Master Chief Petty Officer of Navy Visits SPAWAR

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) (SS/SW) Rick D. West visited the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) to speak to Sailors and civilians during an all hands call March 26.

MCPON toured the SPAWAR command, including the Ballistic Missile Defense Systems Combined Test Bed Lab at the SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific facilities, and received briefs on tactical data links and the Ship’s Signal Exploitation Equipment project. It was the first visit by West to SPAWAR.

“It’s amazing what you do here. You have a lot of incredible capability,” said West. “We are a Navy on the move. Technology is absolutely critical for where we are and where we need to be. The things you are doing here get the fleet ready to do what they need to do. I appreciate that effort.”

West also met with the SPAWAR chief’s mess and stressed the importance of having a competitive, qualified Navy. He said the chief’s mess is as strong as it has ever been. West reiterated the importance of the Navy’s CPO 365 program, which provides mentorship to first class petty officers and teaches leadership, responsibility and accountability.

“The purpose of the CPO 365 program is to grow our chief petty officers and mentorship is key to that,” said West. “I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have strong mentors that encouraged me throughout my career.”

West is the Navy’s 12th MCPON and is a key advisor to the chief of naval operations and chief of naval personnel in matters concerning enlisted personnel and their families. Visits like the one to SPAWAR are intended to provide senior leadership with a frontline assessment of personnel matters and key initiatives around the fleet.

“During his tour of SPAWAR, the MCPON was able to see what we are doing for the fleet,” said SPAWAR Command Master Chief Octavia Harris. “He saw first-hand how what we do in our labs and out on the waterfront, directly impacting the warfighter across all platforms.”

As the Navy’s Information Dominance systems command, SPAWAR designs, develops and deploys advanced communications and information capabilities. With more than 8,900 active duty military and civil service professionals located around the world and close to the fleet, SPAWAR is at the forefront of research, engineering, acquisition and support services that provide vital decision superiority to our forces at the right time and for the right cost.

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Naval Today Staff , March 28, 2012; Image: navy