How to Make Chief: Expectations of a First Class Petty Officer
MCPON(SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa Jr. recently addressed the active-duty chief petty officer selection board and outlined his expectations of first class petty officers being considered for selection to chief. “You are the gatekeepers to our [CPO] community,” Campa told the selection board. “What you do in the next several weeks will impact our [chief’s] mess and our Navy for years to come.”
First-line leadership, rating expertise, professionalism, communication, loyalty and heritage are all mentioned in the CPO precepts, the governing document each selection board uses as they deliberate and select Sailors whose records appear in front of a board. “Those expectations are the things we expect our first classes to be doing. We expect them to generate deckplate results. The most important factor I want you to consider is leadership – what they’re doing for those they lead. No one should be wearing an anchor on their collar if they can’t lead Sailors,” Campa said. Language taken straight from the guidance, “Expectations of the First Class Petty Officer,” has been inserted into the selection board’s precepts.
Those Sailors who live up to them have the best chance of putting on anchors Sept. 16. Campa introduced the Expectations in December 2007, and reinforced a number of characteristics effective first class petty officers have always demonstrated. Just seven months later, those expectations have been formally recognized as the most significant indicators of a candidate’s potential to lead as a chief. Campa followed a similar formula after he introduced the Chief Petty Officer’s Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles.
Within a year of their creation, they were inserted into senior and master chief selection board precepts. “It’s one thing to talk about what we expect from our leaders, it’s a whole other matter to drive performance based on those expectations. That’s what we do when we place the Guiding Principles or the Expectations into precepts. “We’re telling our Sailors that if they want to be advanced, the success of those they lead is what the board is going to look at,” said Campa. The results of the MCPON’s message will be felt by the entire fleet when CPO results are released later this summer.
Extra Navy Advancment Points for College Degree
Sailors with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree can get either two or four additional points toward advancement for the September 2008 examination cycle.
Educational transcripts and records need to be submitted to the Navy College Office by September 1, as announced in NAVADMIN 301/07. Sailors competing for advancement to pay grades E- 4 through E-6 will be awarded two points for an accredited associate’s degree, and four points for an accredited baccalaureate degree or above. Education points will be awarded for the highest degree held, and will increase the overall final multiple score (FMS) points with no reduction in points from other factors.
“The implementation of these points, and the emphasis on education in precept language, reflect the importance of critical thinking skills required for a more efficient, more technically capable future force,” said Jennie Humes, deputy director of Voluntary Education (VOLED) for the Navy.
Sailors must ensure transcripts with degree information are forwarded directly from their academic institution to the Navy College Center at:
Navy College Center, N211 VOLED Detachment, CPPD
6490 Saufley Field Road
Pensacola, FL 32509-5204
Any questions call: (877) 253-7122 or (850) 452-1828/DSN 922
Sailors are strongly encouraged to verify degrees are documented in their Sailor Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART) by visiting https:// smart.navy.mil. To allow sufficient time for the Navy College Center to process all documents, transcripts for Sailors competing for advancement to E-4 to E-6 must be received no later than Sept. 1, 2008.
“By planning ahead and remaining diligent, Sailors can verify paperwork is processed promptly, reduce delays between completion and awarding of a degree, and ensure timely receipt of the transcript by the Navy College Center,” said Humes. For more information about the Navy College Program visit https://www.navycollege.navy. mil/
Zumwalt Ships Face High Risk Of Cost Growth, GAO Says
The cost of two DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyers being built for the U.S. Navy faces a “high” risk of growing at least 14 percent and possibly almost twice that, according to a congressional audit.
While an independent Pentagon estimate is 14 percent, or $878 million, cost growth for the first ships in a new class historically has averaged 27 percent, or, in this case, $1.7 billion, according to figures in a Government Accountability Office report.
The amount would be added to the $6.3 billion the Navy projects for the ships being built by General Dynamics Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. under a program that initially called for seven ships.
The Navy announced last week it was cutting the program and instead will propose building eight more of the existing DDG-51 class destroyers. This proposal would be in its six-year budget that begins in 2010. The Pentagon said more analysis is needed.
The GAO said that, in the Zumwalt program, “the risk of cost growth is high in part because of the potential for late delivery of key systems and software and difficulties in constructing and integrating sections of the ship.”
In addition, “the full costs of constructing the two lead ships have not been entirely recognized or funded” by Congress, the GAO said in a report to be released tomorrow.
Remaining funds of $560 million “may not be sufficient to buy key components and pay for other work not yet under contract,” the GAO said in its report for Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy that was obtained by Bloomberg News. Kennedy is chairman of the Senate Armed Services seapower panel.
Navy spokesman Lieutenant Clay Doss said the service would not comment until the report is officially released.
Top Navy Officers Fired Over Carrier Blaze
From the Virginian Pilot
WASHINGTON–The Navy’s Pacific commander fired the top two officers on the aircraft carrier George Washington on Wednesday after investigators concluded that a $70 million fire that damaged the ship in May probably was triggered by crew members sneaking a smoke.
Capt. David C. Dykhoff, skipper of the carrier, was relieved “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command and his failure to meet mission requirements and readiness standards,” the service said. His executive officer, Capt. David M. Dober, was sacked “for substandard performance.”
