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UNCLAS //N05070//
NAVADMIN 267/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/NAVY PROFESSIONAL READING PROGRAM//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON MONDAY, 2 OCTOBER 2006, WE WILL INTRODUCE THE
NAVY PROFESSIONAL READING PROGRAM (NPRP).  THE PURPOSE OF THE NPRP
IS TO FACILITATE THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALL
SAILORS, SEAMAN TO ADMIRAL, ACTIVE, AND RESERVE.  I DEEM IT A KEY
COMPONENT OF MY PRIORITY TO "DEVELOP 21ST CENTURY LEADERS."
2.  PROFESSIONAL READING HAS INTRINSIC BENEFITS FAR BEYOND OUR
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES.  EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE TOOLS TO GROW
PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY UNDERPINS THE STRENGTH OF OUR NAVY.
THE NPRP:
- HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE WORLD IN WHICH U.S. FORCES OPERATE,
DEVELOPING A WIDER PERSPECTIVE AND COMPREHENSION OF VIEWS OTHER
THAN OUR OWN.
- IMPROVES CRITICAL THINKING AND ENHANCES PROFESSIONALISM.
- FOSTERS A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR NAVAL AND MILITARY HERITAGE.
- ENRICHES OUR KNOWLEDGE OF WARFARE AND IMPROVES OUR ABILITY TO MAKE
TIMELY AND SOUND JUDGMENTS.
- STIMULATES DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MARITIME PROFESSION AND THE
EVOLVING ROLE OF SEA POWER.
3.  THE 60 NPRP TITLES FOCUS ON 6 AREAS OF IMPORTANCE FOR THE NAVAL
PROFESSIONAL:  LEADERSHIP, NAVAL AND MILITARY HERITAGE, JOINT AND
COMBINED WARFARE, REGIONAL AND CULTURAL AWARENESS, CRITICAL
THINKING, AND MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING.  THE WORKS HAVE
BEEN ASSEMBLED IN FIVE, 12-BOOK COLLECTIONS, WITH EACH COLLECTION
TARGETED AT SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE LEVELS.  SAILORS WILL BE FREE AND,
IN FACT, ENCOURAGED TO READ ANY BOOK THAT INTERESTS THEM.  THE GOAL
OUGHT TO BE FOR SAILORS TO READ AT LEAST TWO BOOKS PER YEAR.  THE
ENTIRE LIST IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.NAVYREADING.NAVY.MIL.
4.  WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO MAKE THE PROGRAM INTERACTIVE AND
ACCESSIBLE, AND WE HAVE STRIVED TO LOWER THE COST OF PARTICIPATION.
TO THAT END:
A.  WE PROVIDED EVERY UNIT AT LEAST ONE COMPLETE BOOK SET OF PROGRAM
TITLES, AND IN LARGER UNITS, MULTIPLE TAILORED SETS BASED ON COMMAND
DEMOGRAPHICS.
B.  THE NPRP WEBSITE -- ACTIVE ON 2 OCTOBER 2006 -- WILL OFFER
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, TITLES, AND LINKS TO SATISFY INTELLECTUAL
CURIOSITY.  IT WILL ALSO GIVE READERS AN ONLINE FORUM TO SUBMIT
FEEDBACK, QUESTIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS.
C.  THE NAVY EXCHANGE WILL MAINTAIN DEDICATED NPRP DISPLAYS AND WILL
SELL BOOKS FROM THE PROGRAM TITLES (IN PRINT OR ON AUDIO-CDS) AT THE
LOWEST POSSIBLE PRICES.
D.  WE MADE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD MANY DIGITAL MP3-FORMAT AUDIO
BOOK VERSIONS OF NPRP TITLES AT THE REFERENCE SECTION OF NAVY
KNOWLEDGE ONLINE (NKO), UNDER NAVY LIBRARY E-CONTENT.  AS MORE AUDIO
TITLES BECOME AVAILABLE FROM THE PUBLISHERS THEY WILL BE POSTED ON
NKO.
5.  ACTIONS
A.  COMMANDERS, COMMANDING OFFICERS, AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE WILL:
(1) ACTIVELY PROMOTE THE NPRP AND INCORPORATE IT INTO COMMAND
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND GENERAL MILITARY TRAINING BY
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO READ AND DISCUSS THE BOOKS.
(2) TAILOR THE PROGRAM TO MEET YOUR UNITS UNIQUE SCHEDULE AND
OPERATIONAL TEMPO.
(3) USE UNIT OPERATING TARGET (OPTAR) AS DESIRED TO SUPPLEMENT
TITLES ALREADY SUPPLIED TO YOUR UNIT LIBRARIES.
(4) SUBMIT IDEAS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR
CHAIN OF COMMAND.
B.  PRESIDENT, NAVAL WAR COLLEGE WILL:
(1) SERVE AS EXECUTIVE AGENT FOR NPRP.
(2) DEVELOP AND MANAGE THE NPRP WEBSITE TO PROVIDE RELEVANT ONLINE
RESOURCES.
(3) DEVELOP WITH THE CHIEF OF INFORMATION EFFORTS TO PROMOTE ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION.
(4) FACILITATE INCREASED ACCESS TO NPRP TITLES VIA PRINT AND
ELECTRONIC MEDIA.
6.  READING, DISCUSSING, AND UNDERSTANDING THE IDEAS FOUND IN THE
BOOKS OF THE NPRP WILL NOT ONLY IMPROVE OUR CRITICAL THINKING
SKILLS, IT WILL ALSO HELP US BECOME BETTER SAILORS, BETTER CITIZENS,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BETTER LEADERS.  AS PRESIDENT JOHN ADAMS ONCE
WARNED, "A FIGHTING SPIRIT WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE WOULD BE LITTLE BETTER
THAN A BRUTAL RAGE."  I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE SERVING OUR NAVY TO
INFORM THEIR FIGHTING SPIRIT THROUGH THE POWER OF PROFESSIONAL
READING.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
7.  RELEASED BY ADM MIKE MULLEN, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
BT
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