NNOA Pensacola Chapter holds First Annual "Speed Mentoring" Event

By Lt. Marvin Bartholomew, Pensacola Chapter NNOA Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The local chapter of National Naval Officer Association (NNOA) held its first annual Speed Mentoring event at the Mustin Beach Club, aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) Sept. 26.

The event drew more than 40 multi-service junior and senior officers from the Pensacola area for the opportunity to sit down with senior officers from their communities and gain valuable career insight.

Capt. Keith Hoskins, commanding officer NASP, opened the event by highlighting the missions and objectives unique to NNOA and asked all officers in attendance to actively support and foster a shared role of professional development, mentorship, and community involvement.

Lt. Christina Carter, a Nurse Manager from Naval Branch Health Clinic Corry Station, said she got a lot out of the event.

"I thought the Speed Mentoring event was very insightful and I gained a lot of valuable information," Carter said. "It was invigorating to talk to so many senior officers with such a wealth of knowledge and experience. Not only were there officers from my community, but there were officers from other communities that I did not know a lot about. I enjoyed the variety of mentors on the panel and felt honored to participate in this career enhancing event."

Lt. Cmdr. Raleigh Stahl, a Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) staff member, said he found the program a valuable experience.

"This was a great opportunity to gain valuable career insight and advise on officer professional development," Stahl said. "Additionally, it opened the doors to geographical networking".

Area commanding officers serving as mentors included: Capt. Katherine Erb, commanding officer of the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT); Capt. Alan D. Dean commanding officer Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC); Capt. Janet E. Lomax commanding officer of Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center (NETPDTC); Capt. Edward L. Heflin, commodore, Training Air Wing Six (TW-6); Capt. Maureen O'Hara Padden, commanding officer, Naval Hospital Pensacola (NHP); Col. Russell A. Blauw, commanding officer of Marine Air Training Support Group 23 (MATSG-23); and Col. Eric F. Buer, commanding officer of Marine air Training Support Group 21 (MATSG-21).

"As a senior officer, an inherent part of my job is to guide and mentor junior officers, regardless of designator or warfare specialty," said Captain Erb. "The Speed Mentoring event was a great opportunity to pass on experiences from my career to a diverse group of officers as they make important decisions about their current and future careers".

Some of the senior officers also learned from the event.

"Good mentors have enabled me to stay on the right track career-wise, and have helped me to think through different problems that we face as active duty Marines and Sailors," said Colonel Blauw. "Mentors have helped me to learn how to think through different courses of action, as often there are no clear cut answers to what we should do next or what billet we should be trying to fill. I learned a lot during the speed mentoring event. I hope I was able to share some solid observations or advice, but I was also impressed by the knowledge and desire for excellence demonstrated by the younger members in the crowd."

The mission of the NNOA is to actively support the Sea Services in the recruitment, retention and career development of its members and the enhancement of diversity in the officer corps. They provide professional development, mentoring, and support cultural diversity. The NNOA's goal, since its establishment in 1972 in Annapolis, Maryland, is to establish, and maintain a positive image of the Sea Services in communities and educational institutions.

Fleet Forces Announces Carrier Schedule Changes

From U.S. Fleet Forces Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) announced today a decision to change the future schedules of two Norfolk-based aircraft carriers.

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), will replace USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in upcoming training, operational, and maintenance schedules. Eisenhower, in turn, will shift into the training, operational, and maintenance schedule that had been planned for Truman. The commanding officers of the two ships notified the crews earlier today.

As USFF implements the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (O-FRP), a careful analysis of fleet maintenance, training and operational schedules determined that changing Truman and Eisenhower's longterm schedules would better enable the Navy to provide ready forces for national security taskings.

O-FRP offers more stability and predictability for Sailors and families by aligning carrier strike group assets to a 36-month training and deployment cycle. While changing Truman and Eisenhower's schedules impacts the ships' Sailors and families, the change ultimately provides better predictability Navy-wide.

As part of this change, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 staff members, who previously embarked aboard Truman, will now embark aboard Eisenhower. Conversely, CSG 8 staff members, who previously embarked aboard Eisenhower, will now embark aboard Truman. This schedule change does not affect any other ship, squadron, or staff schedules.

IDC Commander Promoted to Rear Adm.

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joy M. Kirch-Kelling, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Capt. Linnea J. Sommer-Weddington was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) during a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, California, Oct. 4.

"Becoming a flag officer was not anything I set out to do," Sommer-Weddington said. "My aim always was to accomplish the mission, do my best in whatever assignment I had and leave things a bit better."

According to Master Chief Cryptologic Technician (technical) Kristie Barbier, a senior enlisted leader at Information Dominance Corps (IDC) Midwest, leaving things a bit better than when she found them is exactly what Sommer-Weddington did throughout her career. Barbier said she views her as a true mentor who showed her and others there are no roadblocks to success -- even for women.

Not even a bout with cancer slowed her down. In 2008, Sommer-Weddington was diagnosed with breast cancer. With the support of friends, family, and colleagues, she battled her disease while still staying in command. She is now in remission.

Guest speaker Rear Adm. James Plehal praised the Navy's newest admiral and discussed her success as a leader with more than 25 years of experience.

"From the beginning she proved that you don't have to be a grandstander, you don't have to be shrill to be heard, you don't have to sell out to compromise, you don't have to be a cut throat person to get ahead (nor) somebody who sucks all the air out of the room in order to be strong and effective leader," said Plehal.

Plehal went on to say that Sommer-Weddington is the first female reserve officer to carry a star on her shoulder boards as commander, Information Dominance Corps (IDC) Southwest. She is among only a handful of female flag officers who serve in the Navy today.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced Sommer-Weddinton's nomination in July.

A New Jersey native, Sommer-Weddington graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Slippery Rock State College, Pennsylvania, before enlisting in the Navy as a cryptologic technician interpretive seaman. She became a Russian linguist during the end of the Cold War era and left active duty as a petty officer second class in 1986. Sommer-Weddington returned two years later as a commissioned officer in the Navy Reserve. She earned her Master of Business Administration from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1996.