UNCLASSIFIED//
R 140017Z FEB 08
PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
UNCLAS //N01040//
NAVADMIN 043/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB// 
SUBJ/BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS TAKING CARE OF SAILORS// 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/062142ZAPR01// REF/B/DOC//OPNAV/03DEC06// 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 082/01 (STANDARD ENLISTED RETENTION MEASURES).  
REF B IS OPNAVINST 1040.11B GOVERNING NAVY RETENTION AND CAREER 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.// 
RMKS/1.  FUNDAMENTAL TO NAVY’S ABILITY TO COME OUT OF THE DOWNSIZING 
WE’VE BEEN EXECUTING SINCE 2002 AND SUSTAIN OUR ACTIVE COMPONENT END 
STRENGTH AT APPROX 322K AND OUR RESERVE COMPONENT END STRENGTH AT 
APPROX 68K, IS OUR STAY NAVY PROGRAM.  WE HAVE ESTABLISHED GOALS FOR 
EACH RETENTION ZONE - ZONE A-48 PERCENT, ZONE B-58 PERCENT AND ZONE C-
82 PERCENT - WHICH, WHEN COUPLED WITH OUR ACCESSION MISSION OF APPROX 
49,000 (AC/RC), WILL ENSURE WE HAVE SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF SAILORS TO 
BOTH MAN OUR FUTURE FLEET AND SHORE STRUCTURE AND PROVIDE FOR SAILOR 
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.  WHILE WE HAVE ESTABLISHED NAVY-
WIDE GOALS AND PROMULGATED NAVY-WIDE POLICIES, THE RETENTION BATTLE IS 
FOUGHT ONE SAILOR AT A TIME ON EVERY ONE OF OUR SHIPS, SQUADRONS, 
SUBMARINES AND STATIONS.  CRUCIAL TO FIGHTING AND WINNING THIS BATTLE 
IS EACH COMMAND?S MASTERY OF THE BASICS OF RETENTION.  AT THE UNIT 
LEVEL, IF WE CAN BE BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS, THEN WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL 
NAVY-WIDE WITH A FORCE MADE UP OF THE RIGHT SAILORS, WITH THE RIGHT 
SKILLS, READY TO ANSWER ALL BELLS, TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE.
2.  THE BASICS OF RETENTION INCLUDE SIX KEY PROGRAMS:  COMMAND 
SPONSORSHIP, COMMAND INDOCTRINATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT BOARDS, 
MENTORSHIP, OMBUDSMAN PROGRAMS, AND RECOGNITION PROGRAMS.  THESE SIX 
BASICS FORM THE ENDURING FOUNDATION UPON WHICH EVERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER 
IS LAUNCHED.  IN MANY CASES, THESE EFFORTS REPRESENT OUR FIRST 
OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVE WE ARE TRULY CONCERNED WITH THE WELL- BEING, 
PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS AND FAMILY SUPPORT OF OUR SAILORS; THESE ACTIONS 
SET THE TONE BY WHICH SHIPMATES AND FAMILIES ULTIMATELY CHOOSE TO “STAY 
NAVY.”  ENSURING THESE BASIC RETENTION PROGRAMS ARE PROPERLY 
IMPLEMENTED IN YOUR COMMAND IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE NAVY’S FUTURE.
    A.  SPONSORSHIP/FIRST 72 HOURS:  ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS WE 
CAN TAKE IN GETTING SHIPMATES ON THE RIGHT PATH EARLY IS REACHING OUT 
TO THEM AS A SPONSOR AND WELCOMING THEM INTO OUR COMMAND AND THE 
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.  PROACTIVE INTERACTION BY A SPONSOR AND 
OMBUDSMAN CAN SOLVE MANY ISSUES BEFORE THE SAILOR EVEN ARRIVES ABOARD, 
PAVING THE WAY FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKING 
THAT NAVY FAMILY FEEL LIKE A GENUINE PART OF THE NEW COMMAND FAMILY.  
SPONSOR ASSIGNMENT CAN BE MADE AT GAINING COMMANDS AND TRACKED BY 
LOSING COMMANDS USING THE CAREER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CIMS).
    B.  INDOC:  A GREAT SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM MUST BE FOLLOWED UP BY AN 
EFFECTIVE INDOCTRINATION PROCESS.  THIS WILL SEND A STRONG, POSITIVE 
SIGNAL THAT WE VALUE THE SKILLS OUR NEW SHIPMATES BRING TO THE 
WATERFRONT, AND WE HAVE A PLAN TO INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE CREW. 
THIS MEANS GETTING OUR SAILORS A HEAD-START ON PQS, SAFETY, FAMILY 
SUPPORT, AVAILABLE SERVICES, EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND MORE, THROUGH 
A COMPREHENSIVE AND INFORMATIVE INDOC PROGRAM.
