Friday, February 20, 2009

USS CONSTITUTION


Wow shipmates, it’s been too long since I posted here and wanted to say first sorry.

Had a been traveling quite exclusively the last several months and simply wanted to catch you up on where I’ve been and some of the common concerns from our Sailors. I'll hit some of the places I've been in separate blogs and then capture the concerns in a final one.

First where have I been. Each year a group of our CPO Selects are provided an opportunity to spend a week working the rigging onboard “Old Ironsides”, USS CONSTITUTION (the only ship in commission without a hull number)! This was my first visit with them and one I will never forget. For the soon to be Chief Petty Officers, I would believe it was thus far the highlight of their careers.

I spoke to them about leadership, and their responsibility to develop their Sailors. A favorite quote of mine has always been: “Leaders take people where they want to go, great leaders take people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be!" That’s our charge as leaders in our Navy. To see in our Sailors what they may not see in themselves, and then help them achieve more than they believed they could.
For now Shipmates, that’s it. Thanks for serving and thanks for your great sacrifices you and your family make on a daily basis. Fleet Howard