This is Our Time

Team,
When I started my tenure as a Flag Officer nearly twelve years ago (December 2000), it was a very different period for our Navy and our nation. USS COLE had been attacked two months prior (and would ultimately change the way our Navy trains and conducts ATFP), but we were still nine months away from one of the most significant events in our nation’s history – the 9/11 attacks.

The attacks on 9/11, and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, required our Navy to rapidly adapt and bring new capabilities to a new fight in a new environment. Consequently, over the last decade we’ve developed new Irregular Warfare capabilities, reestablished our Riverine forces, and supported the land campaign in every way possible (including deploying our Sailors into combat ashore as Individual Augmentees alongside their Marine and Army counterparts). And we’ve done it all while executing our “conventional” missions (SSBN patrols, BMD, Carrier Ops, etc.) and developing the next generation of the Navy’s warships and aircraft. While our deployments and missions over the last decade have been heavily influenced by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the fundamental purpose of our Navy – to project power and influence from the sea – and our Title X responsibilities have not changed.

As we begin to wind down from the war in Afghanistan and continue the strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, we must be ready for a sustained, long-term global effort. This renewed focus on the Asia-Pacific does not absolve us of our responsibilities in other parts of the world and it certainly does not mean our enemies will stop trying to harm us simply because we have other work to do. Like it or not, the world is (and will continue to be) a volatile and violent place in which new threats to our national security emerge every day. And, like it or not, our Navy is the answer to these challenges. Whether it’s the violence in Syria that threatens the stability of the Eastern Med, Iran’s continued march toward developing nuclear weapons, or ensuring free and open access to the various choke points at sea that are absolutely critical for our nation’s commerce, our Navy is on station (24x7) and ready to protect our national interests.

And that’s why we must be ready. All of the initiatives on which we’ve worked so hard the past three years – raising the bar on our pre-deployment training for our CSGs, ARG-MEUs and independent deployers, revitalizing the Navy-Marine Corps relationship (and getting back to our core Naval roots!), reinvigorating and funding the programs to ensure our ships reach expected service life, increasing and improving waterfront training, and putting our Sailors back on ships – are absolutely critical for our Sailors and ships to meet the demands of our future. Because if history is any indication of the future, our Navy will be at the forefront of our nation's response to these challenges and it will be our Sailors and ships that will carry the might and mission of the United States forward. I believe we are indeed entering a uniquely Naval-oriented era.

While we certainly can’t predict where and when the next event will occur, we must be absolutely ready to respond because I can assure you we will be called. If you wear our uniform today, you must be ready mentally and physically, for this is our time…this is your time.
All the best, JCHjr

Surface Ship Material Readiness Improvements

Team,
In July 2010 I testified to Congress that institutional risk to the Navy was moderate trending to significant. High operational tempo as a result of growing operational demand was consuming the Fleet at a higher than planned rate. Although there was no doubt that we were deploying units that were operationally ready, overall readiness trends were in the wrong direction, particularly in our surface force, putting at risk our ability to sustain operational readiness into the future.

Over the past three years, the Fleet and maintenance community have taken significant actions to reverse negative surface force readiness health trends, as documented in this memo. What we have accomplished is a good news story for our Navy and reflects CNO's very strong and enduring commitment to Fleet Wholeness. These negative trends (underfunding of surface ship maintenance and our manpower accounts), however, were twenty years in the making and will take constant pressure and daily attention from us over time to fully resolve. So, while we can say we’ve arrested the decline in surface force readiness, we cannot declare victory. And in January we face the strong possibility of Sequestration, either as currently enacted in law or in some other form.

In this environment, deploying ships/submarines/aircraft/equipment that perform to design specification with Sailors confident in their ability to accomplish all assigned missions means we MUST hold the line on time-tested, combat proven standards that govern how we operate, maintain, inspect, certify and command our units. We have already proven that resourced-based outcomes are detrimental to Fleet Wholeness and mission success. Achieving and sustaining Fleet Wholeness will require that we all apply constant pressure - up and down the chain-of-command - to achieve outcome-based resourcing.
All the best, JCHjr

The Ship is the Classroom

Team,
RADM Dave Thomas, Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic (CNSL) and his team have established several waterfront initiatives over the past two years to deliver maintenance training directly to our Sailors on the deckplates. These various assist teams, mini-camps, and Maintenance and Operator Shipboard Training (MOST) initiatives provide valuable training for our Sailors on their equipment, in their spaces. Since every ship is unique, this style of ship-specific training avoids the broad “not exactly what you will see on your ship” course content often experienced by our Sailors in schoolhouse instruction. Instead, this training is truly hands-on, over-the-shoulder instruction that emphasizes standards and demonstrates “what right looks like.” The training embodied in “the ship is the classroom” delivers hull-specific instruction, instills pride of ownership, brings system experts from the technical communities to the waterfront, provides technical oversight to maintenance, and eliminates the need for some generic schoolhouse courses of instruction.

