Navy Leadership Meet in San Diego to Discuss Surface Warfare

Photo By Joseph Millar | 180823-N-SB299-183 SAN DIEGO (Aug. 23, 2018) Vice Adm. Richard A. Brown, Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific, speaks at the Surface Navy Association’s 20th annual symposium on board Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 23, 2018. SNA was incorporated in 1985 to promote greater coordination and communication among those in the military, business, and academic communities who share a common interest in surface warfare while supporting the activities of the Navy's surface forces. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Millar.  

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

08.24.2018

Courtesy Story

Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

SAN DIEGO (NNS) – Navy leaders, from Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. John Richardson to newly pinned one-star admirals, met in San Diego Aug. 20-24, for a number of seminars and symposiums to review the efforts toward making the Surface Force a more effective, lethal force.

The Retired Surface Warfare Flag Officer Training Symposium (RSWFOTS) was held on Aug. 20, followed by the Surface Warfare Flag Officer Training Symposium (SWFOTS) on Aug. 21-22, and then the Surface
Navy Association (SNA) West on Aug. 23-24.

These training symposiums are annual leadership mentoring and training events that provide active and retired flag officers from the surface community a venue to discuss the Navy’s current and future needs so naval assets can better support the maritime strategy. More than 60 Surface Flag Officers met in San Diego with a list of objectives – one of which was how to continue to improve current and future readiness, while making an impact at the deckplate Sailor level.

“A crew that is well trained, well qualified, and educated is a crew that knows their ship, knows their ship’s missions, and will be able to take that ship into battle, fight, and win,” said Vice Adm. Richard Brown, commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in his remarks at SNA West.

Brown provided remarks on high velocity learning, recalling his own command philosophy of good stewardship, professional development, and safety.

He also added, "The biggest risk is the balance between this insatiable need to go do things, and the requirement to build readiness, capability, and competency. You can't generate readiness for readiness' sake. You generate readiness, and then turn that readiness into lethality."

The Surface Force continues to make changes throughout the fleet as an effort to improve readiness, safety and proficiency, like revising the Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) qualification instruction and the SWO Career Path. The SWO Qualification Instruction outlined newly set requirements for those who can become a qualified and pinned SWO. The intent of the revised career path is to develop the most experienced and capable Commanding Officers (CO) who are specialists in five areas: Seamanship, Navigation, and Shiphandling; Combat Systems; Engineering; Command and Program Management and Administration; and Leadership.

• Date Taken: 08.24.2018
• Date Posted: 08.24.2018 19:32
• Story ID: 290302
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US