Senior Enlisted Leaders Attend Training Symposium

From U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Senior enlisted leaders from around the Pacific Fleet gathered at U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) headquarters in Pearl Harbor for the annual Senior Enlisted Leadership Training Symposium (SELTS), March 19 to 21.

The symposium allowed senior enlisted leaders to train, discuss and combine their knowledge and experience to improve the readiness and effectiveness of Sailors and fleet operations.

Deputy Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Rear Adm. Robert Girrier spoke with senior enlisted leaders during the symposium to discuss leadership and ethics and receive their feedback about better communication with the fleet.

"Leadership and getting it right is an enduring task," Girrier said. "Getting together to compare notes and reflect on this responsibility is something we are all charged with, so these leadership training symposiums are opportunities to do just that," he said. "We discuss the issues at hand, where we are making ground and where we need to work hard and focus on, these are great opportunities to compare notes, and chart our way ahead."

U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez stressed the importance of gathering senior enlisted leaders to discuss Navy concerns and address Sailors' needs to improve warfighting readiness.

"We want to bring them together to learn about the headquarters, our mission, and have better communication with each other," Ramirez said. "It gives me the chance to come together with my operational, type command and regional command master chiefs and get on the same page to deliver the same message."

Retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Jim Herdt talked with senior leaders and commended the evolution of the Navy and the positive affect it has on the molding of today's Sailor.

"I want them to know how good they are, how much better they are than people that served before them and how much better the people that follow them will be," said Herdt. "I hope that if I tell them something I failed at, that they will learn from that lesson and not do the same thing I did."

Force Master Chief Brannon Knox of Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said he appreciated the opportunity to attend the symposium and talk with his senior leaders and peers.

"Anytime you can get together and put all the leadership in one room and share ideas by bouncing them off each other will create a great return on investment," Knox said.

Knox also noted that many of the things he learned, like importance of partnerships and the relationship with other nations in the area are lessons, he will be able to take back to the Sailors in his force.

U.S. 7th Fleet Command Master Chief Crispian Addington was impressed by how the symposium gave him a different outlook on the Pacific Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).

"It's giving me a picture of the theater from the PACFLT perspective which enables me to better work with all the different Navy components in the AOR, but primarily it gives me that focus of what the staff at PACFLT wants, what they need us to do and what messages they need us to take forward," Addington said. "This will help improve the communication piece. This lets me take the CNO's (Chief of Naval Operations) direction, PACFLT's direction, and 7th Fleet's direction, directly to our Sailors in the fleet. It allows them to know why we are doing what we are doing, that's the biggest piece."

The three-day symposium also offered team-building exercises and discussions about future plans, manning, CPO 365 training and the Chief Petty Officer Legacy Academy.

Leadership link: Command chief connects with Airmen

by Senior Airman Sarah Hall-Kirchner
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

3/19/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- In 1985 President Ronald Reagan was sworn in for a second term in office; a joint American-French expedition located the Titanic; and NASA launched nine space shuttle missions.

It was also the year 17-year-old Victoria Gamble enlisted into the Air Force. Today, she has spent more than 28 years in the military--10 of those as a chief.

The Air Mobility Command command chief joined the Air Force straight out of high school. Recruiters from each service came to her high school and the Air Force recruiter stood out.

"I decided I would look pretty good in blue," Gamble said.

Since putting on the blue uniform, Gamble said she has experienced opportunities that have motivated her to stay in the military, but she has also learned from her mistakes as well.

"Latch onto a good, positive example of an Airman and learn everything you can from him or her," she said. "I was more concerned with making friends when I came in, and I needed to be more concerned with finding people who represented what an Airman should be."

Airmen are part of Gamble's job. She is a conduit between Gen. Paul Selva, AMC commander, and the Airmen. She relays how Airmen feel about missions, policies and procedures to him and conveys Selva's message to all AMC units.

Communicating is an important part of Gamble's job. She wants all members of the military to know that it is part of their job, too.

"In rising Airmen, I wish I saw better communication skills. I wish I saw that at all levels, up, down, and laterally. I don't think anyone has it exactly right, and we all have room for improvement."

