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Early in 1995, after the service-selection process, U.S.
Naval Academy first classmen entered the Capstone Program, to acquaint them with their warfare specialties. The Naval Institute has assisted by judging and publishing these winning Capstone Essays, for surface warfare, aviation, submarines, and the Marine Corps.
The Chiefs Know Best
Two-way communication and mutual respect should form the basis of the junior officer- senior petty officer relationship. Ensigns who tap the chiefs’ experience are more likely to succeed.
Ensign Jason L. White, jJ.S. Navy
Senior Chief Boucher added, “division officers need to know how their chiefs think” to develop respect and a close working relationship.6 The new division officers develop mutual respect by understanding that their division chiefs are the technical experts.7
Junior officers should rely on their chiefs for guidance and assistance with leading troops in areas where the officers have little or no experience. Master Chief Plackett explained that new division officers need to rely on their fellow officers as well as their chiefs for help. “The atmosphere within the wardroom— just as it is with the atmosphere within the chiefs’ quarters— should be a helping atmosphere.”8 Senior Chief Boucher also pointed out that by getting out into the spaces and asking questions, the division officer earns valuable respect and learns about how his or her division works.9 The division officer should not be afraid to make mistakes. Lieutenant Commander Mike Cavano, first lieutenant of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, says that “You want [division officers] to get out there [and] make mistakes.”10
To demonstrate initiative, to establish open communication, and to initiate the junior officer-senior enlisted relationship, the division officers should seek out the chief as soon as they arrive on board ship. According to Master Chief Plackett, the division officer should go to the chief “to sit down and talk with him and let the chief know how the division officer perceives his role. By the same token, the division officer then should give the chief the opportunity to speak up. By doing that,” he explained, “you have established that open communication that goes back and forth and started building your professional relationship.”"
Division officers must be compassionate and, according to Master Chief Plackett, “recognize that we are...all human beings with the human frailties that accompany our makeup.” Division officers should also “recognize that no individual is the expert,” he added.12 Senior Chief Boucher says that good division officers are tolerant of honest mistakes and treat them as a learning experience.[1][2]’ The compassionate division officers will earn the respect of their people and, as a result, enjoy greater success.
Successful division officers explain to their people why they need to accomplish a certain job. Retired Captain James P. Ran-
Pr
’oceedings / June 1995
71
Capstone Essays
som advised the division officer to “try to cut your people in on the rationale for and importance of what they are doing. This is not necessary to job completion, but it will give you a better product in the end and fuller, more willing compliance in the future.”14 Senior Chief Boucher agreed that good division officers always attempt to let their people know why they are doing something and that what they are doing will make a difference.15
Division officers must be good listeners. Senior Chief Boucher described innovators in every division who will always suggest how to better accomplish assigned duties. The successful division officers will take the time to listen to these suggestions. Of course, every idea will not always be practical, but listening will earn the division officers the respect of their people.16
Finally, all successful division officers take care of their people. Senior Chief Boucher explained that good division officers display a concern for their people by showing a genuine interest in their lives. The officers should always be available to discuss problems with their people but also must stress the importance of the chain of command. In addition, if division officers constantly encourage their people to push ahead in their qualifications and careers, they will increase the productivity of their divisions.17 Chief Gunner’s Mate (SW) Robert Cleveland noted that successful division officers “know the intricacies of the people in [their] division.” Knowing your people “is the key to running a division. People make you or break you.”18
Becoming a successful junior officer is not an easy task. However, by initiating firm working relationships with the division chief, a new ensign can establish the infrastructure for success. To foster this relationship, division officers must focus on establishing mutual respect and open communication with their division chiefs. Those who take the extra time to listen, care, and communicate will have more productive units.
‘Interview with Senior Chief Charlene B. Boucher, 7 April 1995.
2Karl Montor, Interview with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy William H. Plackett, 11 March 1986.
’Boucher interview.
4Montor, Plackett interview.
5Ibid.
6Boucher interview.
7Ibid.
"Montor, Plackett interview.
9Boucher interview.
l0“The Care and Feeding of Junior Officers.” Navy Times, 13 February 1995. “Montor, Plackett interview. l2Ibid. (
‘’Boucher interview.