    C.  CAREER DEVELOPMENT BOARD (CDB):  SUSTAINED LEADERSHIP 
ENGAGEMENT, PARTICULARLY FROM THE COMMAND MASTER CHIEF, THE CHIEF?S 
MESS AND THE COMMAND CAREER COUNSELOR, IS CRITICAL TO THE CAREER 
SUCCESS OF EVERY SAILOR.  CDB’S COVER WATCH STANDING QUALIFICATIONS, 
EDUCATION, ADVANCEMENT AND CAREER GOALS, AND MUCH MORE.  THESE ARE 
REQUIRED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF A SAILOR REPORTING ABOARD, AND HIGHLY 
RECOMMENDED TO BE CONDUCTED AT 6 AND 12 MONTHS OF REPORT DATE AND 
ANNUALLY THEREAFTER.  RESERVE COMPONENT SAILORS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 
REPORTING CDB PRIOR TO THEIR THIRD DRILL WEEKEND AND IT IS STRONGLY 
RECOMMENDED TO BE HELD ANNUALLY THEREAFTER.  I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH 
THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE CDB’S; SAILORS CANNOT FOLLOW THEIR PROFESSIONAL 
PATH WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR CAREER AND THE 
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM.  REF B DIRECTS THE USE OF CIMS TO 
CONDUCT AND TRACK CDB’S.  IN NAVADMIN 227/07, I CHALLENGED EVERY 
COMMAND TO ENSURE EVERY SAILOR COMPLETED THE REQUIRED CDB’S. 
    D.  OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM:  AS YOU KNOW, THE OMBUDSMAN IS A VOLUNTEER, 
APPOINTED BY THE COMMANDING OFFICER, TO SERVE AS AN INFORMATION LINK 
BETWEEN THE COMMAND AND NAVY FAMILIES.  OMBUDSMEN ARE TRAINED TO 
DISSEMINATE INFORMATION BOTH UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, 
INCLUDING OFFICIAL NAVY-WIDE AND COMMAND INFORMATION, COMMAND CLIMATE 
ISSUES, LOCAL QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND 
“GOOD DEALS” AROUND THE COMMUNITY.  THEY ALSO PROVIDE RESOURCE 
REFERRALS WHEN NEEDED AND ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN RESOLVING FAMILY ISSUES 
BEFORE THE ISSUES REQUIRE EXTENSIVE COMMAND ATTENTION.  THE COMMAND 
OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM IS SHAPED LARGELY BY THE COMMANDING OFFICER’S 
PERCEIVED NEEDS OF HIS/HER COMMAND.  THE COMMAND OMBUDSMAN WORKS UNDER 
THE GUIDANCE OF THE COMMANDING OFFICER, WHO DETERMINES THE PRIORITIES 
OF THE PROGRAM, THE ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS OF THOSE INVOLVED IN IT, 
AND THE TYPE AND LEVEL OF SUPPORT IT WILL RECEIVE.
    E.  MENTORSHIP:   MENTORSHIP CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED AT VARIOUS
LEVELS: SENIOR-TO-JUNIOR OR PEER-TO-PEER; AND IT CAN BE EITHER FORMAL 
OR INFORMAL.  EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE MENTOR ASSIGNED TO THEM, 
A PERSON WHO IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN MONITORING PROFESSIONAL AND 
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WHO CAN ADVISE OUR SAILORS, NOT JUST ON RATE-
SPECIFIC CHOICES, BUT ON THEIR ENTIRE CAREER.  SAILORS CAN AND SHOULD 
HAVE MORE THAN ONE MENTOR.  THESE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE IN ADDITION TO 
THE CMC AND COMMAND CAREER COUNSELOR.  AS A LEADER, YOU TOO SHOULD TAKE 
AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN BEING A MENTOR; GIVE JUNIOR SAILORS AND PEERS THE 
BENEFIT OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.
    F.  RECOGNITION PROGRAMS:  THE END OF TOUR SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY 
TIME A SAILOR IS RECOGNIZED.  RECOGNITION CAN ALSO INCLUDE SPECIFIC 
ACTION AWARDS, FLOC’S, LETTERS OF APPRECIATION, HIGHLIGHTING 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE POD AND OTHER PUBLIC VENUES, HARP OPPORTUNITIES 
AND NOMINATIONS FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS.  BE CREATIVE, PRAISE IN PUBLIC, 
AND MAKE SURE YOUR SAILORS KNOW THEY ARE APPRECIATED AND VALUED.
3.  AS STATED EARLIER, WE ACHIEVE OUR RETENTION GOALS ONE SAILOR AT A 
TIME.  EACH AND EVERY SAILOR COUNTS, AND BEING BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS 
WILL DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMANDS COMMITMENT TO OUR SAILORS AND THEIR 
FAMILIES.
4.  THE ENTIRE MPTE ORGANIZATION IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.  TO AID 
LEADERS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO EQUIP SAILORS WITH BALANCED CAREER 
INFORMATION, NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT CAREER 
MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIA VISITS AROUND THE WORLD.  I?VE ASKED NAVY 
LEADERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THESE SYMPOSIA ARE WELL ADVERTISED AND 
AVAILABLE TO ALL HANDS.  A COMPLETE SCHEDULE IS POSTED AT 
WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/CAREERINFO/CAREERMGMTSYMPOSIUM/SCHEDULE2.
UPCOMING CAREER MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIA (CMS):
    A.  NAS JRB NEW ORLEANS:  20-21 FEB 08
    B.  HAWAII:  25-29 FEB 08
    C.  NAVY REGION WASHINGTON DC:  10-14 MAR 08 5.  POINT OF CONTACT:  
NCCM (SW/AW) JOSEPH MACK AT (901) 874-3194/DSN 882, EMAIL:  
joseph.mack@navy.mil.
6.  RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR., N1.//

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