She stressed that Airmen, across the ranks, must remember they are Airmen first, especially in today's social media environment.

"When I first came in we didn't put any information out," said Gamble. "There were no computers or email. There was a big board with two pegs and it listed all of the announcements. We did real roll calls. Everyone lined up and was inspected. Then leadership read all of the announcements to us. They told you when your appointments were."

With all of the ways available to communicate, she stressed that every action we take has consequences. We need to think of those consequences with everything we post on social media.

"We have to be strategic Airmen," Gamble said. "I'm not talking about laying out a war plan, but be strategic as far as social media goes. A lot of things are posted that shouldn't be posted."

The things people should be communicating, said Gamble, are the good things the Air Force does every day to carry out the mission. Each person contributes to the mission, and those are the things that should be posted to social media, not people's dirty laundry. You don't have to be Public Affairs to share good information on the web.

"It comes back to our first core value--integrity first. It's doing the right thing even when no one is looking ... especially when no one is looking."

There is a way to change the negative attention the military is getting on social media, Gamble said. It's by focusing on being a positive strategic Airman rather than a negative one.

"Airmen should spend time posting the good things that they do to support the mission on social media," said Gamble, because Airmen are doing great things every day.
Social media isn't the only issue facing the military today. Many Airmen have communicated their anxiety over force management programs.

"I know people are worried about all the changes the Air Force is undergoing," said Gamble. "This isn't the first time we've seen changes, and it isn't going to be the last time we are going to see major changes. What it takes to get through all of these programs is leadership, from every level. We have to lead through the changes and make good decisions."

Social media guidelines

Air Force Social Media Rules of Engagement, located in Air Force Instruction 35-113, chapter 15

· All Airmen must abide by certain restrictions to ensure good order and discipline. All actions on and off duty are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

· Airmen should use their best judgment, remembering that there are always consequences to what is written and all Airmen will take direct responsibility for what they post online.

· Do not post any defamatory, libelous, vulgar, obscene, abusive, profane, threatening, hateful, racially, ethnically or otherwise offensive or illegal information or material.

· Do not post any information or other material protected by copyright without permission of the copyright owner.

· Do not use any words, logos or other marks that would infringe upon the trademark, service mark, certification mark or other intellectual property rights of the owners of such marks without the permission of such owners.

· Do not post classified or sensitive information.

· Do not post any information that would infringe upon the proprietary, privacy or personal rights of others.

· Do not forge or otherwise manipulate identifiers in posts in an attempt to disguise, impersonate, or otherwise misrepresent their identity or affiliation with any other person or entity.

· Identify to readers of a personal social media site or post that the views expressed are yours alone and that they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Air Force. Use a disclaimer such as: "the postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent Air Force positions, strategies or opinions."

· Airmen discussing issues related to their career field or personal experiences is acceptable, but they should not discuss areas of expertise for which they have no first-hand, direct background or knowledge.

18th Air Force Commander shares leadership perspectives with MacDill Airmen

by Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro and Airman 1st Class Schultz
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

3/19/2014 - MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.  -- Team MacDill Airmen were treated to senior leader perspectives on leadership, communication, and the challenges facing the Air Force firsthand during a March 10-12 visit by Lt. Gen. Darren McDew, 18th Air Force commander.

McDew met with officials of United States Central Command, Special Operations Command, and 6th Air Mobility Wing Airmen and families. He also took time during the visit to hear Airmen's concerns and share his thoughts on a variety of key topics during a base-wide "all call."

McDew stressed the value of empowerment, communication, and job proficiency, noting their importance to ensuring a strong Air Force.

"Many leaders are afraid to step in front of their Airmen when they don't have all of the answers, but many times just getting in front of them and saying things are going to be okay will keep the Air Force as strong tomorrow as it is today," said McDew.

When asked about major obstacles throughout his career, McDew said, "I have faced nothing more than many Airmen have faced; I've had supervisors who challenged me and gave me tools to be better than I thought I could be."

In closing, McDew thanked Airmen for their service to the Nation, noting that they were well suited to help the Air Force succeed despite the multitude of challenges it faces.

