The U.S. Navy announced it has eliminated seven shipboard collateral duties while a working group will further review all collateral duties for the potential to be eliminated or consolidated.
The removed duties are part of an effort to remove unnecessary burdens and distractions from sailors to allow them to focus on core warfighting.
The seven collaterals identified for immediate elimination were selected from a review of Fleet units and will have minimal impact to mission: Athletics Officer, Library Officer, Health Benefits Advisor, Community Relations Project Officer, Enlisted Safety Committee (Safety petty officers have not been eliminated, but the Committee will be combined into the Enlisted Safety Council), Knowledge Management Officer, and Voting Officer.
“There’s this idea that without a bunch of collaterals, you’re just not going to be competitive for advancement, and what that does is water down our mission focus,” said Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson during an April all-hands call in Hampton Roads, Va.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven Giordano will lead a working group to conduct a comprehensive review of all collateral duties and will report his findings, via Fleet leadership, directly to CNO later this summer.
Navy leadership asked the entire fleet to participate in this effort by identifying outdated or redundant duties for the working group’s consideration.
“The NAVADMIN itself is just letting the Navy know that we are truly looking at this, and the way ahead will be determined by them, so their input is going to matter in this,” said Giordano. “I encourage everyone to be part of it.”