Below is a list along with a brief description of each initiative/team. I’ve seen a number of these teams in action on my ship visits and I believe these efforts are a very big step toward teaching our crews how to take ownership of their gear on their ships. If you have any questions or observations you’d like to share with me (the good and the bad!), leave me a comment here and I’ll do my best to find you an answer, or at a minimum ensure your feedback is passed to RADM Thomas and his team. All the best, JCHjr

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Corrosion Control Assistance Team (CCAT)
• Train, document, and execute shipboard preservation; tool repair

Maintenance Assistance Teams
• Deck: boat and J-bar davits, sliding pad eyes, life lines, UNREP equipment
• Valve: main and secondary drainage valves and remote operators
• Auxiliary: AC&R, steering, anchor windlass, compressed air
• Gun: CIWS, MK 38 25mm
• Gas Turbine: Intake/update preservation, water wash, controls
• Electrical: Circuit breakers, power panels and motor controllers

Readiness Assistance Teams – “Find, fix, train, document.”
• Engineering and Combat Systems (ERAT / CSRAT)
     o Plant light-off and assessment preparation (e.g., hot and cold checks)
     o Builds competency, confidence and a culture of self-assessment
     o Improves PMS accomplishment and CSMP management o Technical documentation validation (OSS, tech manual, PMS)
• INSURV (IRAT)
     o INSURV and TYCOM MCI preparation; SOE tailoring and execution
     o Builds competency, confidence and a culture of self-assessment
     o Technical documentation (OSS, tech manual, PMS) and CSMP validation

Mini-camps - NAVSEA ISEA SME hands-on, shipboard training on troubled systems
• Deck (8 complete)
• Oil Pollution Abatement (4 complete)
• Helo Hangar Door (scheduled for August 2012)
• Controllable Pitch Propeller (planned)
• Compressed Air (planned)
• Lube Oil System (planned)

Advanced Warfare Training – IAMD (current) and ASW (planned) shipboard training
• Phase 1: Self-assessment and Groom Training (SAGT) on multiple sub-systems
     o System alignment, trend analysis, and maintenance execution
• Phase 2: operator and maintainer training
     o Battle Orders, kill chain and DTE proficiency
• Phase 3: CIC watch team training o Battle Orders/OPTASK, core tactics, comms, mission planning

Deck Self-assessment and Groom Team (D-SAGT) (PMS-317 sponsored training)
• Initially focused on LPD-17 Class ships
• Phase I: NSTM, PMS, PQS review + assessments of 21 deck systems
• Phase II: classroom and hands-on training of each system
• Delivers ‘turn-key’ training products for each system

CNSL Material Standards Assessment Program (MSAP)
• PMS execution, Zone Inspection compliance, program management

USS PONCE (AFSB-I)

Team,
Earlier this month USS PONCE (AFSB-I) got underway on a historic deployment as our first-ever Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). The timeline of this deployment is remarkable when you consider that just six months ago she finished her “final” operational deployment and was on schedule to be decommissioned. From the moment we received the order to execute, our shipyard workers and staffs at MSC, NAVSEA, and CNSL (and later, the PONCE crew) worked around the clock to complete the maintenance and refurbishments necessary for her new missions. We went from zero-to-complete in just three months – a remarkable feat for an unplanned and very significant overhaul of a 42-year old ship.

Having recently commemorated (and written about) the Battle of Midway, I am reminded of the herculean effort from the Pearl Harbor shipyard workers to get the USS YORKSTOWN (CV 5) turned around after the Battle of Coral Sea and back into the fight at Midway. YORKTOWN was hit hard at Coral Sea and initial estimates were that it would take three months to return her to service…ADM Nimitz needed her back in the fight in just three days. Our Naval engineers and shipyard workers at Pearl Harbor worked around the clock to make the necessary repairs and three days later she got underway from Pearl Harbor just in time to join Task Force 16 in the Battle of Midway – the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

Just like the men and women at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in 1942, our PONCE teams worked together to overcome many significant challenges (technical and bureaucratic) to fix her and send her back to the fight on a very tight timeline. I could not be more pleased with the hard work and commitment we received from all involved. PONCE and her crew will soon arrive on station, ready for tasking. All the best, JCHjr

Our Reality

Team,

When I took command of Fleet Forces in July 2009, one of my first actions was to conduct an All-Hands call with my staff to inform them that we were entering a period of great challenge and sustained uncertainty. I told them I believed we were headed for permanent whitewater; that is, an environment in which our overall defense budget would very likely decrease, while our costs to own and operate the Fleet would likely continue to increase.

When you consider the environment we’re in today – our decreasing defense budget, looming sequestration cuts and increasing demand for our forces around the world – I believe we have indeed entered that permanent whitewater. And we’re in it at a time when we have an unprecedented percentage of the Fleet routinely forward deployed in a variety of “hot spots” around the world. While we have no idea yet when this whitewater will end (I believe we’re just getting started), we can be sure the demand for our forward-deployed Navy will not slacken one bit.

Now, I’ve served through several of these fiscal “downturns” over the course of my 39 year career. I was commissioned in 1973 during a particularly turbulent time for our nation. The public discontent with the war in Vietnam was very high (and taking its toll on our Navy), our nation was sharply divided on just about every national issue, we were on the cusp of a recession that would affect our nation (and our Navy) for the rest of the decade and the defense budget had dropped by about 25% over the previous five years. In many ways, it was a perfect storm of fiscal and social chaos. We faced similar challenges in the immediate post-Cold War period of the 1990s when our defense budgets steadily declined for nearly a decade (the “peace” dividend) and our Navy took a “procurement holiday,” the impact of which we are still feeling today.

Each of these down cycles and turbulent periods posed their own unique set of challenges to our Navy, but they provide us with lessons that we can apply to our own situation today. I want to share with you some of the important lessons I learned during those times that I believe apply to everyone in the Fleet today, regardless of where you are in the chain-of-command or your community warfare specialty.

First, this is our reality and we must accept it. This whitewater and all the churn that comes with it is not going away anytime soon. The world is not going to settle down so we can take a “training time-out” and figure out how we’re going to deal with our new fiscal and operational environment. And we don’t have the option (nor do we want it!) of simply packing up and walking away when the times are tough. Now is the time to be thinking about how we’re going to adapt to an increasingly austere future in an increasingly volatile world. If we continue to operate under the “business as usual” mindset, we will fail. I can assure you that whatever our future looks like, it will not simply be business as usual.

