MCPON Testifies before Senate on Quality of Life

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Sonya Ansarov, Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The master chief petty officer of the Navy (MCPON) testified for the first time before the Personnel Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee April 13.

MCPON (SS/SW) Rick D. West, along with the other top enlisted leaders from the Marines, Army and Air Force, appeared before the committee to discuss the health of their forces, quality of life programs, family readiness, continuum of care, Reserve force, and family housing.

"Current operational demands and high operating tempo have placed added stress on the force," said West. "Our many personnel and family readiness programs remain one of our Navy's highest priorities."

Navy's Homeport Ashore program, bachelor and Navy family housing, childcare, and Continuum of Care were important issues that were brought up to the congressional subcommittee.

"One area that has had recent significant impact on quality of life for our families that I feel the need to highlight is the Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2011," said West.

West detailed for the committee how the spending restrictions under the CR resulted in considerable delays in permanent-change-of-station (PCS) orders and more than 20,000 sets of orders were deferred. He said under the CR, the Navy has not had sufficient manpower funding to allow for normal lead times for Sailors to receive PCS orders, and the result is the average lead times have been reduced from four to six months to two months or less.

"While relief is on the way, lingering effects of the CR will continue to place emotional and economic strain on our Sailors and their families as they attempt to sell homes, seek follow on employment for family members, enroll children in schools, and complete necessary screening and training requirements prior to transfer," said West.

West continued to explain that though our leadership continues to be resourceful in mitigating the impact, the CR has affected funding for new construction and facility sustainment in barracks and base operating support.

West gave the committee a global snapshot of the Navy's current operations with approximately 60 percent of the Navy's ships underway, 40 percent being on deployment worldwide, and more than 28,000 Sailors are on the ground and at sea in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Naval forces are providing direct support of ongoing operations in the Mediterranean Sea, executing counter-piracy missions off the coast of Africa, and continuing to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the people of Japan.

Greater demand on Navy forces has lead to longer deployments and shorter dwell, or turnaround times, which increases strain on Sailors, Navy civilians and their families, West explained. West said he firmly believes that how the Sailors sent to war, the families they leave behind and those wounded and retired shipmates are supported, truly defines us as a Navy and a nation.

"Despite these challenges, our leadership remains focused on providing support to our Sailors and their families to foster resiliency as well as family readiness," said West.

In closing, West thanked the subcommittee for their steadfast support of our men and women in uniform.

The MCPON periodically testifies before Congress along with the senior enlisted leaders of the other services. This was his first appearance before the Senate Committee on Armed Services.