R 231853Z JUL 05
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS //N05060//
NAVADMIN 177/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/JUL//
SUBJ/ALL AHEAD FULL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BEGIN MY TOUR OF DUTY AS YOUR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. AS I DO, I ASK YOU TO JOIN MY WIFE, DEBORAH, AND ME IN EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE TO ADMIRAL AND MRS. VERN CLARK FOR THEIR FIVE EXTRAORDINARY YEARS AT THE HELM OF THE GREATEST NAVY IN THE WORLD. THESE TWO PATRIOTS HAVE HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR NAVY FAMILY DURING ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL TIMES IN THIS NATIONS HISTORY. THEIR SELFLESS SERVICE AND DEDICATION MADE POSSIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE COULD NOT EVEN HAVE IMAGINED JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO. WE ARE TRULY, DEEPLY, IN THEIR DEBT AND WISH THEM ALL THE BEST AS THEY BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR REMARKABLE LIVES.
2. THANKS TO ADMIRAL CLARKS BOLD VISION AND INNOVATIVE REFORMS, OUR NAVY PLIES THE OCEAN TODAY MORE AGILE AND MORE CAPABLE THAN IHAVE EVER SEEN IT. (Skippy, please comment here) HE HAS POSITIONED US WELL TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THIS NATION AND OUR ALLIES DOMINANT NAVAL POWER WHEREVER AND WHENEVER IT IS REQUIRED. FROM THIS POSITION OF STRENGTH, WE CAN NOW -- AND WE MUST -- PUSH OPEN NEW BOUNDARIES AND EXPLOIT NEW OPPORTUNITIES. TO DELAY IS TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM AND THE ADVANTAGE HE GAVE US. MY FIRST ORDER IS "ALL AHEAD FULL."
3. I SEE THREE PRINCIPAL CHALLENGES FACING US IN THE YEARS AHEAD. FIRST IS THE NEED TO SUSTAIN THE CURRENT READINESS WE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. IT IS NOT FREE, AND IT IS NOT A GIVEN. I AM COMMITTED TO KEEPING IT SHARP. SECOND IS THE NEED TO BUILD A FLEET FOR THEFUTURE, ONE OF THE PROPER SIZE AND MIX OF CAPABILITIES TO DETER OR DEFEAT THE ENEMIES WE MAY FACE TOMORROW. IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE WE HAVE TODAY. WE MUST ENSURE IT IS EVEN STRONGER, THE RIGHT NAVY FOR ITS TIME. AND THIRD, NO LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE PRECEDING TWO, IS THE NEED TO TRANSFORM OUR PERSONNEL SYSTEM. OUR NAVY CAN NEVER BE BETTER THAN ITS SAILORS, BUT I CAN DELIVER FOR THOSE SAILORS AN ACCESSION, ASSIGNMENT, DISTRIBUTION, AND EDUCATION SYSTEM EVERY BIT AS MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED AS THEY ARE. WE NEED A FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO COMPETE FOR THE INTELLECTUAL TALENT WE WILL NEED IN THE FUTURE.
4. THESE THREE CHALLENGES NOW COMPRISE MY MAJOR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. I INTEND TO USE SEA POWER 21 AND ALL ITS SUPPORTING TENETS AS A FRAMEWORK TO ATTACK EACH ONE AND TO SERVE AS THE BLUEPRINT FOR OUR CONTINUING TRANSFORMATION. IN THE COMING WEEKS I WILL ISSUE ADDITIONAL, SPECIFIC GUIDANCE, BUT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT PRINCIPLES WILL SHAPE THE DECISIONS I MAKE AS YOUR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
A. WARFIGHTING. THE NAVY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A FIGHTING, SEA-GOING SERVICE (I would have recommended that as the top priority,but that is just me)-- ALWAYS HAS BEEN. THE WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGY CHANGE. THE SHIPS, AIRCRAFT, AND SUBMARINES CERTAINLY IMPROVE OVER TIME, BUT THE JOB REMAINS THE SAME: TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY SO THAT HE CANNOT TAKE IT TO US. IT IS WHAT WE ARE PAID TO DO. WE HAVE WORKED LONG AND HARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO PURSUE EFFICIENCIES THAT ALLOW US TO SUSTAIN THIS EFFORT, BUT I WILL NOT FORGET -- AND I URGE YOU NOT TO FORGET -- THE PROMISE WE MADE "TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC."(Hey, I voted.)