Second, we must make the tough decisions that the times demand of us and own the consequences of those decisions. Fewer resources brings competing priorities. I wrote here over two years ago that in an environment with declining resources, there are things that we inevitably will not be able to do (ref: do less, but not less well). While our overall operational demand shows no sign of slowing down, fiscal discipline demands that we prioritize requirements and make the reuired decisions about how we will meet our missions. This area is not one in which we can simply stick our heads in the sand and hope for the best. Hope is never an acceptable strategy in our line of work. Hoping for a result means you’ve lost control of the situation or your ability to influence the outcome. We live with the consequences of our decisions, not our hopes.

Third, take ownership of your responsibilities. If you see a problem, be part of the solution. I talked earlier this year about BMC Pici and how he and his team took ownership of Corrosion Control on USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL. BMC Pici had engaged the entire ship and created an environment in which every member of the crew was responsible for some aspect of corrosion control and prevention, just like every member of the crew is expected to have fundamental DC skills. And when given the opportunity, he took a chance and told me he needed paint floats because there weren’t any available (a problem RADM Dave Thomas and I promptly fixed). BMC Pici took ownership of his responsibilities and did what he felt he needed to do in order to ensure his team had the tools they needed to do their jobs – just like I want every Sailor in the Fleet to take ownership of their program, division, department, and command.

Finally, don’t lose sight of why we’re here. My job and commitment to our Sailors is to give them the tools, training and time they need to deploy confident in their ability to carry out their assigned missions. If you work at Fleet Forces, then your job should contribute in some way to this mission (i.e. providing Forces ready for tasking). We’ve reached a point where we all need to take a hard look at the many tasks we do each day and ask ourselves how it contributes to our mission. And we need to make the decisions (see previous paragraph) to stop spending resources on endless churn that has no clear benefit to our Sailors or our mission. We’re here to ensure our Sailors have what they need to get the job done. Period.

Many of the challenges we face every day are not exclusive to rank. Whether you’re a Flag Officer commanding a strike group or a Fire Controlman manning a weapons console in a DDG, your feedback on how we address our challenges is important. That’s why I’ve maintained this blog and fostered an open discussion up and down the chain-of-command for the three years I’ve been in command of Fleet Forces. At the end of the day, the onus is on us to take ownership of the Fleet and ensure we remain the Ready, Responsive, and Relevant force our nation needs. All the best, JCHjr

Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC)

Team,
A few weeks back I visited the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC) at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. NMOC is responsible for providing critical environmental information to our naval and joint operating forces. Although the meteorology and oceanography programs are probably the most well-known, Naval Oceanography also includes the study and practice of Bathymetry, Hydrography, Geophysics, and Astrometry & precise time. I had the opportunity to visit several of the NMOC departments and received thorough overviews of their missions and how they tie into every day operations across our Navy and the DoD.

Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) Expeditionary and Special Warfare Support Group
My visit started off with a tour of the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) Expeditionary and Special Warfare Support Group where I observed how our analysts exploit a wide variety of Navy and National sensors and data to provide tailored, fused information to support operations. The discussions and demonstrations were very technical (just how I like it!) and included: techniques to process satellite imagery to derive bathymetry and identify surf zone hazards to navigation; specialized software to display model output with satellite image overlay to identify safe lanes of ingress/egress and potential mission windows for operations; demonstration of stereo imagery analysis of littoral and riverine environments; demonstration of River Drifter data and analysis; and multi-scale analysis of Navy oceanographic models to identify seasonal monsoonal effects that have direct impact on coastal and nearshore currents and operations.
  
Naval Oceanography ASW Center (NOAC)
My next visit was with the NOAC’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Reach Back Cell (ASW RBC) where the NOAC-NAVO team walked with me through the watch stations and described how their work supports real-world ASW operations and prosecutions. The NAVO Oceanographers on duty gave me a great demonstration of how satellite and local oceanographic observations are used as inputs to the oceanographic prediction systems. They also demonstrated how they build tactical assessment products for Fleet users. While in the NOAC, I also met with the Naval Oceanographic ASW Team (NOAT) members assigned to deploy with COMDESRON TWO EIGHT (EISENHOWER Strike Group). The team showed me how they use the NITES IV portable computer system and all the remote expertise from the ASW Reachback Cell to support the Strike Group ASW Commander (SGASWC) afloat. While I was impressed by the entire NAOC team, I want to specifically recognize the ingenuity of AG1 Bryan Sebring who created a set of automation tools that dramatically speeds up building RBC analysis briefs that are sent to Fleet operators. His set of tools reduces a two-hour build process down to a few minutes; a significant savings in manpower and elimination of repetitive labor.

NAVOCEANO Navigation Department
After the NOAC, I visited the NAVOCEANO Navigation Department where I met with the Navy surveyors and analysts who collect and process the bottom survey data that updates maritime charts for the Navy and DOD. I was given a very thorough, end-to-end review of the survey processes and the ships and technologies used in survey operations. During this visit I met with LTJG Dan Beals of the Fleet Survey Team (FST) who showed me a beach landing product he and his team had recently completed for a future exercise in Saudi Arabia.

Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center (NOMWC)
My final visit of the day was to the NOMWC Data Fusion Cell (DFC). The DFC conducts post-mission analysis and change-detection on acoustic data collected by mine countermeasures forces. This group fuses data from all the various MCM sensor systems to extract tactical and environmental information. They can compare new sensor data to previously collected data which allows them to better identify possible threat objects on the bottom. This, in turn, provides the mine countermeasures commander a fused contact picture that greatly aids in reducing overall clearance timelines. As you can imagine, the work they do is particularly important to our ability to operate in potentially hostile waters around the world. Overall, I found my visit to be extremely useful and full of details on how NMOC executes their missions and supports our Sailors every day. I was very impressed with the quality and intelligence of the Sailors and Civilians working at NMOC. This command is not a real large group, but they have a tremendous impact on just about every mission we execute today. Thanks again to the staff at NMOC for taking the time to show me how you get it done for the Fleet!
All the best, JCHjr

 

 

 

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Team,
This month has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) across our Navy and the theme is “Hurts One, Affects All. Prevention of Sexual Assault is Everyone’s Duty.” In support of this theme, the Fleet is holding weekly training sessions throughout the month focused on four topics: “Hurts One,” “Affects All,” “Prevention is Everyone’s Duty,” and “We Will Not Tolerate Sexual Assault.”

This issue is a very tough one for our Navy - it strikes at the core of who we are and what we believe. One of my fundamental beliefs is that we must honor and respect those around us and treat others as we would want to be treated. A violation of this respect is a violation of the individual dignity we possess as human beings. We all know sexual assault is wrong - and a clear violation of individual dignity - yet it is still happening within our ranks. Eliminating sexual assault in our Navy starts with changing our culture.

Now, I have visited many Fleet units and have great confidence that my deckplate leaders understand the seriousness of this issue and the impact it has on our commands and our Navy, but we have got to do better. Training is an important step in this process, but the training must be relevant and effective. We’re certainly not going to make progress by simply reading from Power Point slides and pounding the table harder. Our Sailors already know the difference between right and wrong, but we must ensure they understand the reality of sexual assault.

We need to actively engage with our Sailors and walk them through the realistic scenarios in which they find themselves on a weekly basis and talk candidly with them about the consequences of their decisions.  We must also reinforce a strong esprit de corps in our units (we look out for our own!) – every member of a unit is a Shipmate and should be treated with the dignity they deserve. We must bring the strength of the unit to bear as a significant deterrent to any improper behavior and emphatically drive home a zero tolerance attitude toward this behavior just as we did in our campaign against drugs – not on my watch, not on my ship, not in my Navy!

Pro-active leadership is required to make this month’s efforts effective and ensure the message is heard and understood at all levels. But this effort cannot (and will not!) stop with just one month’s worth of focus.

And while we aren’t going to fix this problem overnight, with a strong and steady commitment from All Hands in the Fleet, I strongly believe we will make significant progress toward our goal of eliminating sexual assault in our Navy.
All the best, JCHjr

Click here to review a few slides about our SAPR vision and assessment.

P-8A Poseidon

Team,
Last month, the Fleet received delivery of our first P-8A Poseidon – our Navy’s newest multi-mission maritime aircraft. The P-8A will eventually replace our P-3C Orion aircraft, which has been in service in the Fleet since 1962 (50 years!).

I had the opportunity this week to participate in a training flight in the P-8A and observe its operational capabilities as well as the significant knowledge and skill it takes to serve as a crew member.
My flight started in the cockpit jump seat, where I observed the pre-flight checks and take-off. Once we were safely airborne and on-station, I transitioned back to the mission area of the aircraft to load sonobuoys in the rotary launchers. Like our P-3C, the P-8A uses sonobuoys to detect and localize a submarine. Once the sonobuoys were loaded, I cycled through each of the mission crew stations to observe and learn about their specific roles in executing the many P-8A missions. After using the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Inverse SAR (ISAR) to view surface contacts, I moved to the Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) station. Now, this is the part of the flight in which I saw firsthand the tremendous capabilities of this aircraft. While sitting as the TACCO, my “tutor” and I developed a buoy tactics pattern that would be used to track a sub-surfaced target (and potential threat) in the water. We then displayed the pattern to the flight deck where the pilots flew the pattern and the launcher system automatically dispensed the buoys from the aircraft into the water. Once the buoys were in place, I transitioned to the acoustic station to see the data we were receiving (from the buoys) and begin tracking the target. Using that data, we were able to simulate an attack on the target and complete the kill chain.

The P-8A is not simply an improved P-3C; it’s an entirely different and far more capable platform. From the airframe (based on the Boeing 737), to the advanced mission systems, to the payload capacity, everything about this aircraft reflects tremendous capability improvements in every mission area. You can count me among the many who are eager to get more P-8As into the Fleet so our Sailors can begin learning and unleashing the true potential this great aircraft brings to the fight.

Of course, at the heart of every platform are the Sailors who bring it to life. Thanks again to the Patrol Squadron THIRTY (VP-30) team for a very beneficial demonstration and training flight. It’s now up to all of you at the “Pro’s Nest” to make sure our Sailors are trained and ready to operate the P-8A for our Navy. You have a very important mission ahead of you, but I am certain you are absolutely ready to go. All the best, JCHjr

Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE)

The Sailors of NECE JAX – a terrific group!

Team,

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to visit the Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE) in Jacksonville, Florida. NECE is a command under the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (located in Portsmouth, Va) that provides technical services and expert training in reducing the risk of diseases transmitted by insects and other arthropods. 

