ESX Develops Leaders At Sea

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Wesley Richardson | ARABIAN GULF (Nov. 11 2021) Command Master Chief Augustine Cooper speaks with Sailors during a leadership development course aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, Nov. 11. Essex and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Wesley Richardson)  

ARABIAN GULF

12.11.2021

Story by Chief Petty Officer Ace Rheaume 

USS Essex (LHD 2)

Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) attend Enlisted Leader Development (ELD) courses to build operational excellence, strong character and resilience at every level of seniority.

NAVADMIN 254/21 details several changes to the leader development paths outlined in the Navy Leader Development Framework (NLDC). One change states, that Intermediate Leader Development Course (ILDC) and Advanced Leader Development (ALDC) will be pre-requisites for advancement to E-6 and E-7 respectively, starting in calendar year 2025.

ILDC, ALDC and the Foundational Leader Development Course (FLDC) are all courses offered for Sailors to attend aboard Essex

“For me, it’s about giving back, paying it forward as well as seeing the Sailors understand that before leading others, you have to understand yourself,” said Chief Information Systems Technician Byron Brown, lead ELD coordinator aboard Essex. “We teach about self-awareness, as knowing thyself is a topic that is taught heavily throughout the class.”

Essex has convened a total of 10 ELD courses and 136 Sailors have graduated. Brown said that these courses allow Essex to groom the future of the Navy with self-awareness and mark the importance of ethical decision-making.

“The course helped me understand that leadership starts at my level,” said Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Tyrel Green. Green is a graduate of FLDC. “I’ve always thought that I never held any responsibilities or I don’t make an impact, but everything we say or do does make an impact to someone’s outlook on the Navy or ship life. In a way, that is the role of leadership itself. If things are out of our control, there’s really no reason for us to stress about it,” he said.

Courses started being offered in May of 2021 aboard Essex. ELD courses were designed to replace older leadership courses such as petty officer indoctrination.

“The feedback has been amazing,” said Brown. “From people saying they haven’t been taught how to be a leader in the Navy, to now having an actual class that teaches the fundamentals of leading,” he said.

Brown expressed that as Sailors advance, they’ll be able to attend the next eligible course and learn additional tools on leadership as they progress through the ranks.

“The course gave me a better understanding of the bigger picture,” said Green. “I really enjoyed the course, it was very informative and has given me a different outlook on things,” he said.

ELD courses are just one venue Essex has implemented to train their Sailors. Regular sessions of Sailor 360, operational stress control and a continuum of suicide prevention are ongoing throughout deployment contributing in an effort to build a culture of resiliency aboard.

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• Date Taken: 12.11.2021
• Date Posted: 12.11.2021 13:27
• Story ID: 410951
• Location: ARABIAN GULF