"This is the best Air Force there has ever been; we have smart, talented, war-hardened veterans. Our Air Force is going to be great for years and years, and decades to come," he said.

Creating a culture of excellence

Commentary by Air Force Col. Michael Grismer
3rd Wing vice commander

3/14/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Culture is the most important indicator for success or failure in any organization. It's no accident Apple's innovative culture of excellence is as distinctive as their products are revolutionary. Apple's culture is evident in every aspect of the company - it drives their success.

You've seen the impact of culture firsthand. Think of the last Southwest Airlines flight you flew on. You also know the few, the proud, the U.S. Marines. Their culture is so strong it glues them together and provokes a sense of pride, which makes them unparalleled in adapting and overcoming any adversity.

Consider also Zappos, one of the fastest companies to reach $1 billion in sales. They are an organization fueled by a diverse culture, which is inclusive, encouraging, and empowering. Their CEO clearly values culture over strategy, personally indoctrinates new hires on company culture, and offers employees several thousand dollars to quit anytime they feel the Zappos culture is not a fit for them.

Yes our Air Force culture is just as important to our success and to our future relevance for America. Contemplate the culture in your unit. Do the attitudes, beliefs, and actions result in sustained excellence, high team morale marked by dignity and respect for teammates, strong internal communication, and an acceptance of a risk to achieve fresh innovation?
If not, ask the person in the mirror, "why not"? Our Air Force - including both civilians and blue-suit Airmen - is accountable to strengthen a vibrant culture and increase our legacy of excellence for the greatest Air Force in the world. Getting culture right takes hard work and true commitment. Following are a few basics to reflect on.

Engaged leadership: Positive culture is fueled by leaders at every level who are passionately engaged and living it by example. They are enthusiastic communicators and motivators who set a clear vision, mission, values and goals while they create the environment for them to flourish. Engaged leaders also empower every Airman to be a leader by innovating and leading positive change in any processes, program or person they touch.

Live Our Core Values: To firmly embed Air Force core values into our culture, we must empower our people and ensure everyone understands exactly what is expected of them. "Integrity First" forms the basis for trust and confidence in our Air Force. Without it, we will fail. "Service Before Self" and "Excellence in All We Do" are both values, which must be firmly embedded in our culture. Strong cultures empower people by identifying their talents, and deliberately mentoring them to reach their full potential. These cultures also convey a clear role of personal and professional responsibilities their people are accountable for.

Establish a culture of discipline and respect for human dignity: Good order and discipline are prerequisites for creating an environment where everyone is recognized for the value they bring to the team, and they are treated with the dignity, respect, and kindness all wingmen deserve. Practically speaking, this begins with eliminating any coarse or offensive talk, which has the potential to quickly turn toxic. Swearing and sexually or racially explicit innuendos have no place in any professional organization. Unprofessional behavior, even the perception of unprofessional behavior, cannot be tolerated. We must never forget the honor and privilege it is to wear the uniform and to be held to a higher standard.

As Airmen, we have a duty to get our culture right. If we fail in this regard, we will no longer attract America's finest sons and daughters to join our ranks.

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become your character.

Watch your character; it drives the culture in your unit and in your home.

If each of us does our part, we will instill a winning culture - one which makes Airmen love their work, and reflects their inspiration through mission excellence. Our long-term success is dependent on sustaining a culture alive and relevant for an ever-changing world. What legacy of excellence will
you inspire?

Mentorship and leadership; A lesson of how to fight

Commentary by Air Force Master Sgt. Emily Golla

673d Medical Group

3/14/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Mentorship. Leadership. Two words we often hear and discuss. Though their meanings seem simple enough to grasp, performing either feat has always seemed easier in concept than in practice ... at least from my viewpoint.

Being a good senior noncommissioned officer is no simple task and runs the daily gamut of working the bench when understaffed to heading a massive wing event, and anything in-between. I will say that collectively one of our biggest mis-steps is not properly teaching our people how to fight - be it for themselves or standing up for the people they supervise.

Now, I don't make that statement on a whim and have two very recent (and very upsetting) incidents that highlighted this concern for me. The first was a conversation with a technical sergeant in my squadron whose staff sergeant was having issues that could possibly affect his Enlisted Performance Report.

