New Navy Ethos
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UNCLASSIFIED//
NAVADMIN 318/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/NOV//
SUBJ/NAVY ETHOS//
1. IN THE 2007-2008 CNO GUIDANCE, I DIRECTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NAVY ETHOS THAT WOULD REFLECT THE VALUES INTEGRAL TO MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ACTIVE AND RESERVE SAILORS AND NAVY CIVILIANS, NO MATTER THE ASSIGNED UNIT, COMMAND, OR COMMUNITY.
2. AFTER GATHERING INPUT ACROSS THE NAVY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE NAVY ETHOS HAS BEEN APPROVED. THE FINAL PRODUCT IS THE RESULT OF COMMENTS FROM THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE AND RESERVE SAILORS AND NAVY CIVILIANS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE ON THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES THE NAVY EMPLOYS DAILY TO WIN WARS AND BUILD AND MAINTAIN SECURITY AND STABILITY.
3. AN ETHOS IDENTIFIES DISTINGUISHING CHARACTER, CULTURE, OR BELIEFS OF A GROUP OR INSTITUTION. NAVY ETHOS IS DESIGNED TO COMMUNICATE A SET OF BELIEFS APPROPRIATE AND IMPORTANT TO THE MORE THAN 400,000 MILITARY AND 180,000 CIVILIAN PERSONNEL WHO SHARE A COMMON BOND OF SERVICE IN THE NAVY, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, OR POSITION.
4. THE NAVY ETHOS:
— WE ARE THE UNITED STATES NAVY, OUR NATION’S SEA POWER – READY GUARDIANS OF PEACE, VICTORIOUS IN WAR.
— WE ARE PROFESSIONAL SAILORS AND CIVILIANS – A DIVERSE AND AGILE FORCE EXEMPLIFYING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION, AT HOME AND ABROAD, AT SEA AND ASHORE.
— INTEGRITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CONDUCT; RESPECT FOR OTHERS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CHARACTER; DECISIVE LEADERSHIP IS CRUCIAL TO OUR SUCCESS.
— WE ARE A TEAM, DISCIPLINED AND WELL-PREPARED, COMMITTED TO MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE DO NOT WAVER IN OUR DEDICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR SHIPMATES AND FAMILIES.
— WE ARE PATRIOTS, FORGED BY THE NAVY’S CORE VALUES OF HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT. IN TIMES OF WAR AND PEACE, OUR ACTIONS REFLECT OUR PROUD HERITAGE AND TRADITION.
— WE DEFEND OUR NATION AND PREVAIL IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY WITH STRENGTH, DETERMINATION, AND DIGNITY.
— WE ARE THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
For the record, we prefer the shorter, more direct distillation as put forth by John Paul Jones in an era devoid of polls, public opinion surveys, and warfighting by committee:
“I wish to have no Connection with any Ship that does not Sail fast for I intend to go in harm’s way.”
Your thoughts? Am especially interested in the Fleet’s thoughts as, well, you know we sometimes get tarred with that curmudgeon brush – bitter retirees clinging to ancient beliefs and all… ;-) (cf. Our earlier thoughts re. Ethos and A Navy At War…)
JPJ was more to the point and easier to understand.
Hey Skipper,
How about:
“Support and defend the Constituion of the United States against all enemys, foreign and domestic.”
.
Ack. As bad as I thought it would be. “Forged…honorcouragecommitment ™”?
FWIW, amongst the multi-generational retired, Reserve and Active Duty folks I work with this new ethos is something well short of compelling. Derisive snorts appear to be the common commentary – and I won’t repeat what some of the other Service folks are saying, especially one fellow naval Service…
– SJS
SJS,
I’m posting on it on the 13th. I am with you – shorter is better.
Could be worse….I didn’t see the word “Diversity”. And yeah, I’m a minimalist as well, all that “Sea room and a willing foe” thing.
And glad that he included us civilian types, there’s more than a few of us get very personal about our Navy.
The USAF did the same thing when I was on AD to better describe their “aerospace” missions. They should have kept it “To Fly and Fight and Don’t You Forget It!”
Byron,
Wrong-O. “Diverse” is in the 2nd paragraph. That term will ALWAYS be mentioned.