Both actions were ordered by Adm. Robert Willard, commander of the Pacific Fleet. A Navy spokesman said each man will get an as-yet-unannounced assignment ashore. The disciplinary action almost certainly ends their careers, however.
Sailors who may have been directly involved in starting the fire could be subject to administrative action later, said Lt. Cmdr. Charles Brown, a spokesman for the commander of the Navy’s air forces.
The fire occurred May 22 as the George Washington was headed from its former home in Norfolk to Yokosuka, Japan, where it will replace the carrier Kitty Hawk, which is being retired.
While the full report of the Judge Adjutant General investigation was not released, the Navy said it concluded that the fire likely was caused by “unauthorized smoking that ignited flammable liquids and other combustible material improperly stored in an adjacent space.”
The fire and its intensity “were the result of a series of human acts that could have been prevented,” the Navy summary added. It cited “the storage of 90 gallons of refrigerant compressor oil in an unauthorized space” as a factor in the fire’s severity.
The summary said the fire began in a boiler exhaust and supply area and spread quickly because of a “chimney effect” in nearby spaces and duct work. The 12-hour battle to extinguish the fire injured 37 sailors, one of whom received first- and second-degree burns.
The fire was the worst of 13 reported aboard Navy ships this year.
The George Washington has been undergoing repairs near San Diego since shortly after the blaze. It is to depart on Aug. 21 and arrive in Yokosuka sometime in September.
About 2,800 sailors have had to live on board the ship since it entered the shipyard in late May. They don’t have cars or off-ship housing because most of their families and household goods are headed to or already in Japan.
Helping with the repairs has helped maintain morale, said Lt. Cmdr. Bill Urban, a ship spokesman. Many sailors also have taken short vacations to visit family or sight-see; others have been bused to San Diego parks, concerts, Padres baseball games and comedy clubs, he said.
The fire forced the Navy to slightly delay the Kitty Hawk’s retirement and instead send that ship to participate in an annual Rim of the Pacific Exercise in the George Washington’s place. Urban said some George Washington sailors joined the Kitty Hawk’s crew for the exercise.
Wednesday’s actions marked the sixth time this year the Navy has relieved one of its commanding officers and the fourth time the discipline involved command at sea. Earlier this week, the skipper of the Pearl Harbor, an amphibious transport, was fired after the ship ran aground in the Persian Gulf.
Dykhoff, a West Virginia native, had been in command of the George Washington since December 2006. He is a former F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet pilot and squadron commander and a former executive officer of the carrier Nimitz.
Dober, a native New Yorker, also is a former F/A-18 pilot and squadron commander. He had been executive officer of the George Washington since March 2007.
To replace Dykhoff and Dober, the Navy tapped Capt. J.R. Haley to be the George Washington’s skipper and Capt. Karl O. Thomas to serve as executive officer.
Both men have ties to Hampton Roads from their service on carriers based in Norfolk. Haley commanded the Theodore Roosevelt from 2005 until last January. Thomas had been serving as executive officer of the Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The Navy’s Two Newest Ships
Meet the Navy’s two newest ships, both aircraft carriers and both named after former presidents. In fact, the only thing in common between the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Bill Clinton are the fact that they are named after former presidents. See our side-by-side comparison of these 2 mighty (ok, really 1 mighty) warships, the different characterisitics of each ship, learn their different purposes in wartime, their standing orders, and welcome the newest additions to the fleet.
Does Together We Served.com = OPSEC Risk?
If you haven’t heard about NTWS yet, here’s your chance before it may be too late. The parent website of the website “affectionately” referred to as “Navy Myspace” is being called out by Air Force officials as an OPSEC nightmare.
Military Equipment for sale
Military Equipment for sale
It’s amazing the amount of military equipment there is for sale on the internet. I did a quick look up of this stuff and found military equipment for sale all over the web. There are military equipment manuals for sale, military equipment caps, hats, tactical military equipment, and even military equipment cases.
ET2(SW) Mark Jones
So, an old friend of mine has been deployed for a little while and I heard a joke today that made me think of him and his Louisiana ways (I’m from LA, too). I haven’t heard a good ole’ Boudreaux joke in a while but my dad sent me this one:
Subject: Fw: Boudreaux and Thibodeaux
Two Cajun hunters get a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose.
They bag six. As Boudreaux and Thibodeaux start loading the plane for the return trip, the Pilot says “The plane can only take four of those.”
The two Cajuns object strongly. “Last year we shot six and the pilot let us put them all on board; he had the same plane as yours.”
Reluctantly, the pilot gives in and all six are loaded. However, even with full power, the little plane can’t handle the load and down it goes and crashes in the middle of nowhere.
A few moments later, climbing out of the wreckage, Boudreaux asks Thibodeaux , “Any idea where we are?”
“I think we’re pretty close to where we crashed last year.” says Thibodeaux.
Merry Christmas Mark!
Military Binoculars
Military Binoculars
Military Binoculars feature more advanced features than say, standard binoculars. With features such as LED nighttime illumination, range finding, and waterproofing, military binoculars are some of the more advanced binoculars out there.
Read more
Advancement Results are out!
November 16, 2007 by Mike
Filed under Advancement
Go to BOL and check them out!