We were discussing concerns that his subordinate wasn't being given a fair deal and, when I asked him if he was going to up-channel things, he said, "Why? I can't possibly win that battle."

My response: "Of course you can't win it ... if you're not willing to fight for them."

I was floored that a technical sergeant would give up so easily.

The second event, just a few weeks later, dealt with one of my own people who wanted to apply for a special duty. We knew there were new regulations coming out, so she had been researching different options while waiting for the timelines to be announced.

After not hearing anything for a while, I made a few phone calls to see if anyone could tell us when the deadlines were - turned out we had missed it by a couple days. I then proceeded to make a few more phone calls and spoke with my squadron leadership, pleading her case, to see if anything could be done to still submit her package to the wing. We had it submitted in about an hour.

She thanked me profusely after that, to which I responded (and honestly felt), "I just did my job. No heroics here."

Her response floored me: "No, you don't understand, no one else would have done that. No one's ever done anything like that for me."

She's been in for nine years. Those words still make me sad.

In speaking with my peers, neither of these incidents seems to be uncommon sentiments. One could say it's because we were raised in a different era and grew up differently, but there is also a sense of responsibility to teach our folks that seems to be missing as well. How did things get this way?

I reflected on my own career and military upbringing to try and make sense of it all. I've never really been one to back down on things I believe in, so that automatically gives me a willingness-to-fight advantage.

I do recall several key moments in my career as a senior airman though, when some senior intervention would have made a huge positive impact, but never happened. Two key moments that would have changed my career trajectory, but no one was willing to intercede. Now don't misunderstand; I did ask for help.

The response was, "There's nothing we can do."

Looking back on those moments now, I know different and I know they were wrong. How do I know? Experience, yes, but also because they never asked the question. They didn't look into my requests, they didn't up-channel my concerns, they just automatically said, "Sorry, no. The military is the way it is; rules are in place and there's no way around them; everything is in the fine print; you just have to accept things the way they are."

I almost got out of the military because of it. I definitely stayed bitter for quite some time after that. But while I focused on the opportunities I didn't get, I should have been focusing on the people that wouldn't try.

After 18 years of service, I can reflect more clearly now and honestly ask: did they not try because they didn't care or was it because they didn't know how? I can only hope it was the latter.

With that in mind, I offer you my own observations and experiences I've had throughout my career that will hopefully not only help you stand up for yourself, but will give you the courage to take a stand for your people when they need a leader.

1. Ask the question. You never know if someone is willing to help until you ask and, oftentimes, people don't know you need help until you tell them. Communication is key. You'll probably settle about 75 percent of your concerns this way.

2. Don't wait until the last minute. Sitting on information helps no one, and waiting too long to ask for help can be the one thing that gets you a "no." That being said, no matter how late in the game it is - ask. Again, you'll never know unless you do.

3. Ask the question again. It's human nature to go the easy route. Deadlines and regulations (or our interpretations of them) make for easy responses. Asking twice makes a person reconsider their answer and more often than not, you're just asking them to up-channel your question anyway. It's okay to nudge people out of their comfort zone, politely.

4. Ask the right people/ask numerous people. Goes back to No. 3. Honestly, sometimes the person directly above you won't know the answer, isn't the person to decide, or holds the same fears and uncertainties as previously discussed. Give them a chance to fight for you, but it's also okay to ask other people, or our numerous resources, for help.

Key items - let your leadership know you're seeking advice elsewhere (politely), no need to step on toes, and keep them informed on what you find. Sometimes it's more helpful to have multiple people working an issue at the same time, as long as you communicate.

5. Be persistent. People will forget about your concerns, especially if you don't seem all that concerned yourself ... You have to follow up and keep asking.

6. Always fight for what is right, justified, and warranted. If you're not sure if you should take a stand, ask yourself this: If you were in their shoes, would you want someone to stand up for you? And if you know a fight is warranted, don't wait for someone to ask for help - do what is right, right away.

7. Do your research. Nothing gives you a stronger advantage than knowledge. Also, don't think because you've asked for help that you've handed off the baton and are no longer responsible to participate - you have to continue searching for answers as well. It's much easier for leadership to fight for someone who isn't sitting on their hands, waiting for answers to magically appear ... and they are way more likely to take on your next fight even quicker if they know you're engaged.

