UNCLASSIFIED//You know - I usually redact POC info on messages - but in this case I'm not. I'm sorry Chief - I know it isn't your fault, you are only doing what you are told. Nothing personal but my readers are nice. I'm just helping spread the good word, right?
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
UNCLAS//N05050//
NAVADMIN 226/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUL//
SUBJ/NAVY WOMEN E-MENTOR PROGRAM OPEN ENROLLMENT//
RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES A NEW OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR THE NAVY WOMEN E-MENTOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THE NAVY WOMEN E-MENTOR PROGRAM IS A WEB-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM WHICH SUPPORTS THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICER AND ENLISTED NAVY WOMEN. THE PROGRAM CONNECTS NAVY WOMEN FOR ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS FROM WITHIN A LARGE POOL OF DIVERSE PARTICIPANTS. THE PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE ALL RANKS FROM SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL, AND REFLECT A BROAD RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.
2. THE NAVY WOMEN E-MENTOR PROGRAM HAS 1200 WOMEN PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED, INCLUDING 800 MENTORS FROM ALMOST EVERY DESIGNATOR AND RATING. THE PROGRAM HAS A MORE USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE AND HAS ADDED AN EXCITING NEW FEATURE TO THE BASIC ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING OPTION CALLED SITUATIONAL MENTORING. THIS FUNCTION ALLOWS MENTEES WHO HAVE IMMEDIATE SHORT-TERM SITUATION-SPECIFIC NEEDS TO SELECT ONE OR MORE MENTORS TO ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION OR TO POST THE ISSUE, ALLOWING MENTORS TO VOLUNTEER THEIR SUPPORT.
3. THE NAVY WOMEN E-MENTOR PROGRAM IS OPEN TO ALL ACTIVE DUTY AND RESERVE NAVY WOMEN, TO INCLUDE OFFICERS, OFFICERS-IN-TRAINING, AND ENLISTED MEMBERS. UNIFORMED NAVY WOMEN OF EVERY RANK AND RATE ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. THE OVERALL TIME COMMITMENT IS MINIMAL: AN EFFECTIVE ONLINE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP CAN BE ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED WITHIN ONE TO TWO HOURS PER MONTH.
4. MENTORS AND MENTEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENROLL DURING THE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD ENDING 15 AUGUST 2010. THERE ARE 400 NEW OPEN SLOTS FOR MENTORS AND PROTEGEES/MENTEES. INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS CAN REGISTER AT HTTP://WWW.ACADEMYWOMEN.ORG/E-MENTOR/NAVYWOMEN. WITHIN TWO DAYS OF REGISTERING, NEW USERS WILL RECEIVE AN E-MAIL INVITING THEM TO LOG ON TO THE E-MENTOR PROGRAM SITE TO CREATE PERSONAL PROFILES, INCLUDING AREAS IN WHICH THEY NEED AND/OR ARE WILLING TO OFFER GUIDANCE AND, IF MENTEES, SEARCH FOR AND SELECT A MENTOR(S).
5. THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S POLICY MONITORS AND ASSESSES THE PROGRAM. SUCCESS METRICS FOR MENTEES ADDRESS IMPROVEMENTS IN ACCESS TO ROLE MODELS, EXPANDED PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS, AND IMPROVED RETENTION INTENTIONS BASED ON SURVEY RESULTS. PARTICIPATING MENTORS ARE SURVEYED TO MEASURE INCREASES IN UNDERSTANDING OF JUNIOR SERVICE MEMBERS, AWARENESS OF ISSUES AFFECTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF NAVY LEADERSHIP, AND IMPACT ON RETENTION INTENTIONS.
6. POINT OF CONTACT: OSC JESSICA MYERS, OPNAV N134W, AT (703)695-1391/DSN 225, OR VIA E-MAIL AT JESSICA.MYERS(AT)NAVY.MIL.
7. RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.//
I got an email earlier from a reader who is a bullet-proof CAPT who actually went through the motions of trying to join - as a guy who has mentored females most of his career - but was told "You are a male - you can't mentor."
He knew that - he just wanted to hear it. I just wish he had it documented.
This is kind of sad, isn't it? From my generation of officer on down, we spent most of our career mentoring females. A good Sailor is a good sailor. Your #1 Div O is your #1 Div O - it didn't matter. Heck, I'm retired and via email and phone calls, I am "mentoring" a female LT, a female ENS, and a couple of MIDN. Gender based SeaMommyism is no way to grow leaders.
What a strange place the people who push these programs come from, because it isn't like the Navy I know.
Gender sectarianism is no way to build unit cohesion either ... but then again ... that isn't its purpose, is it?