US Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus announced Navy-wide changes that will affect midshipmen’s physical readiness, career paths and post graduate education, during a speech at the United States Naval Academy (USNA), May 13.
The initiatives Mabus outlined focused on improving flexibility, transparency and choice for midshipmen’s careers.
Starting this September, SECNAV is establishing the Office of Talent Optimization at USNA. The office will analyze labor market data from private sector and academia to keep personnel systems competitive, and create a true marketplace of talent.
A refinement in service selection will be seen in the upcoming year. Improvements in the optimization models will put more focus on talent and interest thereby increasing midshipmen’s chances of getting their top choices in service selection.
Increased job assignment opportunity for women was discussed as a priority for Mabus. Fifty-seven percent of college graduates are female, and the U.S. Navy wants to attract more educated female officers to serve in the world’s premier naval fighting force. Removing gender specific roles and opening all operation billets to everyone is critical to achieving higher female accessions.
A culture of fitness in deeply intertwined within the development of midshipmen into officers. As officers they will be responsible for the mental and physical health of the Sailors and Marines under their command. A revamp of the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) will have the standard biannual test augmented with physical readiness spot checks, keeping the standard of performance a year-round endeavor. A new reform to the height and weight standards will also change how body mass index testing is performed.
This year’s class of 2015’s females will be the first to wear the Navy service dress white choker blouse and combination cover. They will debut the uniform, on graduation day next week, which will eventually be worn throughout the fleet.
Image: US Navy