'“James P. Ransom, “Ensign 101,” U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, February 1995, p. 72.
’’Boucher interview. l6Ibid.
“Ibid.
'"“The Care and Feeding of Junior officers,” Navy Times.
Ensign White graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in May. Following SWOSDOC in Newport, Rhode Island, he will serve on board the USS Callaghan (DDG-994).
Keeping Submariners Healthy
Ensign Ryan T. Hardee, U.S. Navy
Submariners are exposed to both psychological and physical stresses during a patrol. They are separated from their families and confined to a limited area. The length of their day is shortened from 24 to 18 hours. This routine—coupled with increasing vitamin deficiencies as the patrol progresses—results in lowered morale and decreased work efficiency.
The separation from family members and confinement are difficult to offset. Nevertheless, vitamin supplements would increase work output, because vitamin deficiencies have been reported during submarine patrols. Specifically, Vitamins C and B-6 levels decrease during prolonged patrols because of a lack of fruits and vegetables. Vitamin D levels also decrease significantly, because there is little or no exposure to natural sunlight during a patrol. In adults, prolonged deprivation of Vitamin D can lead to osteomalacia, softening of the bone.
Submarines are typically lighted by standard fluorescent tubes, which emit very little of the ultraviolet radiation essential for Vitamin D synthesis in the skin. This lack of ultraviolet exposure is further complicated by dietary changes. After 30 days at sea, fresh fruits and vegetables are no longer available, and fresh dairy products are replaced by powdered substitutes.
In one study, Vitamin D levels were measured in 22 submariners before, during, and after a two-month patrol. Eleven subjects received a multivitamin-mineral supplement, and the remaining 11 received a placebo. Figure 1 represents the data for each time interval for each group. The placebo group showed a 38% drop in circulating Vitamin D at the mid-patrol point and a 40% drop by the end of the patrol. The supplemented group showed a 17% decrease in blood levels at mid-patrol and a decrease of 3% at the end of the patrol. In the nonsupplemented group, all 11 subjects showed a decline in Vitamin D levels from the pre-patrol to the mid-patrol measure, and 10 of the 11 from pre-patrol to the end of the patrol. Conversely, in the supplemented group, 8 of the 11 subjects showed a slight decrease at mid-patrol, and only 5 showed a gradual decline over the full patrol. The differences between the two groups were significant. The sudden jump at the post-patrol phase was caused
72
phe success of all junior officers depends heavily upon solid working relationships with their senior petty officers, ‘here is no single, sure-fire recipe for success, but junior officers can take certain initiatives.
Junior officers must understand the role of the chief petty of- lcer- According to Senior Chief Aviation Maintenance Ad- hiinistrationman (AW) Charlene B. Boucher, the Thirtieth Company Enlisted Advisor, the first thing a junior officer should expect from a chief is “total professionalism.”' Senior Chief Boucher explained that it is the responsibility of division chiefs to take the new divi- s‘on officers under their wing and show them everything about their di- v>sions. The chiefs also have a duty to instruct ensigns who are not perform- lng up to standard.
Retired Master Chief Petty Officer °f the Navy William H. Plackett defined the division chief’s role as helping the division officer in “almost anything as it pertains to the adminis- hation of the division to dealing with People, maintaining records, and learning systems. In practically every area,
[2] believe that the chiefs would be reCePtive to help the junior officer.”2 In short, the chiefs must do whatever it Jakes to make the division officers productive in their duties—not by taking 0ver, but by providing opportunities for the ensigns to lead the divisions.3 h is up to the division officers, however, to take the initiative and accept •hese opportunities.
The division officer and the division chief must establish mutual respect to develop an effective work- lng relationship. For instance, Master Chief Plackett explained that he “respects] those [junior officers] that respect me. It’s a mutual type of a bond 'hat’s formed between a chief and the division officer.”4 Earn- lng this respect depends primarily on the attitude of the junior officer. An ensign should “walk slowly and recognize that just as a young seamen coming aboard is basically a novice, that ^u are unskilled in those things that you are about to embark uPon, and you need to learn from those people around you.”5