8. Don't be afraid to lose (or that you might ruffle someone's feathers). Again, "fighting" doesn't mean being aggressive, offensive or hostile; so use etiquette. But if you're scared to lose, then you probably won't be willing to stand up for what's right or even ask the question. If you're scared how you'll be looked at afterwards, then you probably won't put in the full effort. The thing is this: when you stand up for others when it's warranted, even if you lost the fight, you will always win because your people will know that you cared enough to try. Your people will know they were worth fighting for. That in itself brings its own rewards.

With all of that said, will you always win? No. Will you always be fighting big fights? No. Sometimes you're just getting people a well-deserved day off, or getting someone higher-ranking to apologize for yelling at an Airman who really did nothing wrong. But it's the efforts that you put in that build the bonds and establish the trust with your people.

What may seem like a small thing to you may mean the world to someone else and may, in reality, change the course of their career, as it did mine. Trust me when I say you will never regret standing up for your people, but you will always regret that one time when you didn't.

628 ABW leadership work as mailroom clerks for the day

by Senior Airman Ashlee Galloway
Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

3/13/2014 - Joint Base Charleston, S.C -- Leadership from the 628th Air Base Wing visited the Joint Base Charleston - Air Base Official Mail Center, March 7, 2014, as part of a program designed to give base leaders a taste of what Airmen and Sailors do at their job centers every day.

During the visit, Col. Jeffery DeVore, Joint Base Charleston commander , Chief Master Sgt. Mark Bronson, 628th Air Base Wing command chief and Master Chief Petty Officer Joseph Gardner, Naval Support Activity command master chief, were introduced to the mail room staff, briefed on day-to-day operations and then assisted the mailroom staff with their jobs.

"It was an opportunity for senior leadership to visit with the Airmen, Sailors and civilians on a day in and day out basis to see what they're doing and what they're going through, so we have a better appreciation of what they do and how we can support them," said DeVore.

Airman 1st Class Jennie Short, 628th Communications Squadron mail operator, showed JB Charleston's most senior Airmen and Sailor how to sort the mail, go through the delivery and pick-up process, and how to put the mail through various machines so postage can be put on the packages before they can be sent out.

"I'm blown away by this whole experience," said Short. "They (leadership) are very enjoyable to be around and have great personalities which made the day fun. It was wonderful to have somebody show they care and show that they genuinely wanted to learn and understand, not only my job or what happens at my job, but what I do for the commanders their jobs."

Once a month, leadership will go to a different organization, on either the Air Base or Weapons Station and spend time with the Airmen, Sailors and civilians to get a better appreciation on how their jobs impact the mission.

Face of Defense: Enlisted Leader Offers Insight, Motivation

Face of Defense: Enlisted Leader Offers Insight, Motivation

By Army Sgt. Lauren Twigg

Arizona National Guard

PHOENIX, Mar. 6, 2014 – While growing up in rural Montana, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Pamela Higgins said, she remembers watching the Montana Guard members helping with community activities and admiring their sharp uniforms.

Higgins is the second woman to serve in the Arizona National Guard’s senior enlisted position. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Karen Craig held the post from 2002 to 2009.

“I just recently went over 36 years of service, and have always served for the Army National Guard,” Higgins said. “I have been a traditional Guard member my whole career, which included a deployment to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010.”

Women have come a long way in the armed forces, Higgins said, and now can be assigned to some combat arms duties. “Allowing women to serve in combat jobs is a huge change,” she added. “Training and testing the women for these positions must be exactly the same as the males, and if the women meet the standards, then they deserve the position.”

Since the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, the progression of allowing women into service, Higgins said, recognizing them for their service and creating more military career growth for women has become more prominent.

“Since I have been in the military, women have gained the respect of their brothers in arms,” she said. “That is all we ever wanted: to be treated and respected the same as our counterparts.”

As the nation observes Women’s History Month and celebrates this year’s theme, “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment”, Higgins said the theme applies perfectly to women serving in the military.

