The Navy's "A" and "C" schools - the Navy's public schools must challenge our Sailors and make better use of their time

Vice Admiral Tom Copeman is commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Forces US Pacific Fleet.  He is responsible for delivering readiness to the fleet.

The training Sailors require is a crucial part of Vice Admiral Copeman's priorities.

"If we really want our crews to fight and win, we need to lay that foundation right there in the school house," he said. "The schools - our basic, integrated and advanced training - must be focused on preparations for high-end combat operations. I think of it as improving the 'Public School System' ("A" and "C" schools) by increasing the hands-on training for our Sailors and taking a hard look if we are delivering the information in the best manner."

To start with, Admiral Copeman said he intends to invest $170 million into schoolhouse upgrades for surface engineering, with plans to do the same for combat systems and its respective school houses.

Copeman said he wants to reverse the trend of many Sailors spending large amounts of time at school only to require in-depth supervision once reporting aboard ship to do basic maintenance or watchstanding.

"Our schools must challenge our Sailors and make better use of their time," he said.

Fortunately, our schoolhouse at the Center for Information Dominance Corry Station, Pensacola Florida is doing this now.

Cherokee Indian Naval Aviator Number ONE

Admiral Clark was born in Pryor, Oklahoma, on 12 November 1893, son of Cherokee Indian William A. Clark and Lillie Berry Clark. He attended Willie Halsell College, Vinita, Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, at Stillwater; and graduated from the US Naval Academy with the class of 1918 in June 1917. He was the first Native American graduate of the naval Academy. He was the first Cherokee Indian to be designated a naval aviator.

More on the Admiral HERE.

This is one extraordinary individual.  In 1952 he was commander of U.S. SEVENTH Fleet.  Admiral Clark was an honorary chief by both the Sioux and Cherokee nations. He died 13 July 1971 at the Naval Hospital, St. Albans, New York, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. 

In addition to the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Star, the Legion of Merit, the Silver Star Medal, the Commendation Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with two stars, Rear Admiral Clark has the Victory Medal, Escort Clasp (USS North Carolina), and is entitled to the American Defense Service Medal with Bronze "A" (for service in the old USS Yorktown which operated in actual or potential belligerent contact with the Axis Forces in the Atlantic Ocean prior to December 7, 1941); the European-African-Middle Eastern Area Campaign Medal with one bronze star; the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with twelve bronze stars; the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one bronze star; and the World War II Victory Medal.

November is the Navy's focus month for Native Americans.  Nice to learn more about our Native American heritage.

Skipper in the spotlight - Captain Tim White, CO, NAVIOCOM Maryland

Captain White was commissioned in 1987 with a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering.  He was then assigned to USS MISSOURI (BB-63), where he participated in Operation EARNEST WILL, RIMPAC 88/90, PACEX89, and Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM.   He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey CA, in 1993 (MS Systems Technology), and was assigned to NSA/CSS, Fort Meade, Md.

Captain White served in the Naval and Aerodynamic Weapons Systems Technical Analysis directorate, and the National Security Operations Center (NSOC) as a Senior Watch Officer/Group Coordinator, and completed two National Intelligence Support Team (NIST) deployments to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Commander, NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) and Commander, NATO Implementation Force (IFOR). 

After earning a diploma from the Naval War College and completing JMPE Phase 1, he was subsequently assigned to C5F/COMUSNAVCENT in Manama, Bahrain.  He established the Naval Security Group Activity Bahrain (now Naval Information Operations Command Bahrain) as the Plankowner Commanding Officer from 1999-2001.  Captain White then completed JPME Phase 2 and was awarded a diploma from the Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University in the Fall of 2001.  

From Fall 2001 to Fall 2004, he was assigned to the Pentagon OPNAV staff, in direct support of the Director for Naval Intelligence as the Navy Joint Military Intelligence Programs (JMIP) and Tactical Intelligence and Related Activities (TIARA) Policy, Programs, and Requirements Officer. 

He is a 2008 graduate of the National Defense University/Industrial College of the Armed Forces, (MS National Resources Mgmt).  Prior to his assignment to USCYBERCOM (Plankowner) as Director, Commander’s Action Group, he served at STRATCOM/JFCC-NW as D/J2 and Chief of Staff. 

Captain White’s most recent operational Fleet assignment was to Commander, United States SEVENTH Fleet as A/COS Information Operations (N39), embarked onboard USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-19).  

Captain White assumed command of Navy Information Operations Command Maryland in September of  2011 where he oversees a command of 2000 of the Navy’s finest Sailors and civilians and serves as Commander, Task Force 1060 responsible for the execution of cyber and non-kinetic operations for Commander Tenth Fleet.

