constitution Ave.

On March 11, 1935 (77 years ago), the unit was re-designated as the Communications Security Group (CSG). This date is observed as the birth of the Naval Security Group. In February, 1943, the CSG transferred to a new facility at 3801 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The facility at 3801 Nebraska Avenue was known as the Communications Supplementary Annex from February, 1943. It was renamed Naval Communications Station Washington (NCSW) on July 7, 1948, and re-designated as the Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA) on September 21, 1950.

700,000 visitors

Pause and reflect.  1751 posts; 4143 comments and 1,689,018 page views.

Thanks very much for stopping by and sharing your opinions.

Hope you're not offended - ASK HER WHEN SHE'S SOBER

If you were in the same situation as this poster, what else could you say to your friend to keep them from victimizing a fellow Sailor?

Suggestions:

• It’s not worth it man. She looks pretty drunk, and this could go really bad for you both.
• Dude, just ask her for her number.
• What if your little sister was in that kind of shape, how would you want a guy to act?

I don't know who is responsible for this advertising campaign and I am happy to say that I haven't seen these posters anywhere. The NYTimes had an editorial about "Sexual Violence and the Military" and they mention these posters as 'grotesque parody'.  There is plenty in this advertising campaign to offend nearly everyone serving their country.

All part of DoD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response SAPR.  You can read more HERE.

Rich reward

The richest reward of command is the personal satisfaction of having measured 

 up to this responsibility and accountability.

The Scourge of Sexual Assault in the Navy

From the 21st Century Sailor and Marine RhumbLine of 5 March 2012

Safety

• Aggressively prevent sexual assaults from occurring, support sexual assault victims, and hold offenders accountable. The 21st Century Sailor and Marine will not tolerate any form of sexual assault.
•  Improve motorcycle safety by closing the training gap with the Military Sportbike Rider Course (MSRC).

In my mind, sexual assault is NOT a safety issue but a CRIMINAL one.  Putting this in the same category as motorcycle safety trivializes a FELONY.   Telling someone to call the DOD Safe Helpline is stupid not smart.  If you don't believe me, give them a call and see what kind of help you get.  CALL 911 and get the police involved from the start.  3 digits are easier to remember, also.  What was that DOD number I need to call, 877-???-????

BTW, did 20th Century Sailors and Marines tolerate any form of sexual assault?  I don't think so.

Heaven's Third Wire

My Shipmate and occasional blog wingman, Neptunus Rex has departed this earth.  Flight lines everywhere are still.

Thank you for your leadership and blog mentorship.  Greatly appreciated.

You'll always snag the "third wire" in your heavenly landings. 

God Bless You.

Vr/Mike

SWO Leadership

"My ability to inflict pain far exceeds your ability to withstand it."

CDR Joseph William Murphy
CO, USS GONZALEZ DDG66 (attributed)
USNA '81

I am... a man of letters (postal not intellectual)

 Letters are among the most significant memorial a person can leave behind them.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Politeness is as much concerned in answering letters within a reasonable time, as it is in returning a bow, immediately.

Lord Chesterfield

In an age like ours, which is not given to letter-writing, we forget what an important part it used to play in people's lives.

Anatole Broyard

Award Rant

In my mind, having your boss ask you to write your own personal award and FITNESS Report is akin to her telling you to write yourself your own 'thank you' note for your good deed or after your two/three year assignment.  It makes no sense at all to me; don't do it.  If you are a leader and you can't write your immediate subordinate's award/fitness report, shame on you.

This is something that is actually getting some attention in Congressional sub-committees of the Senate/House Armed Services Committees (SASC/HASC).  With the attention given to the Stolen Valor Act and similar issues - the Congress is paying much more attention to military awards - who gets them, how they get them, why they get them and how many get them.

The Thinkers50

The Thinkers50 has established 10 criteria by which thinkers are evaluated --

1. originality of ideas; 
2. practicality of ideas; 
3. presentation style; 
4. written communication; 
5. loyalty of followers; 
6. business sense; 
7. international outlook; 
8. rigor of research; 
9. impact of ideas and 
10. the elusive guru factor.

Who are the Navy's top 10 thinkers?  Essential to getting on any list of thinkers is a willingness to share one's thoughts.  ((Help me fill in the gaps and add/remove thinkers from this list.))  

1.  Admiral James R. Stavridis
2. Admiral John Harvey
3. Commander Michael Junge
4. Commander Robb Chadwick
5. ?
6. Captain Jerry Hendrix
7. ?
8. YN2(SW) Lucien Gauthier
9. LCDR BJ Armstrong
10. CDR Heidi Berg

Who are the Information Warfare Community's top 10 thinkers?  Not many folks have the confidence/platform/desire to share their views with the broader IW community and attach their name to it.

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts.  Funny thing about thinkers - the good ones share their thoughts - the great ones get followers to turn those thoughts into action and results.

THE FUTURE OF THE NAVY

The Navy will always employ new weapons, new techniques, and greater power to protect and defend the United States on the sea, under the sea, and in the air.

Now and in the future, control of the sea gives the United States her greatest advantage for the maintenance of peace and for victory in war. 

Mobility, surprise. dispersal, and offensive power are the keynotes of the new Navy. The roots of the Navy lie in a strong belief in the future, in continued dedication to our tasks, and in reflection on our heritage from the past.

Never have our opportunities and our responsibilities been greater.

Navy Training Manual
Circa 1975

Cryptologic community, new technology - sound familiar??

As members of the cryptologic community, we are very much aware of the demands that new technology has placed upon the Naval Security Group. In order to do our jobs in today's Navy, we must learn things which, in the past, were thought of as being possible only in science fiction stories. 

Additionally, because of defense budget cuts and the resulting decreases in manpower authorizations, we now have to do an even bigger and more technical job than in the past-with less people. To help us with this task, we now have computers and other work-saving equipments which have proved to be very valuable. 

Also, our receivers are now built in such a manner that we can tie in several different types of equipment to save steps and, thus, do the job with less people and in a more efficient way.

NAVEDTRA 10251
Cryptologic Collection Equipment

1977

Join the Information Dominance Corps Self-synchronization Conversation

They have never met in person, individually or as a group, yet they are a team in the strongest sense of the word. They volunteer their time. Their work is strictly unofficial. Their individual anonymity ensures only the group as a whole gains credit for their actions. Their collective efforts enable collaboration and ensure situational awareness across a newly-formed community. They are self-starters who believe in “making time” for the common good of that community. They are the Information Dominance Corps (IDC) Self Synchronization Team.

The group’s greatest strength beyond its members, is ironically its unofficial status. This is a grassroots effort of IDC members working for and with other IDC members to move the community forward. As an independent initiative, the individual efforts of the team members are not constrained by anything more than the group’s collective approval. But as IDC members themselves, the group has a vested interest in forwarding a productive,
collaborative dialogue aimed at improving the IDC as a whole.

With the IDC Self Synchronization team and tools in place, the only missing element is you.

Join the conversation at http://www.IDCsync.org.

Extracted from Joe Gradisher, OPNAV N2N6 Public Affairs Officer's article in INFO DOMAIN magazine.