Author: captain1610

Watch your conversations

Rear Admiral Gaouette, former JOHN C STENNIS Strike Group Command was relieved of his command for a number of reasons, including: “…he spoke in a manner that tended to diminish confidence in or respect due to three other admirals.”

Thankfully, to our knowledge, no one else has spoken in a manner which might tend to diminish the confidence in or respect due to our Flag officers. Whew!

Blessing of the Fleets

Today (Saturday, 13 April 2013) from 1-5 PM at the Navy Memorial in Washington D.C.  Don’t miss it.

The Navy Memorial celebrates its annual “Blessing of the Fleets” ceremony.  Passed down through generations of sailors and navies around the world, the centuries-old ceremony is intended to safeguard crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a traditional blessing given by a clergyman at the water’s edge.  
As a tribute to our nation’s rich maritime heritage and the men and women who have contributed to its growth and success, the Navy Memorial hosts its annual Blessing of the Fleets ceremony each spring.  The event is free and open to the public.  
The ceremony’s highlight occurs when sailors from the US Navy’s Ceremonial Guard proceed across the Memorial Plaza’s “granite sea” to pour water from the Seven Seas and the Great Lakes into the surrounding fountains “charging” them to life and ushering in the spring season.

And, I like it.

I go anywhere in the world they tell me to go, any time they tell me to, to fight anybody they want me to fight. I move my family anywhere they tell me to move, on a day’s notice,and live in whatever quarters they assign me. I work whenever they tell me to work….And I like it.

James H. Webb

Former U.S. Marine and Secretary of the Navy (1987-1988)
U.S. Senator representing Virginia

Navy on FaceBook

The choice of whether or not to participate (in Social Media) is a false one.  Opting against using social media cedes the conversation to others.  People will be talking about your command and forging your public reputation, but without your input.  Choosing not to participate simply means you surrender your stake in the outcome…For some, interactive communication is not that important.”

Join the United States Naval Institute HERE to read the rest of Lieutenant William B. Tisdale’s Professional Note.  It’s important in today’s Navy where it appears that the information is dominating us rather than the other way around.

Sweat the small stuff

Disciplined military professionals do not allow themselves or their shipmates to ignore minor requirements even when there is no direct mission impact. They understand that even the simplest regulations matter. And they are more likely to follow rules that do affect mission success.
Whenever we allow someone to get away with a small infraction, however trivial, we encourage disobedience through our inaction. Every time we ignore the small stuff, we make apparently minor requirements less important. Eventually the less important things become unimportant; and small stuff ignored becomes nothing at all. This leads to bigger and more important items becoming the small stuff, and the stage has been set for those requirements to be ignored as well. 
From retired CTICS Jim Murphy’s article in PROCEEDINGS magazine HERE.
Hey, if your CO can ignore SECNAV, your Sailor should not be faulted for ignoring the CO.