Now, insect repellent is not typically the first thought that comes to mind when we think about Force readiness, but it is indeed a very important part of protecting our Sailors and Service members who are deployed around the world. Infectious diseases, such as malaria, are not a new challenge for us. Malaria caused more casualties among U.S. Service members in the South Pacific during World War II than the enemy. In 2003 we had to evacuate 43 Marines from Liberia due to malaria (a significant impact to readiness) and we recently lost one of our Seabees who contracted the disease while deployed to Liberia. While we’ve certainly made significant progress over the years discovering new practices that improve our ability to prevent those diseases, transmission can be deadly and thus remains a very serious concern for our deployed Sailors and Service members. 

Highlights of my visit include an overview of the reference insect collection used to educate our deploying IAs and Sailors on specific insect threats; the testing and evaluation shop where I had the opportunity to see (and use!) the equipment our Sailors use for pest control; the laboratory and the small wind-tunnel used for aerosol tests (among other things); and the NECE insectary which contains some very “interesting” bugs, including the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. 

Receiving an overview of the thermal fogger
(used to control mosquitoes) from
Engineman First Class Raul Pomales.

Given my role as the Executive Agent for Individual Augmentees (IAs), I was particularly interested in learning about how we are preparing our Sailors to deploy to regions of the world endemic for malaria and other tropical diseases. In addition to learning more about the various protective measures we employ today (e.g., advanced methods for treating uniforms with repellent, bed nets, and applying and using DEET) I learned that our Entomologists deploy all over the world right alongside our other Sailors to provide the expertise necessary to help our Forces adapt to and operate in austere conditions. In fact, our Entomologists have supported combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq; Humanitarian Assistance operations such as CONTINUING PROMISE and PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP; Disaster Relief operations such as Unified Assistance in the Philippines, Indonesia and East Timor (to minimize the risk of vector-borne disease to U.S. personnel); and currently support our President’s Malaria Initiative. 

Watching CDR Eric Hoffman, NECE OIC,

handle a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach.

I was further impressed to learn that when our Sailors were confronted with shortages of fuel for the insecticide sprayers being used in Afghanistan and Iraq, our NECE Sailors, in search of an innovative solution, located a small business that had designed a unique backpack sprayer powered by compressed air. NECE worked with the company to customize the design to meet our operational needs, thoroughly test and rapidly field the much-needed device to our Sailors. Having the proper insecticide support in theater has a significant impact on our readiness (remember the 43 Marines I mentioned above). Innovative solutions, such as the compressed air backpack sprayer, do not always have to come with an expensive price tag and long acquisition cycle.
  
My visit to NECE was very useful and I was very impressed by the knowledge and professionalism of our NECE Sailors. And although our entomology mission may not be well-known throughout the Navy, this small group of dedicated Sailors has a very big mission that has a global impact for our Navy. All the best, JCHjr

Fleet Introduction Program (FIP)

Team,
In July 2010, I released my Transitioning New Capabilities to the Fleet SERIAL to establish the Fleet Introduction Program (FIP) (within my N8). The FIP ensures that new and modernized platforms and critical systems being delivered to our Sailors meet the standards we require and immediately contribute to our Navy's mission.

Now that we’ve had some run-time with the program, I want to share a few observations.

Teamwork is key
As with any mission in our Navy, success requires teamwork. Each member of the FIP team has an instrumental role in the acquisition process to ensure there are no gaps between Fleet requirements (what we need) and program execution (what we’re getting). The support of our Resource Sponsors, Program Managers, Program Executive Offices (PEOs) and our colleagues at Commander, Operational Test & Evaluation Force (COTF) has been absolutely critical to our success with this program.

Rapid fielding vs. wholeness
The speed at which we can effectively bring a program from concept to operational employment is a critical part of adapting to the unexpected and countering emerging threats. While I understand and support the need to transition some platforms and systems to the Fleet quickly, we must ensure that we fully understand the risks we incur by compressing the established (and extensive) requirements and acquisition processes. The (often) legitimate need to deliver systems quickly can never, repeat never, be license to compromise our duty to our Sailors to provide the training, doctrine, technical documentation, spare parts, etc., they need to effectively operate and maintain those systems.

When we fail to ensure systems arrive in the Fleet whole, we place mission success at risk. It is this behavior that we have vigorously sought to change through the FIP and other efforts (such as the Fleet FAM). Although it is very important that we are capable of rapidly responding to emergent and urgent needs, we must not only do things quickly…we must do things right.

DOTMLPF wholeness at IOC
In my SERIAL and subsequent guidance to my commanders, I made it very clear that the manpower, training and support systems required by our Sailors to sustain the operational readiness of our programs through expected service life must be in place and properly functioning before we accept delivery in the Fleet (i.e., at Initial Operating Capability (IOC)). I consider the DOTMLPF wholeness of our programs a firm Fleet requirement and part of the essential foundation for operational readiness. Everything we do in the Fleet relies upon being whole. It is for this reason that operational wholeness is the sole focus of the FIP.

Although there is still much work to do (there always is), I believe we’ve made significant progress using the FIP to engage with our teammates (RSs, PEOs, PMs, etc) and improve the products being delivered to our Sailors today. All the best, JCHjr

EOD Training and Evaluation Unit (TEU) TWO

Team,
Last Thursday I had the opportunity to visit Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit (EODTEU) TWO to observe and participate in several training exercises. EODTEU TWO is a specialized EOD training unit that provides advanced unit level and mobility skill training for our deploying forces.

One of the notable events of my visit was a combat demonstration in a fabricated indigenous village during which the EOD team disarmed and detained a hostile force before locating, neutralizing and safely disposing of an improvised explosive device. I also had the opportunity to ride with our Sailors in the MRAP-JERRV (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected - Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicle) to the demolition range where I saw up close the meticulous effort that goes into detonating a live explosive.

