Author: captain1610

Command Excellence – The Crew Makes All The Difference

U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Yokosuka, Japan
It is THE CREW, led by the officers and Chief Petty Officers, who must ultimately accomplish the command’s mission. 
THE CREW is where “the keel meets the water.” Without a top performing crew, no command can be successful. COs of superior commands are particularly adept at molding their crew into a highly unified, spirited, fighting team with a laser-like focus: accomplishing the command’s mission. When asked, these crews can not only clearly describe the command’s philosophy and goals, but they also voice wholehearted support of the CO and his approach. Because the CO, XO, officers, and Chief Petty Officers frequently explain what they want done and why. 
THE CREW knows what is expected of them and feels a part of the team. The result is enthusiasm, motivation, and pride in the command. These crews often praise their CO with the ultimate accolade: “I’d go to war with him.” 
In average commands, THE CREW may not be sure of the command’s philosophy or may withhold their total support of it. 
THE CREW in superior commands also live up to the high standards demanded by their officers and Chief Petty Officers. They know that when they succeed, they will be recognized and rewarded; equally well, they know that when they make mistakes, they will be told and corrective action taken. Their commitment to upholding the command’s standards generates a strong sense of responsibility for their individual work areas. They act on the principle that if you’re going to do something, then do it right, and do it right the first time. 
Crew members of superior commands realize that success depends on a team effort. They don’t act or do their jobs in disregard of the rest of the command. They communicate frequently, coordinate activities, and help each other out when necessary. In addition, they are careful about following the chain of command. They know that violating it disrupts teamwork, creates confusion, hurts morale, and hinders leadership.

Also see Admiral John Harvey,  (former) Commander Fleet Forces Command message on his BLOG.

The Command Excellence approach is all well-documented and taught at the Naval Ethics and Leadership Center for PCO/PXO and CMC courses.

A leadership tip from NASA’s Dr. James T. Brown

Another tool in the leader’s toolbox for recognizing Sailors is the handwritten note – not an e-mail, not a preprinted thank-you card, but a handwritten note. This means ink on paper in your distinctive handwriting. You should have within arm’s distance of your work environment, and in your briefcase assorted blank thank-you cards. Handwritten notes go a long way because they show that you value the recipient enough to take your personal time to acknowledge his or her contribution and effort.
Many leaders don’t write thank-you cards because they don’t know what to write. If you fall into this category, I suggest you get a copy of Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisal by James E. Neal.  This book is equally helpful in writing performance appraisals, letters of recommendation, award nominations, etc. No one is going to give you a medal for struggling to write every word yourself.

Information Capable Warrior (ICW)

“Information dominance in the 21st century Navy will require specific focus, deep expertise developed over an entire career, new mindsets, and new processes. If we accept the assumption that “information effects” are both supporting kinetic operations and supported by kinetic effects, the Navy must take immediate steps to build and sustain Information Domain warfighting expertise in order to develop future Maritime or Joint Information Warfare Component Commanders. After reviewing all options for long-term effectiveness and near-term feasibility, the Information Capable Warrior study recommended establishing a new Information Officer (URL) warfighting community as a comprehensive solution with the best opportunity to realize the Navy’s goals for the future Information Capable Warrior.”

Information Capable Warrior Whitepaper 2007
Captain Mark A. Wilson, USNR, Retired
President/CEO – Strategy Bridge International

Seven years later and we are getting closer to the comprehensive solution proposed by Mark Wilson.  Information Capable Warriors encompasses all designators in the Information Dominance Corps.

Words from the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

“As Chief Petty Officers, we must set and maintain the highest of standards,” said Stevens. “As such, we must set the conditions for success by leading and setting the example and mentoring our Sailors. And we must do so by treating them with dignity and respect.”

During his visit, MCPON talked about the importance of having an informed and trusted command triad.

“A successful triad cannot fail and a dysfunctional triad cannot succeed,” said Stevens. “The relationship that you have with the commanding officer and executive officer is critical to the command.”

Amusing anecdote

Some Command Master Chiefs (Senior Chiefs, too) are fairly wise men and women.  I was talking to a retired CMC the other day and he was talking about the TRIAD and their roles in the command.  I asked him to describe their respective roles. He said, “My job is to make sure the CO and XO get to do their jobs.  The Commanding Officer’s job is to give speeches and make Sailors feel good.  The XO’s role is to think.  My job is to make sure the CO doesn’t think and the XO doesn’t give any speeches or make the Sailors feel good.”

Never Forgotten. A remarkable Sailor was born on this date — Rest in Peace Steven — 16 May 79 – 6 Jul 07

CTT1 (SW) Steven Daugherty was born today (my birthday) in 1979 in Apple Valley. No one thought he would leave this earth before he was 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years old. But, the young man is gone. Gone, but not forgotten. No. Not by a long shot.

