Ordinary Soldier - Last U.S. veteran of WWI fades away

Frank Woodruff Buckles (February 1, 1901 – February 27, 2011)  was the last living American veteran of World War I (WWI).

His advice on living - "When you feel like you're going to die - don't."

Information Dominance Corps (IDC) - Mid Career Course Underway - Lifelong Learning

IW Leaders  (Request Widest Dissemination)

A pilot offering of the new Information Dominance Corps (IDC) Mid-Career Course will be held 28 February - 11 March 2011 at the Navy-Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center (NMITC), Dam Neck, VA.  As your IWO Community Leader, I have been personally involved in this initiative along with the other IDC Community Leads and VADM Dorsett; we made this a top priority.  Several months ago I asked CAPT Jill Newton to serve as our IW principal in this effort; she's done a tremendous job. 

This is a great opportunity that will bring sustainable mid career training to our IW LCDRs.  With strength in numbers, and knowledge of the importance of our skills in the Navy today and tomorrow, I am confident that this mid career course will be an enduring success.

This course is geared to newly selected or pinned IDC LCDRs.  Topics include focus areas applicable to all communities in the IDC, as well as community-specific topics.  

 

RADM Ned Deets

Commander

Naval Network Warfare Command

 

 

Admiral Harvey believes in the value of Electronic Warfare

Professional Foolishness

In my days on active duty as a Navy officer, I spent a fair amount of time keeping abreast of the more significant strategy and policy issues related to military service.  I dutifully read the National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, Forward From The Sea, the Naval Operating Concept, Joint Operating Environment and other such documents. 

Recently, I spoke with an active duty Navy Commander and asked what she thought of the latest National Military Strategy issued by Admiral Mullen.  She looked at me like I had two heads.  She said she'd not read the latest version, nor any previous version.  She told me it was for people above her paygrade.  I may be alone in thinking this way, but I think it is every Armed Forces Officer's responsibility to read and understand such things.  She didn't mind telling me that I was foolish for thinking that because, she assured me, none of her peers think such a thing.

I hope that is not really the case.

Admiral Mullen says we are at a Strategic Inflection Point (SIP). A SIP occurs when a major change takes place in our operating environment. It could be a major change due to introduction of any number of new technologies. Or, a major change due to confronting radically different fiscal environment. Or, it be a change in the Navy's values, or the values of  this great country. Almost always the SIP hits the organization in such a way that those in senior leadership are among the last ones to notice. Today's SIP is no different.

For more about Admiral Mullen's discussion of Strategic Inflection Points, go HERE.

Dangerously enthusiastic about his duties - Ensign John Harvey, new guy aboard USS ENTERPRISE

I have been listening to Admiral Harvey's talk at the Surface Navy Association Symposium about leadership for the third time. I know that I will be listening to it again, and again.  I never tire of it.  It is one of the very best presentations in that type of forum that I have seen.  I downloaded it to my iPod Touch.  It's a keeper.  His easy, sincere manner of speaking is uncommon.  Admiral Harvey has posted with Admiral Stavridis about their respective experiences aboard ship.  Listening to his presentation and reading about their experiences is a great learning experience - even today., for a retiree. We are rarely exposed to this type of candor from serving Flag officers.  Go back to SWONET and watch his video.  It's inspiring.  You can watch it HERE.

U.S. Navy expertise in the Electromagnetic Spectrum saves lives - 291 EWOs support Multi-National Corps-Iraq

NMCI - five minute old network?

“NMCI is not a 10-year-old network. The NMCI program is 10 years-old, but NMCI is a completely modern, five-minute-old network. We have upgraded and maintained NMCI with cutting-edge technology deployed on it since the beginning. All aspects of NMCI are state-of-the-art and state-of-the-shelf today.”


– NMCI Program Manager
Captain Scott N. Weller

Latest issue of CHIPS magazine is HERE.

Make all of your deeds good. Your deeds (good and bad) live on long after you've forgotten.

Our deeds are like children that are born to us; they live and act apart from our own will. Nay, children may be strangled, but deeds never: they have an indestructible life both in and out of our consciousness.

George Eliot

Disclaimers

You have to love Jeff Bacon's sense of humor.  More of Jeff can be found HERE.

Distinguished DUKE NROTC Grads

NROTC Admirals from Duke University

• ADM Frank Bowman (Retired) Bachelor of Science, 1966 Service Selection: Submarines.
• RADM Jack Calvert (Retired) Bachelor of Arts, 1958 Service Selection:  Aviation.
• RADM Edward (NED) H. Deets III (Active Duty) Bachelor of Arts, 1979 Service Selection: Aviation.
• RADM Charles Hamilton II (Active Duty) Bachelor of Science, 1974 Service Selection: Surface.
• RADM Grant Hollett, Jr. (Retired) Bachelor of Science in Engineering, 1964.
• RADM Stephen Johnson (Retired) Bachelor of Science Service Selection: Submarines.
• RADM Robert Marlay (Retired) Bachelor of Arts, 1971.
• RDML Glenn Phillips (Retired).

Other Distinguished Alumni

• General Walter Boomer, USMC (Retired) Bachelor of Arts, 1960.
• Richard Nixon received his law degree from Duke University in 1937 and became a Lieutenant Commander as a ground officer for the US Naval Air Transport. He is the only Duke Law graduate to become President of the United States.

Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group - established today

Rear Admiral Bill Leigher, Deputy Commander, Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet presided over the change of command ceremony and renaming/ establishment ceremony for Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group.  Captain Steve Parode assumed command and provided a motivational speech for his new officers, Chiefs, Sailors and civilians.  BZ to all hands.

NIOC Suitland Change of Command - 18 February

Captain Steve Parode will relieve Captain Diane Gronewold as Commanding Officer, Navy Information Operations Command Suitland at 10 a.m. on 18 February 2011 at the Women In Military Service for America Memorial.

Complacency in cryptology and intelligence

The biggest enemy in this business is complacency."

—Rear Adm. Andrew M. Singer, USN

Exhausted All Possibilities

"When you have exhausted all possibilities,

remember this – you haven’t."

Thomas A. Edison

Keep thinking; 
recharge those batteries. 
The solution may be only an amp or two away.

Known and Unknown

I made the time over the weekend to read the first 317 pages of former Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's book, Known and Unknown.  It's a great read and I have been enjoying it.  He is a fascinating individual and true patriot.  I worked for him for my final two years on active duty as Staff Director for the Detainee Task Force (Geren-Maples Group).  I was happy to find some of our Detainee Task Force work in his archives HERE among the responses to many of his SNOWFLAKES.  I know there are plenty of haters out there but I found the Secretary to be patient, tireless, a real gentleman, superb athlete, true patriot, tremendous leader, forward thinker and a very thoughtful boss.