“[It] describes every female that signed on the dotted line to join the armed forces,” she said. “Women in the military have deployed, fought in battles and have come home to deal with the same issues as their male counterparts. Honoring their courage and commitment will hopefully inspire girls and encourage young women to follow in their footsteps.”

Being only the second woman to serve as state command sergeant major in Arizona, Higgins said, it’s important for her to set the standard and to encourage her sisters-in-arms to continue to pursue their dreams.

“The door is wide open for females in the military, so maintain your commitment, courage and character in all that you do,” she said. “Continue to challenge yourselves and develop strong leadership skills. Apply and compete for positions of leadership and you will have a very successful and rewarding career in the military.”

PACOM senior enlisted leader visits Okinawa, discusses key topics

by Senior Airman Maeson L. Elleman
18th Wing Public Affairs

3/4/2014 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The U.S. Pacific Command senior enlisted leader visited Kadena Airmen, as well as other U.S. and Japan Self Defense forces stationed here, Feb. 28 as part of a tour throughout the command.

Navy Command Master Chief Mark Rudes, PACOM senior enlisted leader, stressed the importance of service members and U.S. Department of Defense assets on Okinawa due to the strategic location and power projection capabilities.

"The fact that you're physically here gets after one of our biggest challenges in the PACOM area of responsibility, and that's distance," Rudes said. "The reality is, the vast oceans that make the Indio-Asia Pacific create a challenge of timely response to a casualty, incident or scenario. Having the forward-deployed team here allows us a timely response, such as the case with our recent natural disaster in the Philippines. You were able to mobilize, to get into the problem and to get after it, and it helps tremendously.

"The second is being imbedded with our partner nation of Japan helps us to continue to build trust, help us to build a capacity and interoperability, and so the engagements that we have while we're imbedded physically here enhance that as well," he added.
During his visit, Rudes met with enlisted members and outlined his expectations for Okinawa service members and why it's vital to recognize the importance of maintaining proficiency and professionalism.

"The expectation is that our service members continue to understand the important role that they play in our regional stability," Rudes said. "We have a number of missions out here in PACOM, and all of them kind of hinge around maintaining stability. Continue to hone (your) skills to the best that you can be so that, if it's ever called upon, you're able to instinctively do your job and do it well, so we can decisively win a conflict, save lives, and help reduce suffering in a natural disaster setting and help empower other nations and other militaries that are building up and looking at us as a role model."

Rudes also spoke about another growing concern for service members: force shaping initiatives in the Department of Defense and how they will affect U.S. forces in the Pacific.

"The force shaping initiatives are being looked at holistically across all the services," Rudes said. "The size of our forces that we have deployed in this (area of responsibility) is fairly well understood, so it's not very likely there's going to be a drastic change in our numbers. As our force structure continues to mature and get to an end state that everybody understands and can manage, there may be some adjustments. But as of now, there's not a lot of talk about changing the scope and the size of our forces that we have out here forward in our PACOM AOR. I think as we mature and continue to rotate and exercise our capabilities in the region, there may be a demand signal that looks to change them, but as of right now it's fairly stable."

Despite a currently unstable budget, Rudes said that Okinawa exercises and U.S. forces' training will remain a high strategic priority. With quick response capabilities like the ones demonstrated in support of the Philippines in late 2013, Rudes said it's easy to see why the training is essential.

"The missions that we have out here in Okinawa, in Japan and in the region are fairly well established," Rudes said. "We have worked very hard to scope those correctly and ensure that we have the right activities going on so that we can meet our goals and our end state. There are concerns on how we can do things more efficiently and how we can find possible waste and eliminate that. The goals of exercising in this region and specifically with the support of Okinawa are still in place for 2014 and are something that are constantly being looked at as a very high priority."

The command master chief also reminded service members that they are vital components to the peace, security and stability in the region and should therefore act accordingly and keep each other accountable.

"We recognize the importance of all of our service members in the AOR, and it's something that's on our mind that we have folks that are taking that additional bit of sacrifice to serve forward, to serve a little bit further away from maybe their home and their families and committing themselves to the missions at hand," Rudes said. "We do have a high expectation of their behavior because everything matters - words matter, and actions matter in the forward theater. As individuals you have the ability to positively shape all of the aspects of our approach to forward presence, to providing stability within the region, to enhancing our relationships with partner nations. If we are all working toward that end goal, then that would be the ideal situation. So check yourself, and check each other; look out for yourself, look out for each other, and prevent poor choices because that negative aspect does ripple through and creates an awful lot of challenge and makes us take a number of steps backwards, as we've seen in the past."

Rudes also said that he's honored to work as the senior enlisted leader along with the service members in the theater.

"I am extremely proud to be serving as your senior enlisted leader at PACOM and working alongside some incredible Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and the families. The commitments and the sacrifices that they make are truly eye-watering, and it makes me very proud to be serving alongside all of you here. This is not easy. The job that we do is a challenge; it requires sacrifice. But at the end of the day, there's a reason we're one of the most recognized, honorable professions in our country, and that's because of our decision to serve something bigger than ourselves. We serve with honor; we serve with dignity; we have good moral values; we're of character."

CNO, MCPON discuss ethics on "Conversation with a Shipmate"

From Chief Mass Communication Specialist Julianne Metzger, Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- WASHINGTON (NNS)-Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens released this week another episode of "Conversation with a Shipmate" further discussing the Navy's commitment to ethics.

The allegations of cheating at the Naval Nuclear Training Command has spurred a reexamination of ethical behavior and integrity across the military.

The alleged cheating incident is not a reflection of the thousands of professional Sailors who operate daily with honor and integrity, Greenert stated in the video.

"I do believe we have an ethics problem, but I don't believe we have an epidemic or that we're reeling out of control when it comes to ethical behavior of our Sailors," said Greenert. "There are hundreds and thousands of Sailors and Civilians who are doing a magnificent job in the Navy."

The Navy tracks all incidents concerning behavior issues. Statistics show that conduct has gotten better over the last five years, said Greenert.

Greenert announced in his interview that he would take action to make these numbers more transparent to Sailors so they can see for themselves how violations are being handled and stress the important nature of policing ourselves.

Greenert stressed this is the discussion that needs to be ongoing across the Navy.

Talking about ethics and integrity should be a part of a command's daily dialogue, Greenert stated.

"Any junior Sailor, if they are wondering about a difficult decision should ask the Chief. Junior officers should ask their senior officers," said Greenert. "Captains should be having these conversations on the bridge, every day."

Leadership also has to be approachable, so that people can report issues when they see them, said Greenert.

"Understand that everyone is human, leaders should anticipate mistakes," said Greenert. "Leadership has to be open to self-correction."

It's not always easy for someone to address an ethical dilemma when they see it, said MCPON Stevens.

"It's often a close friend or shipmate that is out of control," said Stevens. "How you address it is important."

Both MCPON Stevens and the CNO pointed out that there is the impression that each instance of wrongdoing reaches the highest levels of the Navy, when in fact a majority of these issues involving a violation of integrity can simply be handled at the lowest levels.

This is the benefit of our military chain of command.

Sailors should discuss the problem with someone they trust and make a plan to handle the situation at the lowest level if possible, said Stevens.

"We all have anxieties about 'turning each other in'," said Greenert. But most minor ethical violations can be handled at lower levels before situations become egregious, Greenert stated.

"That's the beauty of our military culture, you can handle these issues in a chain of command," said Greenert. "The sooner the better."

Integrity is the foundation of our military and trust is the essence of what we're about, said Greenert.

"If we lose our trust, and we don't have that integrity," said Greenert, "when does it stop? How do you know that those little choices you make aren't the ones that make the difference?"

Secretary of Defense Hagel last month announced two separate reviews of the Nuclear Enterprise that will look at both the managerial aspect and personnel accountability and health of the force to examine where there may be potential gaps in our application of training and execution.

"Our profession is inherently dangerous," said Stevens. "We have to have absolute unquestionable trust in the people we're around. One mistake can mean you aren't coming home."

It's not just something that we talk about; it's something that we all should live, said Stevens.

To watch the whole conversation go to this link:

http://www.navy.mil/viewLdrVideo.asp?id=130&v=19238