Professional Expertise, Attitude, Initiative

Any time an O-6 attempts to communicate with a junior officer, there is well-known statistical evidence that documents the tendency of the JO to ignore the “older” generation. The perception is that there is no way that the analog old man can possibly understand the current plight of the digital, high-speed JO. I’m old enough to be your father, and I admit that my eight year old child can consistently kick my butt with a Nintendo, X-box or Wii. In relation to you, I am as old as dirt, but to keep it in perspective, after twenty-four years of dedicating my life to the Navy, the Navy has become as much of a family as my own bloodline, and I offer my “fatherly” advice to you with the same love and admiration that I would offer guidance to my own sons and daughters.

Captain Brian Hinckley in a brief excerpt from CDR Fred Kacher’s (CO, USS STOCKDALE) new book, NEWLY COMMISSIONED NAVAL OFFICER’S GUIDE

Our Man In The Pacific (Now at the Pentagon)

PACOM Director for Intelligence visits U.S. 7th Fleet
By MC2 (AW) Greg Mitchell, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

Posted: July 16, 2009

YOKOSUKA, Japan — The future intelligence officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) July 10 to get an intelligence update from 7th Fleet and participate in an all-hands videoconference with active duty service members and civilian intelligence professionals around the region.

Currently the U.S. Pacific Command director for intelligence, Rear Adm. Michael S. Rogers (1610 – Information Warfare Officer) visited Commander, 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. John M. Bird, during an office call and used the videoconference to discuss intelligence operations.

Originally a surface warfare officer, Rogers was recently selected to be the intelligence officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen in the Pentagon.

Rogers used the videoconference as a chance to talk career-oriented moves, while also opening the floor to personnel for asking questions concerning intelligence operations within the spectrum of forward-deployed naval forces.

“As an intelligence specialist, it is an honor to be able to be in the presence of such a prestigious senior officer in our field of expertise,” said Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Steven Martell, with 7th Fleet’s N2 Division. “This was a rare occasion to have the opportunity to meet a difference maker in our field of work.”

Rogers reciprocated Martell’s thoughts, expressing gratitude for the service of those in the intelligence community.

“I just wanted to come forward and thank all of the troops personally for their efforts,” said Rogers. “You should take pride in your part of supporting the area of responsibility (AOR). Your skill set and experience are vital to the decisions made by those senior decision makers.”

In closing, Rogers provided a bit of advice toward continuous success.

“Communication is something that I cannot emphasize enough,” said Rogers. “Part of the key to success is to know that the person on the other end of the line is just as capable and just as professional as you are.”

Chiefs Should Take Responsibility

“The Chief Petty Officer can, and should, take the responsibility of keeping every Sailor under his leadership informed. If one of his Sailors has a problem, he has a problem. There should be no excuses. There is a solution to every problem, and it should be pursued until his Sailor is satisfied that every means has been exhausted in the effort to find a solution. I feel very strongly that we need to improve our leadership abilities to keep pace with the high level of technical skill. The rapidity of advancement has caused a need for establishment of more leadership classes at the command level. My feelings are that we must have a chain of command from top to bottom, but even more important, we must have a channel of communication and understanding.”

Former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, MCPON Del Black

A new comment on your post “Chiefs Should Take Responsibility”:

Captain,
Maybe it would be appropriate to point out that MCPON Delbert Black was the first MCPON. He was stationed at Dam Neck, VA in 1967 when he was selected for that job, and I was stationed there as well at Guided Missile School.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834 (MCPO Hughes, USN, retired)

SORRY THIS IS A REPEAT POST FROM EARLIER IN THE YEAR. I GUESS IT MUST HAVE BEEN WORTH REPEATING. I DID IT BY ACCIDENT.

Effective communication

Effective communication is the result of a deliberate strategy, and training and education in the profession is a key to achieving success to its fullest extent. The risks can be high, but the rewards are also high. There is no satisfaction quite like that of seeing the positive results of your efforts in print or on the air, or watching your Sailors act on new Navy policy because they understand it.

But communication success is certainly not easy, and cannot be expected with one attempt.

Some communications researchers claim that it takes “seven touches” for a concept to be successfully communicated. People must hear it, see it, feel it, pick it up, turn it upside down, shake it and hear it again before they’ll remember anything substantial about it. We need more than a deliberate strategy; we need persistent presence on the communication front.

Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations in the 2008 Navy Playbook