Naval Symposium Examines Ship Capabilities, Career Options

 

The annual Surface Navy Association (SNA) West Coast Symposium was held on the waterfront at Naval Station San Diego on July 16, and provided attendees an update on some key operational and career developments important to the surface warfare community. Capt. Mark Johnson, president of the SNA San Diego Chapter, was the host and master of ceremonies for the symposium.

 

Capt. Warren Buller, commander of LCS Squadron 1, provided a comprehensive update on the LCS program, to include a detailed summary of the status of mission package development. LCS is a focused-mission combatant that can be configured for one of three missions—surface warfare; antisubmarine warfare and mine countermeasures—by installing the appropriate mission package. He pointed to the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), currently in the middle of a 16-month deployment to Singapore and the U.S. Seventh Fleet, as exemplifying the value of a small, fast, agile combatant.

 

Rear Adm. Charles Williams, who is Commander, Logistics Group, Western Pacific/Commander, Task Force 73, and Commander, Navy Region Singapore, explained how LCS is making an impact on naval operations in the Asia Pacific region, and demonstrating its flexibility, speed and capability. Williams discussed how Fort Worth was able to play a major role in the Air Asia flight 8501 search and recovery efforts immediately after arriving at Singapore; operated as far north as Korea; completed scheduled maintenance in Japan, and participated in numerous CARAT exercises with partner navies throughout the region.

 

Williams pointed to Destroyer Squadron Seven in Singapore, as more than managing the deployed littoral combat ships, but also being a fully capable “on-call sea combat commander.” 

 

“Singapore is no longer just a liberty port,” William said. “It’s a hub.” And, he said, Singapore is a great duty station to be assigned.

 

The Navy’s “warfighting first” mantra starts with the warfighters, themselves, and how the Navy grows, improves and retains its people. Fittingly, several presentations provided insight into how and why the Navy is evolving surface warfare officer career development and assignment. 

 

Lt. Cmdr. Mark Blaszczyk of LCS Squadron 1 provided an update on the Athena Project (https://athenanavy.wordpress.com/), which encourages innovation, and allow junior officers and Sailors propose new and different ways of doing things. Much like TV programs like Shark Tank, individuals or teams can offer suggestions and solutions, and if selected by group, they can receive assistance and resources to conduct tests or experiments, build prototypes, or validate concepts.

 

Capt. Brad Cooper, Director, Surface Warfare Officer Distribution Division (PERS-41), discussed innovative ways the Navy is providing new career options—including educational opportunities and duty assignments—and rewarding the most capable performers. “We need to retain our best talent,” Cooper said.

 

Rear Adm. David Steindl, Commander, Naval Personnel Command / Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel, explained new career paths and some new ways of conducting selection boards—emphasizing merit over seniority—that break with longstanding traditional detailing and placement of surface warfare officers.

 

Just as important are the Enlisted Sailors who man the surface fleet, said Force Master Chief (SW/IDW) Jason Wallis, who talked about how the Naval Surface Force is improving the shore duty assignments to develop skills and better support the fleet, while returning more capable Sailors to subsequent sea duty assignments.

 

Wallis said that the Commander Naval Surface Forces staff “works for the fleet,” and that Sailors can and should share their ideas and concerns with leadership. “Every Sailor on the waterfront has a voice. They should know that the voices of our Sailors are being heard.”

 

For many SWOs, Officer assignments will be dependent on their training and certification as warfare tactics instructors (WTIs), explained Rear Adm. Jim Kilby, who commands the newly established Naval Surface Warfare and Mine Warfighting Development Center. “They are warriors, thinkers and teachers,” Kilby said.

 

In his remarks, Commander, Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, reiterated his commitment to developing a more lethal and offensively capable surface force to support combatant commanders. Rowden said the path ahead would include tactics development, developing more tactically oriented junior officers, and wargaming new and different ways of employing a more distributed and lethal force.

 

Rowden talked about imbuing the warfighting ethos in the force. He discussed how surface ships now conduct live fire exercises every day at sea. “I want people to be comfortable shooting their guns.”

 

He also mentioned how terminology can sometimes obscure the real warfighting purpose. “We talk about anti-submarine warfare,” Rowden said. “But it’s not about ASW, it’s about hunting and killing enemy submarines.”

 

“We need to drive that ethos into our surface warfare community,” he said.