Offshore Sail Training: A View from West Point
I walked onto the Army sailing team in 2008 without ever having set foot on a sailboat. Never would I have guessed that my team and the connections I made would define my 47-month experience at West Point. My very first race was the invitational Shield’s Cup Regatta held at the U.S. Naval Academy. Army sailing took last place that year, a dismal finish that many on my team would rather forget. However, with that brief taste of sailing Navy 44s—the Navy 44 Mark II Sail Training Craft is the latest of four generations of one-design offshore cruiser/racers to be authorized and funded by Congress for training midshipmen—I got hooked. I started to dedicate my free time to learning, practicing, and perfecting the craft of sailing. With the help of my coach, I also made significant connections with the sailing program at the Naval Academy that helped me develop as a sailor and cadet-coach.
When I arrived at the Naval Academy in January 2010 on an academy exchange, I somehow convinced them to let a West Pointer teach a group of midshipmen how to sail. Shortly thereafter, I was assigned to the Offshore Sail Training Squadron (OSTS) program: a three-week sail to Newport, Rhode Island, along with eight midshipmen. A month before I returned to West Point, I confidently gave the last command to make down the lines on board the Tenacious (NA-25). In retrospect, I am able to identify four major facets of leadership that were developed and strengthened though the OSTS program: mentorship, experience, new knowledge, and the ability to reflect. These, combined with the challenging environment of life at sea, provide midshipmen a real-time command laboratory that strengthens the foundation for lifelong leaders.
Mentorship
This is the first and most influential aspect of the OSTS experience. From the beginning of the program until the last stern line is set, there are numerous opportunities to adopt a mentor. Throughout my time in the program, my mentor was retired Army Colonel Dick Lunsford, a former West Point instructor. Although he is a sailing favorite at the Naval Academy, he has always been supportive of the Army sailing team and often dedicated his weekends to help coach and train our crew. Mentors such as he help support the Academy’s mission to develop midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically. He helped me synthesize my conclusions about leadership challenges I encountered and made certain I came away from each experience with a lesson learned.
One of the most significant lessons Colonel Lunsford taught me was the concept of “the loneliness of command.” This refers to the second- and third-order effects of decisions. At sea or on land, leaders are charged with the duty of making responsible and educated decisions that are not always comfortable for the crew or the leader. It is there, in the area between doing what is needed and what is wanted, that the leader will feel that loneliness.
These lessons can only be understood through shared personal experience. Mentors like Colonel Lunsford are an invaluable element of the OSTS program because they reflect what it means to be a leader in our current operating environment and promote mentorship to those they guide. With a cycle of great mentors developing future mentors, generations of leaders will continue to be inspired.
Experience
This is the second most important aspect of leader development. Over the course of our 15-day sail, my crew and I were tested a number of times by the sea and the weather. One trial occurred about seven miles off the eastern coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. A weather system began to move in just as I was relieved from my nightly watch. I retired to my bunk and had barely shut my eyes before I was wakened by a crew member yelling, “Rhys, Nick is on the bow and he needs your help!” Instinctively I grabbed my foul-weather gear and ran onto the deck.
The wind was howling, and the skies had opened up as I quickly surveyed the scene and spotted Nick’s headlamp on the bow. He was lying on the deck on top of a jib sail, struggling to stay in control of the situation—and on the boat, for that matter. The force of the wind, peaking at about 45 knots, caused the bow of the boat to round up into the breaking swells. I had to react immediately to secure the safety of my crew. With little time to think, I relied heavily on my training and let muscle memory take over. I quickly moved to release the jib halyard and fetch the sail ties to secure the flailing sail to the deck. After the sail was down and the crew was accounted for, the reality of the situation sank in.
Months later, I learned that I had executed “recognition-primed decision making.” I recognized the situation from hours of training and classroom exercises and was able to make a quick decision based on the circumstances. This validated the OSTS training program for me. From that point forward, I was confident that my training would get me through any situation at sea. While the program could not possibly teach you how to react in every instance, it does instruct you how to approach a situation calmly and objectively, troubleshoot, and develop an appropriate course of action. Although not officially, the OSTS teaching method inculcates a deliberate problem-solving process that is valuable in many circumstances for any military leader.
New Knowledge
The OSTS program’s training philosophy is derived from military decision-making and training programs that are in operational use. It provides a basis of knowledge for midshipmen that will underlie their military careers. This knowledge extends beyond traditional skills such as plotting, engineering, and watch standing. It delves into the core values of leadership by placing the individuals, especially the midshipman skipper and executive officers, at the center of all training. It is based on standards and oriented around performance.
The offshore program gives the skipper and XO responsibility for training their crew by allowing them to determine the training schedule during the first week of local-area sailing. The skipper then takes the crew and trains them to a proficient level, which includes everything from running the galley to reefing sails and man-overboard drills. The schedule helps develop and enhance the technical proficiency of skippers and XOs. During their first overnight at the end of the first week, the skipper/executive officer team train the crew to adapt to a variety of situations that may arise while at sea. These rehearsals, or sea trials, are the best way for the leadership team to recognize the individual and collective tasks that still need improvement while also identifying the members of the crew to fill watch-captain positions. Finally, the program allows the leadership to identify and recommend members of their crew to return the following year as XOs. This helps sustain the training program while fostering an environment of continued proficiency and dedicated leadership.
Reflection
When I returned to West Point in August 2010, I brought back knowledge and experience to the Army Offshore Sailing Section. I rejoined my coach, Dr. Lee Harrell (a fellow OSTS skipper and volunteer) and other members of the sailing team to develop a training schedule similar to the OSTS program. Dr. Harrell and I were determined to develop the team into a more competitive sailing program that was on par with the skill and resolve of its members. This determination was instilled in me by the OSTS program where I not only became a better sailor but also developed professionally and gained confidence in my leadership abilities.
Through reflection on my experiences at the Naval Academy and the incredible opportunity I was given, I became better suited for a prominent role on the sailing team. Although the technical skills I learned through the OSTS program may not be applicable for an Army officer, the chance I had to make substantial real-time and real-world decisions will remain with me indefinitely.
Mentorship, experience, new knowledge, and the ability to reflect are key elements in professional development. These are brought to the forefront in the OSTS program through real-life consequences of decisions made at sea. As author Herman Melville surmised, “at sea a fellow comes out.”
The OSTS program brings out the leadership potential in every midshipman. It puts young men and women into challenging situations, forcing them to face whatever fears they have to make quality, educated decisions for their crew. The program inspires its participants to take ownership of their professional development, a notion that will serve leaders well throughout their career. To me, the OSTS program is one of the most defining moments of my development as a junior officer and leader. I am grateful to the Naval Academy for providing me with this opportunity and I hope that I may one day return to the program.