CFAY Senior Chief attends Senior Enlisted Academy virtually during COVID-19

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Ian Cotter | YOKOSUKA, Japan (Feb. 5, 2021) — Senior Chief Electronics Technician Jason Troutman works on his computer in Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka's (CFAY) port operations building. For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ian Cotter)  

YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

02.12.2021

Story by Emiley Murphy 

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

(YOKOSUKA, Japan) Within the naval community, to be a senior enlisted leader is a role that is not to be taken lightly. Serving as a link between the upper leadership and more junior Sailors, senior enlisted leaders are actively engaged in keeping the pulse of their crews and ensuring open lines of communication. This delicate balance is a critical part of upholding the Navy’s mission, and to Senior Chief Electronics Technician Jason Troutman, the job of a senior enlisted leader is a task he is proud to perform.
“We’re molding the future leadership of the Navy,” said Troutman. “We need to empower and put Sailors in those positions [of leadership], give them that feedback and every day we should be seeing what we can do to further develop our people – enlisted and officers.”

Originally from Burlington, Kan., Troutman joined the Navy in 2000 and received orders to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), the first of several tours he would complete in the Far East. For the past 20 years, his professional journey has taken him from Japan to Europe and back to CFAY, where he has served since 2016. Now his dedication and hard work have led him on a new adventure, as a student in the Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA).
Located in Newport, R.I., the SEA is the Navy’s only Professional Military Education (PME) institute for senior enlisted leaders. Established in 1981, it was created as a vehicle for senior enlisted leaders to receive training in subjects ranging from communication skills to national security affairs. The SEA is a prerequisite for all prospective command master chiefs (CMCs) and chiefs of the boat. The school currently educates 1,200 leaders annually.
Encouraged by Command Master Chief Derek Mullenhour, CFAY’s Command Master Chief, Troutman submitted his application last fall and was accepted into the course for the following February term. With plans to submit a package for command senior chief (CSC), Troutman shares that his drive to continue his career was encouraged by the senior enlisted leaders in his life.
“I’ve been blessed with some awesome CMCs and some awesome messes, and I really am inspired to [become a CSC and a CMC] ... I really think that’s the way I’m going,” said Troutman.
What makes Trotman’s acceptance to the SEA unique is the limit that a global pandemic has made on all overseas travel. Originally a 12-week blended course with nine weeks of distance learning and three weeks in-residence, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Troutman will be participating virtually throughout the entire course. Despite this change in circumstances, he continues to focus on the positive aspect of the overall experience and the opportunities this course will afford him in the future.
“I have experience on the surface side but I look forward to learning from the faculty, [and from] the experiences of everybody through that virtual environment to … learn more on leadership and the strategy and the operations on a greater scale. That’s what I’m really excited about,” said Troutman.
According to their website, the goal of the SEA is to “develop agile, adaptive military professionals who inspire their teams to perform at higher levels. Through a quality education in a formal setting, we grow leaders who share a deep commitment to each other in the relentless pursuit of decisive military victory.”
The CFAY chiefs mess has continued to show their adaptability and innovation through their most recent chief season. As one of the season’s senior enlisted leaders, Troutman continues to offer support and advice to members of the mess who would like to follow similar paths in their careers.
“Study up,” Troutman encouraged. “Find those phenomenal mentors and be confident and move forward with it. Don’t ever forget why we’re here. Don’t wait. If you think you’re in it for the right reason, have that confidence and just go do it. Go to the SEA, work with those mentors, just do it.”

For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.

• Date Taken: 02.12.2021
• Date Posted: 02.12.2021 02:37
• Story ID: 388958
• Location: YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP