Over the past four years, retention and recruiting have become twin perils threatening the Navy's highest priority: successfully deploying ships to meet worldwide commitments and protect vital national interests. In the near term, loss of talented sailors and inability to replace them—more than mines and missiles—are likely to damage the readiness of U.S. forces. To counter the threat of the severe talent drain, the Navy needs personnel policies, retention strategies, and individual reenlistment tactics that are well thought out.
Blaming poor retention on a healthy (if currently drooping) economy and low unemployment does not cut it. The Navy is not a victim of external forces. It needs to look at retention as an individual command mission controlled by internal actions, as opposed to outside circumstances. The primary job of commanding officers, department heads, and senior petty officers is to provide leadership to their crews, and to learn and teach combat tactics so their forces dominate the battle space.
In the "battle for retention dominance," the task is no different. Integral to achieving high retention rates is an understanding of the mind-sets of sailors. Sailors fight for their ship, their shipmates, and themselves. While most often part of a larger battle, they focus inside the hull—or inside the combat information center or damage control locker where they are assigned. They know their actions are key to success and survival of their ship, and they only are peripherally concerned about the "Big Battle." Crews fight and win on the battlefield they know and understand. They will do amazing things to save their ship and shipmates during combat—and to be able to take pride in their unit in peacetime.
Capturing our sailors' desire to win and to be proud is essential to achieving victory in the battle for retention. The motto of most sailors easily could be, "I will do almost any job at almost any reasonable pay if I can take pride in my organization and be pleased with what I do. If my work is recognized and my efforts are occasionally rewarded and I feel good about myself at the end of the day, I will think positively about staying Navy." It sounds simple—a lesson from Leadership 101. Build a sense of pride and reward good work. The rest takes care of itself. The difficulty in achieving this desired state of affairs is that the role of leaders across the organizational spectrum is too often that of critic and inspector, rather than that of mentor, model, and coach.
Missions and training drive leaders to search for flaws and take actions to prevent or correct them. The measure of doing well is to be error free. However, it is only when leaders discover the way to both achieve high standards and build pride and positive command atmospheres that they will see high retention. Some concrete tactics to reach the balance between high morale and high readiness are:
- Clearly state and define long-range strategic command goals. A yearly outline of expectations and achievements is a straightforward document that informs all hands of the plan for success. Simply passing all certifications, assessments, and inspections is not a strategy. While necessary, they are not worthy goals that sailors can believe in.
- Develop individual tactics to achieve retention goals. For example, every six months, schedule divisional professional development boards with the leading petty officer, chief petty officer, division officer, command master chief, and commanding officer present. Review the career goals and interests of every sailor in that division. Target sailors who are near the end of active service and plan to get out—or are undecided—and give them pitches on the benefits of staying in the Navy. Six months prior to separation, follow up with commanding officer and command master chief presentations outlining the advantages of a Navy career. Include spouses (or significant others) and parents. Explain the benefits of free health care, a 20-year retirement, and the many educational opportunities.
- Set measures to gauge the effectiveness of retention tactics. Solicit feedback from sailors and their families. Track changes of heart from target briefs and interviews. Drop tactics that do not work. At least once a year, survey all hands to determine their awareness of programs and benefits.
- Redefine goals and reassess tactics.
- Stand behind your crew, even when they are wrong. As the leader, punish or correct dispassionately if required and take responsibility for mistakes and failures. Leaders must be willing to take risks to acquire the tools sailors need to do their jobs well. They must guide them through the faceless organizational maze and take their side if they are right—and, equally important, stand beside them when they are wrong. While commanding officers and leading petty officers might not always prevail when they ask for more than what is easily available or when they stick up for a good sailor, they often will satisfy at least part of their requests. The crew will know and there will develop a bond of trust and a strong sense of loyalty to the command and the Navy.
The most important part of retention is understanding how sailors reach the decision to stay in the Navy and how the Navy affects it. Great programs and benefits mean nothing if sailors do not know they exist. All leaders—including the commanding officer and executive officer—should take time to attend the nearest career information training course and ensure training is conducted on a regular basis to suit changing times. An aggressive retention team made up of the executive officer, command master chief, and career counselors is key to making retention a high priority and following up goals with solid efforts.
To most young sailors, the retention efforts of the higher ranking people are remote and vague. The most important people in a sailor's world are the leading petty officer and chief. They are role models, and for that reason they need to know retention facts and techniques. If sailors do not think their senior petty officers care about them and appreciate their day-to-day efforts, little can be done to keep them in the Navy. Junior sailors must want to be "the chief' someday. Petty officers must recognize jobs well done and grant the occasional afternoon off or beer after work. Sailors are no different from their civilian peers—they want affirmation that what they do is worthwhile and respected.
A sailor's loyalty, coupled with his or her ability to do a job well results in a satisfied and happy crewmember who looks positively on a Navy career. Victory in the retention battle is gained one sailor at a time, most often based on the individual's personal evaluation of his or her importance to the organization. A positive command climate provides the persuasive impetus that can keep a good sailor in the Navy. It will yield dramatic results.
Commanding officers are responsible for everything their commands do or fail to do—including winning or losing the battle for retention.
Captain Rosenberg recently completed a tour as Commanding Officer of Assault Craft Unit Five at Camp Pendleton, California. He is now professor of naval science at the NROTC Unit, University of California at Berkeley.