Happy Birthday, chiefs!

I want to piggyback on MCPON West’s birthday message sent out March 30 via Navy.mil.

In his message, which can be found at www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=43884, MCPON West reminds us first and foremost we should take a moment and truly reflect on “the honored traditions of our mess and the heritage associated with it.”

But, I ask you, what is our heritage? What are our honored traditions? Sure, we can stand up and list all of those who have served as MCPON or proudly stand up and talk about the path senior-enlisted Sailors have taken to become the chief. But, really, what is our most-honored tradition?

MCPON West spelled it out clearly for us all in his birthday message as he looked back upon MCPON Billy Sanders and the status of the Navy during Sanders’ tenure as our MCPON. Our most-honored tradition is keeping our ranks filled with the best possible people. Shipmates, there is NO room for mediocrity! We must hold ourselves and the Fleet to the highest of standards.

Bottom line here as MCPON Sanders wrote and MCPON West reminded us: “It’s time to be Navy.”

It’s time get back to the basics of what it is that has made the U.S. Navy chief petty officer mess the backbone of the greatest Navy in the world. And, there is no better time than our birthday to make that happen.

Fleet sends.
cpf.fleetfeedback@navy.mil

Are you connected in the Information Age?

With the introduction of the computer into modern warfare, the Navy jumped head first into the "Information Age". As quickly as this brought the Sailor to mission critical information, it also brought a surge of data back on the Sailor ten-fold.

But how does one avoid drowning in this growing arena? How does one reach out to shipmates for a lifeline to stay connected and in touch?

Connections are made at a lightening fast pace and just blinking might make you miss the next 'big thing'. We have email and we created websites, then the world went and made their own spaces (aka MySpace), now you gotta put your face out there (Facebook) and since when did you Tweet (aka Twitter) in the Navy, let alone allow Yammering (aka Yammer) or Jabbering (aka Jabber) of our shipmates? Even now, just to talk to FPCON, instead of picking up the phone, you put on your Command and Control headset to DCO-in (Defense Connect Online). Think “World of Warcraft” in the office!

In a community as diverse and distanced as the Navy, there is just as many different ways of staying in touch. There's not only information pull (users going to get the information they need), but an information PUSH, flooding the Sailor with avenues to explore.

So how does one stay in contact at sea or in combat? World Wide Web today truly does capture the world - connectivity now goes where you go, not the other way around where you have to drag it after you. Sometimes it just comes looking for you! Thanks for your sacrifices and for your service. Fleet sends.