By Lt. Katherine M. Steele, Center for Sea, Air, and Land and Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman Public Affairs
CORONADO, Calif. -- The Center for Sea, Air, and Land and Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (CENSEALSWCC) conducted the second annual Command Leaders Spouse Seminar (CLSS) onboard Naval Amphibious Base Coronado May 15-18.
The seminar served as an indoctrination for spouses of prospective commanding officers (CO) and command master chiefs (CMC) in the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community and is intended to empower the NSW leadership spouses with community-specific resources and guidance in an effort to strengthen the NSW support network.
Laura Stacy, a training analyst for CENSEALSWCC and a course facilitator, explained the need for a NSW community-specific course.
“CENSEALSWCC has conducted and facilitated several NSW leadership courses including the NSW Command Leaders Seminar (CLS) for prospective COs and CMCs,” Stacy said. “Big Navy hosts a general spouse orientation course in Newport, Rhode Island for the spouses of prospective COs and CMCs, but there was a need for a course tailored to meet the specific needs of NSW spouses.”
Capt. Dane Thorleifson, commanding officer at CENSEALSWCC, kicked off the course with a warm welcome and expressed the significance and value of the course.
“The spouses receive baseline knowledge to assist the families of the command network,” Thorliefson said. “The intent is not to interfere or obstruct the duties of the ombudsman, but simply raise awareness of programs offered to NSW service members and their families so the families can be supportive and reduce any stigmas of seeking help or assistance. The spouses may not wear the rank of their husbands, but they are certainly in the position to mentor and influence others.”
Throughout the seminar, subject matter experts briefed the spouses on topics such as media realities, identity management, psychological and cognitive performance, crisis protocol and family support programs specific to NSW. Running concurrently with the CLS, the CLSS conducted both individual and joint briefs, increasing awareness for both parties, while setting expectations of the role that the CO and CMC play, and the role that the spouses may anticipate.
On the final day of the course, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, Rear Adm. Tim Szymanski, and NSW Force Master Chief Derrick Walters addressed both the CLS and CLSS attendees on their vision and priorities for the community. High on that list were force optimization, augmented reality training scenarios, and the research and development of programs devoted to identifying traumatic brain injuries and cerebral scarring in special warfare operators to minimize adverse effects on service members.
CENSEALSWCC hosted the inaugural CLSS in October 2017.
“This seminar augments, but does not replace the spouse course at Newport,” said Rick Rogers, the Professional Military Development and Education deputy director for CENSEALSWCC. “By educating the spouses of NSW leadership about the resources available to NSW personnel, then connecting them to those resources, the CLSS is helping to strengthen the future of the entire force.”
For information on the CLSS or CLS courses please contact the Center for SEAL and SWCC at CENSEALSWCC-PAO@socom.mil.
For information on CENSEALSWCC, please visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/censealswcc/Default.htm
For additional information on the Naval Education and Training Command, visit the NETC website: https://www.netc.navy.mil or http://www.navy.mil/local/cnet/. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/netcpao and Twitter @netcpao.