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This question is from a recent MCPON all hands call in San Diego - Speaking with Sailors - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

All Hands, Feb, 2003 by Terry D. Scott

Q: I've heard a lot of talk about the CNO's vision for the Navy called "Sea Power 21." How will this affect me and my career?

A: The Navy we serve in today is changing at an incredible pace. And to fulfill our mission and navigate the challenges ahead, we need a clear vision of how our Navy will organize, integrate and transform. "Sea Power 21" is that vision.

It's going to enable us to align our efforts, accelerate our progress and realize the potential of our people. Sea Power 21 will guide our Navy as we defend our nation and defeat our enemies in the uncertain century before us.

To break it down simply, Sea Power 21 is comprised of three concepts. Sea Strike is the projection of offensive power; Sea Shield is defensive power and Sea Basing is the projection of U.S. sovereignty. You are a key part of this strategy.

For this strategy to be successful, we have to properly prepare, train and develop you- the people who will make it work. "Sea Warrior," the personnel component of Sea Power 21, is the piece that's going to ensure this. Sea Warrior is the part of Sea Power 21 that will most directly affect you.

Sea Warrior will work to achieve greater combat effectiveness by instituting a learning continuum for all Sailors. By investing in Sailors with innovative training and detailing, we can ensure our Navy has the right skills in the right place at the right time. Sea Warrior implements our Navy's commitment to the growth and development of all Sailors.

In the past, large crews on our ships were the keystones to accomplishing their missions. Today, the smaller, all-volunteer crews of modern warships are streamlined teams of experts who collectively operate some of the most complex systems in the world. With mare effective detailing and manning programs, and new platforms requiring smaller crews, we'll need Sailors who are highly educated and expertly trained.

You've undoubtedly heard a lot of talk about Task Force Excel, and the role it plays in this revolution in training. And because this revolution in our education process calls for cultural changes, it will be an ongoing and evolving effort.

We know that we cannot just focus on the new Sailors coming up our brow -- it's also very mindful of Sailors who are already well into their Navy career. All Sailors will be given a clear career roadmap, outlining how they progress from seaman to master chief or from ensign to admiral.

Another initiative central to Sea Warrior is Project SAIL (Sailor Advocacy through Interactive Leadership). Project SAIL is moving the Navy toward an interactive and incentivized distribution system that includes guaranteed schools for high-performing, non-rated personnel, team detailing, Internet job listings, an information call center and expanded detailer outreach.

Our goal is to create a Navy in which all Sailors -- active-duty and Reserve, afloat and ashore -- are optimally assessed, trained and assigned so that they can contribute their fullest to mission accomplishment.

To learn more about Sea Warrior, and how it will shape and develop your career, you can go to www.news.navy.mil/local/cno.> Speaking with Sailors is a monthly column initiated by the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy as a way of reaching out to the men and women of the fleet, whether they are stationed just down the road or halfway around the world.