B. JOINTNESS. DEFENDING FREEDOM TODAY REQUIRES A REAL COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THE COMBATANT COMMANDERS AND OUR FELLOW SERVICES, AGENCIES, ALLIES, AND PARTNERS. IT REQUIRES TEAMWORK. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOOK ANY FURTHER THAN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM TO SEE THE TRUTH IN THAT STATEMENT. AS I WRITE THIS THERE ARE MORE THAN 3,800 SAILORS ON THE GROUND IN AFGHANISTAN, KUWAIT, AND IRAQ FIGHTING ALONGSIDE AMERICAN SOLDIERS, AIRMEN, AND MARINES, NOT TO MENTION THE THOUSANDS MORE DEPLOYED ABOARD SHIPS AROUND THE GLOBE(..and that still is not being properlyreflected in selecion boards). THEY ARE DOING MAGNIFICENT WORK, HELPING MILLIONS OF OTHERS LIVE FREE. THE NAVY BRINGS TO THE FIGHT UNIQUE MARITIME CAPABILITIES, BUT AS THEIR WORK CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES, THOSE CAPABILITIES ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE CONTRIBUTION THEY MAKE TO THE TEAM EFFORT. I WILL BE ACTIVELY SEEKING WAYS TO IMPROVE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE JOINT FORCE.
C. NAVAL CHARACTER. I WAS STRUCK BY THE STORY OF HOSPITAL CORPSMAN THIRD CLASS BRIAN ALANIZ OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, WHO IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE IRAQ WAR LOST PART OF A LEG TRYING TO RESCUE A WOUNDED MARINE FROM A MINEFIELD. WHEN ASKED LATER ON THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW IF HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF A HERO, ALANIZ RESPONDED SIMPLY, HUMBLY, "I WAS ONLY DOING MY JOB." THAT IS NAVAL CHARACTER -- NAVY-MARINE CORPS TEAMWORK AT ITS FINEST -- AND I CONSIDER IT A NATIONAL TREASURE. I WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS TO ENSURE OUR TEAM STAYS STRONG AND RELEVANT FAR INTO THE FUTURE AND THAT WE LIVE UP TO THE CHARACTER AND DEVOTION BRIAN ALANIZ DISPLAYED FOR "HIS MARINES."
D. PEOPLE. YOU, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, SAILORS ALL -- ACTIVE, RESERVE, AND CIVILIAN -- ARE ITS LIFEBLOOD. YOU ARE THE WORLDS BEST, AND I AM COMMITTED TO YOUR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THERE WILL BE FEW, IF ANY, DECISIONS I MAKE WHERE I DO NOT ASK MY COMMANDERS FIRST ABOUT THE IMPACT THOSE DECISIONS HAVE ON YOU. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR FAMILIES. I BELIEVE OUR FAMILIES ARE EVERY BIT A FACTOR IN OUR READINESS AS OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR TRAINING. THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO WHAT WE DO EACH AND EVERY DAY. DEBORAH AND I ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR LARGER NAVY FAMILY THAT SHARES A RICH TRADITION OF SEA SERVICE.
E. LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT WITHIN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US LIES THE CAPACITY TO LEAD. NO MATTER WHERE WE STAND IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DEVELOP OUR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL AND THAT OF THE SAILORS IN OUR CHARGE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT A TENET OF GOOD LEADERSHIP IS HOLDING ONESELF ACCOUNTABLE TO HIGH STANDARDS (see below). THE QUALITY OF OUR WORK AND OUR PERSONAL CONDUCT SAY MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR THAN ANY ONE OF OUR HUNDREDS OF SHIPS OR THOUSANDS OF AIRPLANES. WHEREVER WE GO, WHATEVER WE DO, WE REPRESENT THE IDEALS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION WE SERVE. ARLEIGH BURKE SAID IT BEST: "WE NEED MEN AND WOMEN WHO BY THEIR PERSONAL INTEGRITY, SENSE OF MORAL PURPOSE, AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR HARD WORK WILL EXEMPLIFY THE BEST IN THE LEADERSHIP TRADITIONS.
3. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EXPECT MUCH FROM US. THEY EXPECT US TO COMMAND THE SEAS AND TO STAY THE MOST POWERFUL NAVY IN THE WORLD. THEY EXPECT US TO DEFEND THEIR FREEDOM, TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY -- WHOEVER AND WHEREVER THAT ENEMY IS. THEY EXPECT US TO BE FLEXIBLE AND TO OPERATE JOINTLY WITH OTHER SERVICES AND ALLIES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF CONFLICT. THEY EXPECT US TO CHALLENGE THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO A LIFE OF CONSEQUENCE, WITH SERVICE THAT MATTERS AND LEADERSHIP THAT INSPIRES. THEY EXPECT US TO BE DREAMERS AND INNOVATORS, BUILDING FOR THEM A FLEET THAT WILL ENSURE THE SECURITY OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. THEY EXPECT US TO ACT AS GOOD STEWARDS OF BOTH THEIR MONEY AND THEENVIRONMENT. MOREOVER, THEY EXPECT US TO COMPORT OURSELVES ALWAYSWITH HONOR, TO LIVE UP TO THE LEGACY LEFT US BY NAVY HEROES PAST ANDPRESENT.
4. I BELIEVE WE ARE MEETING THESE HIGH EXPECTATIONS EVERY DAY, BUT WE WILL NOT REST. WE HAVE BOTH THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AND GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING OUR NATION AT A CRITICAL TIME, CONFRONTING THE MOST DEMANDING SECURITY CHALLENGES IN HISTORY(hyperbole, I would remove). OUR ABILITY TO OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES WILL AFFECT NOT ONLY AMERICAS FREEDOM, BUT ALSO THE FREEDOM OF MILLIONS OF OTHER MEN AND WOMEN THE WORLD OVER. OUR ENEMIES WILL NOT REST, AND NEITHER CAN WE. WE MUST MOVE OUT SWIFTLY, DELIBERATELY, BOLDLY.
5. AS I TAKE THE HELM FROM ADMIRAL CLARK, I DO SO WITH THE FULL UNDERSTANDING THAT SUCH BOLDNESS CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT. I NEED YOUR IDEAS. I WANT YOUR IDEAS. WHEN I VISIT YOU, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. THIS IS YOUR NAVY. I WILL LISTEN. I WILL LEARN. AND I WILL LEAD. BUT I WILL NEED YOUR HELP TO DO ALL THREE. IT IS TIME TO REMOVE THE STOPS AND OPEN THE THROTTLE.
6. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
BT
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(Yep, I saw the screw up too. On his first message to the Fleet, the paragraph numbering is dorked-up. Somewhere there is a Flag Sec/N1-type stepping off a C-130 wondering, "Why didn't I chop a hard copy......"
The CNO barely finished his post Change of Command cake when we saw the first head on a pike out front of
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO) Vice Adm. Joseph Sestak was “administratively reassigned” July 25 by new Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen, according to Rear Adm. T. McCreary, chief of naval information.That translates as "No one wanted to work for the guy, those who did had lousy retention, etc, etc."
“Rear Adm. Mark Edwards, currently serving as director of the Surface Warfare Division, will serve as the acting DCNO until such time as a relief can be identified, nominated and confirmed,” McCreary said.
A source within the Navy Department said there were no allegations of misconduct on the part of Sestak. Rather, he said, the move is being made because of poor command climate.
Message to Navy leaders: lead, don't browbeat. I have not worked for VADM Sestak, but I know his reputation. I would not work for him if I had the choice. I have a thick skin and like to work. 'Nuff said.
Standby.
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