Our EOD Sailors are currently serving in every major region in the world, including Afghanistan where they’re forward deployed and participating in direct combat operations every day. They are capable of clearing IEDs, unexploded ordnance, chemical and biological warfare agents, dirty bombs and underwater mines. Whether parachuting into a combat zone from 30,000 feet or diving to 300 feet to disarm mines in critical waterways, these highly skilled professionals are almost always “first in” to clear the way for combat operations.

Thanks again to the Sailors of EODTEU TWO for hosting me and showing me what you can do. I was very impressed by your dedication to your profession and commitment to your mission. You truly represent the very best of our Navy.
All the best, JCHjr

Surface Force Readiness Manual (SFRM)

Team,

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the official signing of our new Surface Force Readiness Manual (SFRM) by VADM Rick Hunt and RADM Dave Thomas. The SFRM represents a truly significant step forward for the Surface Navy and I’m very excited for the strategic direction it brings to the Fleet.

Throughout the twelve months of drafting and reviewing this document, our teams (East and West coast TYCOM staffs) have worked very closely together to collect and adjudicate over 600 comments from stakeholders across the entire spectrum of Surface readiness. This collaborative approach produced a robust and highly scrutinized readiness policy that I believe will better prepare our ships and crews for the many significant demands we face today.

Now, I understand this instruction is not perfect. In my 39 years in the Navy, I’ve dealt with a lot of training systems and policies, some good and some bad, but none have been perfect. But I do believe this manual represents a very well-developed point of departure that has us headed fair in the channel. Much additional work remains to be done, and future course corrections will be required, but the important point is that we are now on the right path with a directive based on fundamental tenets that are relevant and make sense.

I encourage you to read through the SFRM and let me know what you think.

All the best, JCHjr

Innovation

Team,
If you were standing near the present day carrier piers at Naval Station Norfolk on the morning of 8 March, exactly 150 years ago today, you would have seen at anchorage between Fort Monroe and Newport News several of the Union Navy’s most powerful warships. Turning to look up the Elizabeth River you would have seen a great plume of soot trailing what was truly an innovative creation of the day – a hybrid incarnation of a Greek trireme and an armored floating battery known as the CSS VIRGINIA. She was the Confederate Navy’s first steam-powered ironclad warship and was en route that morning to deliver a stunning blow against the Union Navy that would shatter conventional thinking about warship design, and profoundly changed naval warfare forever.

However, the following morning, again from your shore-side view point, you would have noticed an odd cylindrical object at anchor west of the present day Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Overnight, USS MONITOR had arrived. MONITOR was a monumental technological achievement and quite possibly the most revolutionary warship of the 19th century (even more so than CSS VIRGINIA). She was fully steam-powered with no mast or sails, built almost entirely of iron and crowned with an armored revolving turret (the first of its kind on a warship). And she had arrived just in time to disrupt VIRGINIA’s initiative to finish off the Union Navy in Hampton Roads.

While this first engagement between ironclad warships eventually ended in a stalemate, the historic battle marked a sweeping change in conventional thinking and ushered in a new era of naval warfare. Wind powered wooden warships were instantaneously obsolete.

It’s one thing to look back and admire the significant achievements in our past, especially when they involve a revolutionary new platform or weapon system. But innovation does not always have to equate to a huge technical leap forward; it does not always have to come in the form of a new multi-billion dollar program; and it certainly does not have to be the be-all and the end-all solution. Simple solutions (e.g., changing tactics based on lessons learned from a series of meaningful exercises) can often be just as effective at ushering in a new era in warfare. An example of this is how in the inter-war period the Navy learned to sustain itself for a trans-oceanic campaign lasting three years with 6,000 nautical mile supply chains.

But in order to have a true innovative culture in our Navy, we need to foster the type of environment in which everyone has the opportunity, regardless of position, to think critically and improve the way we do business in the Fleet. It is for this reason that RDML Kraft and the Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC), the Fleet lead for innovation, will be hosting an Innovation Symposium on 13-14 March titled: Regaining the Innovation Advantage…Awakening our Creative DNA. This symposium is an integral part of a larger campaign plan now in development to reinvigorate the conditions for an innovative culture and overcome our internal barriers to innovation.

Now, anyone who works for me (or reads my blog) knows that I am naturally skeptical of symposiums and conferences. These events are often treated as vacations away from the office with no real requirement to produce anything of substance. I do, however, believe that when properly planned and executed, we can achieve great value from bringing together some of the brightest minds in the business to think through and discuss our current challenges. I will kick-off the symposium next Tuesday and look forward to the rich discussions and, most importantly, the actions and meaningful changes that we pursue as a result.
All the best, JCHjr

Fleet FAM Update

Team,
It’s been almost two years since I visited the USS OAK HILL (LSD 51) to experience a “day in the life of a JO” and get a true deckplate perspective on the impact the administrative programs we use on our ships have on our LPOs, LCPOs, DIV (O)s, and DHs. That visit, and subsequent discussions on other Fleet units, prompted me to direct a comprehensive review of all software applications being used in the Fleet today. Additionally, I directed CYBERFOR to take a good, hard look at how we could establish a much more robust governance model to ensure we deliver effective tools that meet the standards our Sailors need and expect from us.

This comprehensive review, the “Fleet FAM effort,” was initially led by RADM Meek and now continues under RDML Herbert’s leadership at Navy Cyber Forces. We had some initial setbacks as we tried to get our arms around this complex problem, but the Fleet FAM team has since made steady and meaningful progress toward unwinding the effects of over two decades of undisciplined software management in the Fleet. I want to share some of the updates with you that I recently received from RDML Herbert and get your feedback on what you think we can or should be doing differently.

