CNAF Holds Two-Day Training Symposium for Major Commanders

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Aron Montano | NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (Nov. 30, 2023) – Rear Adm. Alexis T. Walker, commander, Navy Recruiting Command, speaks to leaders in naval aviation during the Major Commanders Training Symposium (MCTS) on Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., Nov. 30, 2023. Naval aviation requires competent, courageous, and committed military professionals who are dedicated to excellence in leadership and MCTS provided a forum to discuss new topics, current and future challenges, and lessons learned (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aron Montano)  

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

12.05.2023

Story by Lt.j.g. Gabriel Wahl 

Commander, Naval Air Forces

Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) held its annual Major Commanders Training Symposium (MCTS), a two-day event for Navy Captains currently in key leadership billets across the aviation community.

The symposium aligned priorities to deliver capability and capacity to win in the great power competition, highlighted key aspects of generating future readiness across the force and focused on achieving revolutionary training.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, joined MCTS virtually and offered strategic perspectives of leading the U.S. Navy in the Indo-Pacific.

“Naval Aviation will be a major player in any future conflict,” said Paparo. “The hard decisions you make, the way you train your warfighters and your investment now is critical moving into the next decade.”

Paparo added that Naval Aviation is a critical force enabler in the most mobile and lethal system of joint all-domain capacity on the planet.

Key issues included CNAF focus areas, budget and recapitalization and pilot production.

Several lectures were led by specialized experts, one of them being Dr. Steve Spear from MIT’s Sloan School. He provided unique insight on how to turn high-hazard situations into low-risk evolutions through persistent leadership and resolving problems immediately while they are small, before they grow into pinnacle events.

“Leadership development continues throughout the span of your entire career, and so must your continued learning,” said Rear Adm. Douglas Verissimo, commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic. “This dedicated time together reinforces priorities across the Naval Aviation Enterprise, addresses key issues facing our community and strengthens relationships within our team.”

Fifty-six officers attended MCTS, including aircraft carrier commanding officers, carrier air wing commanders, commodores, installation commanders and acquisition leaders.

“Nearly all of us in this room commanded squadrons as O-5s, where our leadership objectives focused on warfighting and readiness,” said Capt. Robert Majoris, commander, Strategic Communications Wing 1, who attended MCTS. “The training at this level opened the aperture to strategic priorities and thoughtful approaches to tackling complex issues facing Naval Aviation, as well as shared perspectives from each of our roles.”

Other topics covered enlisted manning, officer community updates from Navy Personnel Command and military justice reform. Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, Rear. Adm. Lex Walker, provided recruitment updates and offered ways for aviation leaders to inspire the future generation of Sailors.

Commander, Naval Air Forces is the type commander for Naval Aviation that oversees the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers, carrier air wings, squadrons, support facilities, and training commands. Based at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., CNAF is responsible for manning, training, and equipping deployable combat-ready Naval Aviation forces to compete and win in any environment.

• Date Taken: 12.05.2023
• Date Posted: 12.05.2023 13:39
• Story ID: 459164
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US