He was from Barstow, California and really never intended to join the Navy. He was a student in my schoolhouse at the Naval Center for Cryptology at Corry Station, Pensacola. We had about 8000 students graduate in a year. So, I can’t say that I even recall who he was. That won’t keep me from remembering him.

After his time at Corry, he served in the typical billets of our young Petty Officers. He went to sea and advanced reasonably quickly. While at Navy Information Operations Command Norfolk he became interested in the SEALs and qualified to deploy to a U.S. Navy SEAL team operating in Iraq. He advanced to Petty Officer First Class (E-6) at a pretty good pace.

On 6 July 2007 (my daughter’s birthday) he was killed in Iraq by an improvised explosive device (IED).

We can argue about whether Steven Daugherty was a hero or not. We can’t argue about his patriotism. There is no doubting that.

Obituary: CTT1 (SW) Steven Phillip Daugherty, USN, 28, passed away July 6, 2007, on duty in Baghdad, Iraq. He was born May 16, 1979, in Apple Valley. Besides his love for the Navy, he enjoyed playing his guitar and spending time with family and friends. He is survived by his parents, Thomas and Lydia Daugherty of Barstow; a son, Steven P. Daugherty Jr. of Tacoma, Washington; two brothers, Robert Daugherty of Omaha, Nebraska, and Richard Daugherty of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a sister, Kristine Daugherty of Killeen, Texas; and his grandmother, Pearl Watkins of Yermo. A graveside service with full military honors was conducted in Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday, July 24, 2007, at 10 a.m.

People make the difference

  • Every platform will sense and report via the network.
  • Every sensor and processor will be adaptively connected to the network.
  • Collectors and sensors will be dynamically tasked and managed over the global network. Every shooter and weapon will be capable of compiling, assessing, exploiting and using composite target data from any collector, sensor or data repository.
  • Data processing, correlation, exploitation, fusion and analysis will be network-hosted for enterprise level dynamic management and load balancing.
  • Remotely piloted, autonomous and unattended platforms and sensing and communication node capabilities will be emphasized.
  • Globally-integrated, service-oriented backbone architecture will be implemented with scalable enterprise-wide services.
  • Any sensor, data link, terminal or processor system that currently supports only one model platform or weapon will be migrated to the globally interconnected net-centric architecture or divested.
  • All data and information will be rendered universally discoverable, transparent and accessible; data will be standardized across Navy and the maritime domain.
  • Joint, Defense, interagency, Intelligence Community partner architectures and data resources will be aggressively leveraged in support of Navy missions and operations. 
  • Vulnerabilities and risks uniquely associated with net-centric operations will be rigorously accounted for, assessed and mitigated.
  • Navy information professionals will receive world-class training, qualification, experience and tools, and be expected to become prominent elements of Navy‘s warfighting arsenal.

Getting there "first" is not what it’s all about. What matters always is taking the path that assures you have the ability to execute the mission.


GUEST POST from an anonymous (to you) member of the Information Warfare Community who has tired of all the discussion about “first woman this and first woman that”.

If the Navy feels the need to repeatedly tell the world that a stellar Naval officer was the “first” woman to do something, they are failing in their public relations efforts and in the newsworthiness of that officer’s accomplishments. Pointing out that someone is the “first” anything is usually a waste of time.  “First” matters a lot less than “BEST”. Even “better” matters more than “first”. Honestly, “first” diminishes the achievement when it is followed by religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, country of birth, branch of service, sex, or virtually any other ‘qualifier’.

Such is the case with VADM Jan Tighe.  It is not so much the achievement of the “first” that should be focused on, but rather the road she took getting there.  And, it was a long hard road.

  • 1984 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, (not the first).
  • EA to the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command. (Not the first).
  • Command of NSA/CSS Hawaii. (Not the first).
  • Russian linguist. (Not the first).
  • Wartime Flight Operations – Desert Shield/Desert Storm. (Not the first).
  • Deputy PM, Navy Information Warfare Activity. (Not the first).
  • U.S. Cyber Command Deputy J3. (Not the first).
  • OPNAV N2/N6 Director, Decision Superiority. (Not the first).
  • President of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). (Not the first).
  • Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet. (Not the first).
  • M.S. Applied Mathematics, NPS (Not the first).
  • PhD Electrical Engineering, NPS (Not the first).
  • Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet. (Not the first).
  • Mastered the art of life/work balance – wife to a pretty cool guy and mother to two bright children. (Not the first).

Even in that long list, there are many things that are missing. “First” has never mattered to VADM Tighe and it should not matter to us.  Keep in mind, she has often been “better” and not infrequently, the “BEST”. 

There is a lesson for Sheryl Sandberg, author of LEAN IN, here. “Sheryl, if your aim is to help women sit at the table – your aim is a bit off. You should have them focus on sitting at the head of the table. VADM Tighe can tell you that, especially with regard to the Navy, women have been at the table for quite some time. And many are rightfully sitting at the head of that table.”