First, her team is making good progress with identifying and fixing the applications that are currently fielded in the Fleet. They’ve already assessed 568 of the 945 applications originally identified in the Fleet FAM baseline software application list. Each application is thoroughly reviewed for a valid requirement before a final determination is made to keep, kill, fix or sunset the program. The team is on pace to finish the application review by the end of this year.

Second, to assist with the review, RDML Herbert assembled a Fleet Application Solutions Team (FAST) of IT experts to visit ships and hear firsthand from our Sailors about any problems or difficulties they’re experiencing with the applications they’re required to use. This team is probably the most critical piece in this effort because they are pulling in feedback directly from our end-users on the deckplates.

Third, RDML Herbert is holding a combined Numbered Fleet N6 and Fleet FAM conference this month to bring together the experts in the Fleet to discuss many of the big issues we’ve discovered so far and how we can most effectively employ best practices to manage the tools we have today. Now, RDML Herbert fully understands my concerns about conferences and off-sites (these events are not simply a vacation from the office) and she has assured me she will make full use of everyone’s time and drive the team to produce tangible and relevant outputs that we can implement today to ease the burden on the Fleet and help our Sailors do their jobs.

Finally, RDML Herbert recently released several messages, the first addressing program management responsibilities for shipboard application configuration management and control, and the second providing Fleet best practices for maintaining baseline configuration control. In addition, a Fleet FAM instruction is in the works now and should be released later this month. These messages are a big step in the right direction, but we need to ensure the intended audiences are in receipt of, and acting on, the guidance provided (more on this in a future post!).

I told you when we started this effort that it would take a long and steady commitment from all of us to reverse the damage caused by so many years of undisciplined software management in the Fleet and by the many entities who were able to deliver software applications to the Fleet. There is still much to do, but I’m encouraged by our team’s progress and look forward to hearing more about what they learn from our Sailors during their ship visits.
All the best, JCHjr

Corrosion Control Assist Team (CCAT)

Team,
On Tuesday, I visited USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG 81) to observe the Corrosion Control Assist Team (CCAT) in action. The CCAT is a joint NAVSEA and Fleet initiative created to educate and assist Fleet Sailors in ship preservation and corrosion control. The team conducts training and brings expertise, tools and new technology to our ships during an intensive corrosion control and prevention visit.

My visit was led by BMC Anthony Pici and from the very beginning it was evident to me that his team has complete ownership (read: control) of the problem. BMC Pici has engaged the entire ship and created a “Damage Control-like” environment in which every member of the crew is responsible for some aspect of corrosion control and prevention, just like every member of the crew is expected to have fundamental DC skills. His Corrosion Control Tiger Team shares the knowledge, tactics and techniques they learned from the CCAT to ensure every Sailor on the ship is capable of contributing to the fight against corrosion. I was very encouraged by the work being done by BMC Pici and his team and look forward to a future update.

The retired BMCM who led the CCAT gave me a terrific walk-around pointing out the many things done in construction, material selection, etc that add significantly to every ship’s corrosion problems. There are many things we can do differently to help ourselves and our Sailors – we’re going to get after them.

In addition to my discussions with the crew of CHURCHILL, I received feedback from the crew of USS LABOON – another one of our ships whose crew benefited from the CCAT training. LABOON’s crew provided the following best practices that have been particularly useful in their fight against corrosion:

• Created a 10-person Corrosion Control Division (CCD) in support of an initial Corrosion Control Assistance Team (CCAT) visit. Based on the success achieved, CCD became a permanent organization onboard.
• CCD conducts topside preservation and attends training on corrosion control procedures; during inclement weather their focus shifts to fan rooms, castleways, bilges and interior spaces. CCD is responsible for managing the paint locker and corrosion control tool issue.
• Members of CCD are volunteers and are "IA'd" from their division; they report permanently to CCD and have no PMS, DCPO, admin or other responsibilities with their former divisions. CCD personnel conduct preservation inport and underway and are in a duty free status during the period of their assignment.
• A junior officer (LTJG, SWO qualified) provides day-to-day supervision and addresses admin responsibilities.
• Length of assignment lasts approximately 3 months, at which time CCD personnel turn over with a trained replacement. Outgoing CCD personnel return to their former division to share and inculcate corrosion control best practices within their division.

The photos of CHURCHILL (provided below) illustrate why our corrosion control efforts are so important. Corrosion is one of our greatest challenges to operational readiness and significantly impacts our ability to achieve the expected service life of our ships. The good news is we’ve learned a lot over the years about how to effectively fight and control it. The bad news is there is work for us all in this fight and that certainly includes me (one team, one fight!).

During my visit to CHURCHILL, I asked BMC Pici what I needed to know that I didn’t know and what he needed me to do; after some hesitation, BMC Pici looked me in the eye and said he needed paint floats and that there weren’t any available. I was really stunned by BMC Pici’s answer. As I quickly reflected on my days in command (in Long Beach and Norfolk), paint floats were never an issue. What the hell happened? Well, I don’t know yet what happened, but I do know that Chief Pici was ABSOLUTELY RIGHT – we’re down to two (that’s right, two) paint floats at NAVSTA NORFOLK. I’m on it – RADM Dave Thomas, CNSL, and I are going to fix this as soon as we can.

I will also ensure the necessary scaffolding and staging are installed at the beginning of all CMAVs and CNO avails to give our Sailors access to hard-to-reach areas. I’ll do my part to give you the resources you need, but it’s going to take a consistent and steady effort from all hands on deck to win this fight.