COMMANDER CSG THREE REASSIGNED PENDING NAVY IG INVESTIGATION

The Navy has approved the temporarily reassignment of the commander of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group - CSG3.  Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette, Commander, Carrier Strike Group THREE has been relieved of command pending the results of an investigation by the Navy Inspector General.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Middle East.

Rear Admiral Gaouette's Chief of Staff, Captain William C. Minter, will lead the strike group until the arrival of Rear Admiral Troy M. Shoemaker, who will assume command until the matter is resolved.

Rear Admiral Shoemaker has served as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine and deployed with the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group.

It is highly unusual for the Navy to replace a carrier strike group commander during its deployment The Navy did not reveal details of the allegations, citing only an accusation of "inappropriate leadership judgment" that arose during the strike group's deployment to the Middle East.

Navy Reading List

The CNO has updated the Navy reading list to include  the books below related to his THREE TENETS. The reading isn't mandatory and it is no longer divided up by pay grade.  The Navy is paying to have this 18 book collection sent to over 1100 Navy commands.  I hope your command is on their list.  The Navy has invested some time and effort in putting this together and it even has a Program Director at the Naval War College.  The program director is calling for Sailors who do read the books to be praised in their evaluations.  However, I suspect that our high performing Sailors aren't going to have room on their evals for mentioning - "She read all the books on the CNO reading list."  In any case, there's some good reading available.

Warfighting First
• 1812: The Navy’s War (George C. Daughan)
• Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It (Richard Clarke)
• The Gamble (Thomas Ricks)
• SEAL of Honor (Gary Williams)
• Shield and Sword (Edward Marolda)
• Wake of the Wahoo (Forest J. Sterling)

Operate Forward
• Crisis of Islam (Bernard Lewis)
• Execute Against Japan (Joel Holwitt)
• Monsoon (Robert Kaplan)
• Neptune’s Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal (James Hornfischer)
• Red Star Over the Pacific (Toshi Yoshihara and James Holmes)
• The Man From Pakistan (Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins)

Be Ready
• A Sailor’s History of the U.S. Navy (Thomas Cutler)
• Navigating the Seven Seas (Melvin Williams Jr. and Sr.)
• In the Shadow of Greatness (J. Welle, J. Ennis and Katherine Kranz)
• The Morality of War (Brian Orend)
• Time Management From the Inside Out (Julie Morgenstern)
• Wired for War (P.W. Singer)

The Pay-Off

The pay-off in battle is the result of hard work and hard thought, for hours, for days, for weeks, and for years of training and planning.  Great leadership is developed over a span of years.  It is the result of the daily collection of a lot of little experiences, little lessons, learned and absorbed and tested day after day, long before the battle begins.

Admiral Arleigh A. Burke
United States Navy

In a way that cyber communication never can

"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

How I feel sometimes when trying to work with some of my active duty Shipmates

Artwork from www.hecticdesigns.co.uk.

"All at sea. "

In a state of confusion and disorder. This is an extension of the nautical phrase 'at sea'. It dates from the days of sail when accurate navigational aids weren't available. Any ship that was out of sight of land was in an uncertain position and in danger of becoming lost.

From my friends at SailorBob

Spotlight on a leader taking action

Note: This is the first in what I hope to make a series to periodically celebrate an action oriented leader who is walking the walk and leading regardless of his/her job title or billet description. 

Mr. Mario A Vulcano currently serves as an Instructor of the Information Warfare Basic Course at the Center for Information Dominance in Pensacola, FL. Though he has a distinguished career as CTR about which he is justifiably proud, the reason we are celebrating him is not a result of the countless significant contributions he has made over his 23 years of service in uniform (CTRSN to CTRC and ultimately CWO3) and 30 years (and counting) of total service. Today we highlight his ongoing effort to continually improve new accession training for Information Warfare Officers.

For the last five years, Mr. Vulcano has been a constant in shaping the minds of new Information Warfare Officers. He has helped to revise and deliver IW curriculum to an ever changing requirement. And though all training objectives continue to be met, he and a cadre of others have identified numerous seams in the training they are tasked to deliver. He, and others, have also grown concerned with the way such training is delivered (i.e. Death by Power Point and drinking from a firehose). Never one to look to others to fix things before doing all that he can, and firmly believing that though he might not have the authority to make things the way they ought to be, he has the responsibility to control what he can and influence what he can't. He is currently championing the cause to weave the following mentorship opportunities into IWBC:

- IW Flag Officer engagement

- Leadership Perspectives from distinguished IW Leaders

- "Magnet" NIOC CO/XO Communication of Expectations

- Expectations of a JO - A Master Chiefs Perspective

- Community Management and Detailer Overview

- FITREP/EVAL writing 101

- Ethics, Critical Thinking and Decision Making with Capstone Case Studies

No requirement for him to do so, but feedback from students, commanding officers, and his own personal critique of the state of training give him reason to take permission and do all that he can to meet and ultimately exceed expectations. Sometimes it's not the training solution that is the constraint. This is but a case where the training requirement is the limiting factor. Mr. Vulcano is indirectly shaping the requirement by delivering what we need beyond what was stated as a requirement. Thank-you, Shipmate.

