Norfolk, V.a. -- U.S. Fleet Forces’ (USFF) most senior enlisted leader hosted the 2017 Senior Executive Leadership (SEL) Huddle at the USFF headquarters building on Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Virginia June 20-21.
Fleet Master Chief Paul Kingsbury welcomed 10 area force master chiefs and senior enlisted leaders to the Hampton Roads area for a robust roundtable meeting intended to increase SEL knowledge and awareness, exchange best practices, and strengthen SEL networks.
“We huddle twice a year to give updates on major programs that I know they are hearing about. I want to bring SELs in to get briefs and updates on what’s going on so that they can communicate back that we are moving forward and give fleet feedback on some of the things that are going on,” said Kingsbury. “But more importantly they get to network to work and solve some problems that they may be seeing in those areas as they engage around the fleet.”
The 2-day seminar focused on discussions of Navy objectives such as manning, the Sailor 2025 Ready Relevant Learning initiative, and 21st Century Sailor initiatives. The SELs participated in briefs from USFF staff that work directly in the programs on a daily basis.
With the participants of the huddle providing direct support and leadership to nearly 100,000 Sailors collectively the objectives of the meeting relate to members of the Navy from junior enlisted to the officers of the ward room.
“The biggest impact that you’ll see day to day is that I arm these SELs with answers to communicating on major policies. As they go out and get questions, they will have those answers,” said Kingsbury. “A lot of the policies that we work on will take a while to implement but I think what the SELs will see is that I’ve armed them with information so that they can communicate with Sailors. That’s where the real impact happens.”
USFF’s missions included training, certifying and providing combat-ready Navy forces to combatant commanders in support of prompt, sustained naval, joint, and combined operations in support of U.S. national interests. USFF is responsible for command and control of subordinate Navy forces and shore activities during the planning and execution stages of assigned service functions in support of Chief of Naval Operations.
For more information on USFF, please visit: http://www.public.navy.mil/usff/Pages/default.aspx#