Thanks again to the crews of USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL and USS LABOON for taking the time to share their best practices and show us how they get it done every day.
All the best, JCHjr

USS MONTEREY (CG 61)

Team,
USS MONTEREY (CG 61) returned on Tuesday from an eight month deployment to the Mediterranean as the first ship to execute Phase 1 of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) – our nation’s plan for providing ballistic missile defense over Europe. MONTEREY’s deployment kicked off what will now be a continual deployment of Aegis BMD-capable ships in that region. This BMD mission is yet another great example of our Navy providing our unique capabilities to meet a critical need for our nation.

Throughout her deployment, MONTEREY participated in several multi-national military exercises, humanitarian efforts (with Project Handclasp), and hosted hundreds of multi-national dignitaries to build and strengthen relationships with our allies in the region. While this mission is not new for us, this particular deployment was the first in support of the EPAA and sets the bar high for future deployments.

In light of what I believe to be a successful deployment, I want to focus for a moment on what it takes to execute these types of missions. The Aegis BMD capability we have today is built upon a foundation of wholeness and excellence. Wholeness is the resources (manning, training, equipping and maintenance) and time needed to prepare a unit to deploy with confidence in their ability to accomplish their assigned mission. Excellence is adhering to the standards of technical rigor and professional performance in every aspect of our duties. We must first build and maintain a firm foundation of wholeness and excellence before we can deploy to execute the mission. A firm foundation means that our spares lockers are full, our systems perform to specifications, our ships are properly manned and maintained, and our Sailors are trained, confident and understand what’s expected of them.

Although we’ve been in this Aegis BMD game for quite some time, it’s taken our strongest effort to protect and reinforce this foundation. The great majority of the topics we’ve discussed on this blog – Practices of Successful Commands, surface improvement initiatives, AN/SPY-1 Radar improvement, changing our culture – all get at the very heart of what we all need to do every day to rebuild (where needed), reinforce and maintain the foundation.

I am very proud of what MONTEREY’s crew accomplished during their time on this deployment. The first of any type of mission is never an easy one, but the crew of MONTEREY was ready for this one and they stepped up and delivered in a very big way. Well done.
All the best, JCHjr

Our Sailors

Team,

During my time in command of Fleet Forces, I’ve spent a lot of time visiting our Fleet units and talking here about the unique capabilities I’ve observed our Sailors bringing to the fight every day.

During Operation Unified Response, we saw firsthand what it truly means to be a ready force – from our initial response and through weekly updates to my personal observations while I was on station discussing all the great things our Sailors were doing to assist the Haitian people. 

We got a good look at the USS TEMPEST, RIVGRU 1 and NECC, the extremely capable crew of USNS SACAGAWEA and observed our Seabees building an Elevated Causeway System; a capability that is unmatched by any Navy in the world. 

I’ve checked in from CENTCOM while spending Thanksgiving with our Sailors in 2009 and 2010 (more photos here), paid a visit to our Sailors at JTF GTMO, and had the great privilege of spending time with a truly inspirational group of men and women at Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

We learned about the importance of flexibility with the HSC-22 Sea Knights, the rapid deployment capabilities of the Airborne Mine Countermeasures squadron HM-14, and got an up close and personal look at the E-2D, E-6B (TACAMO), and F/A-18 in action.

I released (and shared with you) a series of “Practices of Successful Commands (I, II, III, IV)” messages to emphasize the importance of programs that I believe have the greatest influence on our Sailors, their families, and our Navy. 

We saw the “Mighty Memphis” off on her final patrol, welcomed USS PONCE home from hers and paid a visit to the very talented Sailors of USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT to observe all the hard work carried out during her RCOH to get her ready for the next 25 years of her operational life.

We talked about the battles of Leyte Gulf, Savo Island, USS CONSTITUTION vs. HMS GUERRIERE, and followed the truly remarkable voyage of the USS OREGON (BB 3).

When Secretary of Defense Gates announced the disestablishment of SECOND Fleet, our staffs put together the right plan and worked hard to bring the two organizations (USFF and C2F) together on schedule and with no impact to Fleet operations.

As the CNO’s Executive Agent for Individual Augmentees, I’ve consistently used your feedback, here and on the USFF Staff Page, to work to improve the service, processes and support we deliver to our IAs and their families.

As the CNO’s Executive Agent for Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection (ATFP), I released my SERIAL guidance to assess the effectiveness of our program and make the changes needed to make ATFP a permanent part of our culture.

Last October, DRRS-N officially replaced SORTS; we worked to put the program on a path to sustainment and updated you along the way.  We discussed the concept of readiness and the importance of being a global Navy, talked about what it takes to keep the Fleet in the fight (then and now), the importance of investing in our ships and our people, and looked at the many initiatives we’re taking to improve maintenance and Surface force readiness.

We had many frank discussions about the importance of changing our culture to prioritize operational readiness (through technical excellence) and ensure that, although there are things we will do less, we must never do less well.

And finally, we honored the legacies of VADM Samuel Gravely, Corporal Jason Dunham, and BMCM Carl Brashear, and said goodbye to our shipmate, Chief Bob Feller.

All these things that we do every day – from the combat operations in Afghanistan to the largest humanitarian assistance and disaster relief effort ever supported by our Navy – would not be possible without our Sailors. 

Our Sailors, dedicated professionals who always get the job done.

Our Sailors, held together by the common bonds of sacrifice, service and loyalty.

Our Sailors, the common element behind every success of our Navy.

Our Sailors, the heart and soul of our Navy.

I’ve never been more proud of the men and women I serve with today.  Everything we do today always comes back to our Sailors, the true strength of our Navy and the real power of our platforms.  
All the best, JCHjr