Clearly, there are numerous action leaders serving our country, the Navy and the IDC community. I would love to feature them here so that we can all be more aware of their significant contributions, be inspired to follow their lead, and think about how we might be able to contribute to the cause they are championing. We speak of collective ownership, self-synchronizing, and taking permission. This series is about those who do more that talk the talk. Please nominate action leaders you appreciate so we can shine the spotlight on those most deserving.

Thank-you, Mario, for your leadership, personal initiative, and strong desire to make us better. May every IWO who graduates from their 8 weeks with you arrive to the Fleet ready, willing, and committed to following your example.

Nautical term - One that I had not heard before

TO SWALLOW THE ANCHOR

To leave the Navy for good - implying that one has no further use for the implement one has for so long trusted. 

Commonly used in reference to retirement from the Navy.

More awesome advice from a mentor

How to Brief a Senior Officer 

The first step is giving the boss the big picture. In a couple of sentences, try to outline the basics of the situation and the problem you seek to solve or the creative idea you are pushing.

Next, offer an assessment that lays out the key facts the decision-maker needs. Put yourself in the shoes of the decision maker and tailor the background info to what he or she doesn't already know. You'll need to state your assumptions up front as well.

Third step – and the key, of course – is articulating what you propose. Make this simple, creative, and sensible. Think through and discuss second order effects. Mention how your idea will play with the ‘customers' the boss reports to as appropriate. Address the challenges – especially the resources required -- in a realistic way.

Be honest and clear-eyed, not an impassioned advocate for a pet theory or project. Give both sides of the argument and anticipate objections. You need to be able to walk through the plan in such a way as to make it understandable.

Never read from a slide or a text. The decision maker doesn't need you for that. 

Be confident, relaxed, and don't be afraid to use a little humor as appropriate.

Realize that you will probably be asked questions you don't know the answer to, and the only answer is "I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you with the information.” Focus on outcomes.

And speak up, with good posture – as always, what we learn early in life stands us in good stead later. All of this is a skill at which you can improve with practice and observation.

If you are able, watch others as they brief senior leaders and watch the interaction. What was well received? What was poorly conveyed? What would make it better? These are "free” practice sessions for you—someone else did all the work!

Above all, be honest and work hard to convey the information—the brief is about the info, not about you. The odds are good that you'll know more than anyone else in the room about the subject. Sharing that expertise in a brief, concise, and sensible way is the goal. Good luck!

ADM James Stavridis

Thank You U.S. Navy

Sailors always remember a thank-you note, long after they forget what exactly they did to deserve it. Of course, there are the usual occasions to write thank you notes, but what are often more interesting are the unexpected ones.

A thank-you note is a gift in and of itself. Thank those Sailors for the great job they did on the Quarterdeck during the Commodore's visit, for the great job they did at Colors this morning, Thank them for the super job they did on the engineering inspection. Thank them for keeping the Command's 5 year safety record intact.

There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to writing thank-you notes. Most would prefer that you follow this rough guideline.

1. Write the thank-you note.
2. Affix stamp.
3. Mail it. I have been using this formula for 25 years or so and have yet to have one note returned.

If you are the succinct type, a correspondence card works perfectly, as does a small foldover note. Punctuality counts – and it certainly appears more sincere. Generally speaking, the message is brief and usually consists of four parts.

1. The greeting. Dear Petty Officer Smith/Lieutenant Jones.

2. An appreciation of the item or favor.

"Thank you for the the great job on the IG inspection last week."

3. Mention how important it was.

"We couldn't have passed without your great work."

4. Sign off with an appreciation of their service.

"Thank you for your service in our great Navy." That’s it. That is all there is to it.

Good intentions don’t get the job done, and while everyone intends to express a thank you, not everyone does. If your thank-you note is tardy, don’t apologize for being late. You know you are late, and the person you are writing knows it. Just get on with it.

Adapted from Crane's Guidance on Correspondence

Criticism aids growth

My old boss, SECDEF Rumsfeld was fond of saying, "If you're not being criticized, you may not be doing much." If you are a man of action (MOA), you are bound to upset some folks. Providing constructive criticism is an art form in and of itself. How do you practice the art?

Please don't be offended, sir.

I never did get your response.

I'm sure it's in the mail.

What the Navy always was for me.

Freedom and Happiness.