Mattis, Omani Foreign Minister Discuss Defense Relationship

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary James N. Mattis and Omani Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf bin Alawi discussed a range of regional security issues as well as ways to strengthen the two countries’ defense relationship during their meeting at the Pentagon today, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said in a statement.

Mattis and the senior Omani official reaffirmed the longstanding defense relationship between the United States and Oman, White said.

Regional Security Issues

The two leaders, she added, also discussed a broad range of regional security issues, including the conflict in Yemen, freedom of navigation and multilateral counterterrorism cooperation.

Mattis said Oman is a vital U.S. security partner in the Middle East, White said. The two leaders, she added, also are exploring ways to strengthen their bilateral defense cooperation.

U.S. Receives Fallen Service Members’ Remains From North Korea

WASHINGTON -- The United Nations Command with support from U.S. Forces Korea today repatriated 55 cases of remains of fallen U.S. service members returned by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea, according to a news release.

A U.S. cargo aircraft flew to Wonson, North Korea, to receive the remains and returned promptly to Osan Air Base, South Korea, the release said.

“It was a successful mission following extensive coordination,” United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea commander Army Gen. Vincent K. Brooks said in the release.

“Now, we will prepare to honor our fallen before they continue on their journey home,” Brooks added.

Brooks will host a full honors ceremony for the fallen service members August 1. Immediately following that ceremony, the remains will be flown to Hawaii for further processing under the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

The UNC in Korea remains committed to enforcing the 1953 U.N. Armistice Agreement to return fallen service members, the release said.

“The United States owes a profound debt of gratitude to those American service members who gave their lives in service to their country and we are working diligently to bring them home” according to a statement released by the White House. “It is a solemn obligation of the United States government to ensure that the remains are handled with dignity and properly accounted for so their families receive them in an honorable manner.

“Today’s actions represent a significant first step to recommence the repatriation of remains from North Korea and to resume field operations in North Korea to search for the estimated 5,300 Americans who have not yet returned home,” the statement added.

Camp Lemonnier Embraces Sailor 360 Program

By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Rullo, Camp Lemonnier

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti -- The Sailor 360 program is scheduled to be rolled out Navywide in October, and the initiative marks the first significant change since 2011 on how the service trains its enlisted leaders.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Irene Aguilar, the leading chief petty officer for the CPO 365 program here, said there are unique challenges, including scheduling, to incorporating the new training into deployments. Because of the high tempo of the operational mission and frequent personnel turnover, it could take longer here than elsewhere to fully implement the program.

“We are in a forward-deployed environment, so it’s not like we’re back home and can plan to have training on a set day,” Aguilar said. “We are here to complete a mission; everyone is very busy.”

Seven Elements

Sailor 360 applies seven leadership elements: alignment, habits, training, education, opportunity, feedback and self-awareness.

Aguilar said the aim of Sailor 360 is to introduce these leadership elements to sailors below the rank of petty officer first class -- something that was not part of the previous leadership model.

“We tend to focus leadership at a senior level,” she said. “The junior enlisted people are the foundation of the Navy and our future chiefs.”

Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer addressed the Sailor 360 program’s integrated leadership style in “Laying the Keel -- Developing the Backbone of Our Navy.”

“A professional, formal leadership development curriculum reinforced by innovative, meaningful command-developed training such as Sailor 360 [is] how command leaders will grow competence and improve character while instilling integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness in every sailor,” he wrote.

Because Sailor 360 is command developed, leaders have the flexibility to tailor existing source material to best fit their observed needs.

A majority of sailors deployed to Camp Lemonnier are members of the Navy Reserve. Before deploying, many reserve sailors are introduced to leadership training through CPO 365 at their Navy operational support centers.

Aguilar said if reserve centers emphasize the importance of this training, it will help lay the foundation for the continuation of training for those stationed here.

Comprehensive Training Approach

Camp Lemonnier’s Command Master Chief, Jon H. Morton, said that with the rollout of Sailor 360, he anticipates a more comprehensive approach to leadership training at the lower enlisted levels. The type of training Sailor 360 offers is the most effective way to develop long-lasting leadership skills, he added.

“Sailor 360’s experiential learning curriculum will be better for junior sailors,” Morton said. “The top-down approach of a lecture-based training just doesn’t have the same impact. I’m looking forward to this change.”

Camp Lemonnier’s mission includes enabling joint warfighters operating forward and reinforcing the U.S.-Djibouti relationship by providing exceptional services and facilities for tenant commands, transient U.S. assets and service members.