CPPD Reservists discuss FY-12 plan, training support

By Susan Henson, Center for Personal and Professional Development Public Affairs

MINNEAPOLIS (NNS) -- MINNEAPOLIS (NNS) – The Center for Personal and Professional Development's Reserve Component Sailors held its first planning session June 24-26 in Minneapolis, marking the first time these Sailors, while assigned to the same overall command, have come together as a group.

The purpose of the CPPD Reserve Component planning session, held at the Navy and Marine Corps Operational Support Center in Minneapolis, was to present the Fiscal Year 2012 Operational Support Plan for the Reserve Component, as well as review current and new policies and procedures for the administration and operations of CPPD product delivery.

CPPD's RC consists of 56 enlisted Sailors and 27 officers assigned to the headquarters in Virginia Beach and its three regional detachments. They contribute to CPPD's mission of developing the Navy's workforce through education and training opportunities to build personal, professional and leadership competencies by providing qualified instructors that support in-house and mobile training team courses to both Active and Reserve Component Sailors.

"The Reserve Component continues to contribute to CPPD's mission success," said Capt. Chuck Hollingsworth, CPPD commanding officer, who attended the session "It's important that everyone in the unit from the top down is aware of the plan going forward and understands the role they each have in supporting personal and professional course delivery in 2012 and beyond."

Attendees discussed a range of topics during the weekend, such as the status of CPPD's RC performance, the command's course schedule and training plan, and new course reviews. The status update was a review of courses taught to date this fiscal year, personnel onboard, gains and losses, and instructor qualifications review. The course schedule and training plan helps identify travel needs early enough to request funding from Naval Education and Training Command's operational support officer, according to CPPD Reserve Operational Support Coordinator Steve Poellinger.

Regarding the new course review, CPPD RC will deliver the Department Head Leadership Course in a new two-day format to better fit with Reserve Component drill weekends. In addition, the Senior Officer Leadership Pilot Course, currently under construction, is a new course being designed to target reserve officers in the O-4 to O-6 pay grades, as well as those in leadership positions of non-commissioned reserve units.

Another part of the plan discussed was how CPPD RC enlisted professional development instructors will assist select Navy Operational Support Centers through the limited delivery of Petty Officer 1st and 2nd Class Leadership courses as well as the Command Training Team Indoctrination course. Recent data indicates the Reserve Component is experiencing difficulty in meeting the requirement of leadership training for advancing petty officers. Consequently, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command asked CPPD RC to help train RC Sailors at selected NOSCs that may not have adequate staffing to accomplish the training in a timely manner.

CPPD will hold up to 40 leadership courses for CNRFC in FY-12. In addition, CPPD will be offering the Command Training Team Indoctrination course at select locations in an effort to improve the quality of command-delivered instruction by the Full-Time Support staff at the NOSCs. "To best sum it up, CPPD will either help you by conducting the training or by helping train your trainers," said Religious Program Specialist Master Chief Billie Campbell, CPPD's senior enlisted leader.

"There are many new courses planned for FY-12 that will benefit Sailors, and we want to ensure everyone in the chain is onboard with the goals that have been set," said Poellinger. "In addition, our Sailors are the command's ambassadors, and they need to remain current on the mission in order to promote CPPD's products and services to both Active and Reserve Component Sailors."