Month: June 2022

Source: United States Navy

The award was part of the 2021 DON HR and EEO Community Awards for Excellence and recognized the team for their continuous data analysis of the NAVSUP BSC workforce.

“The work of the NAVSUP BSC Barrier Analysis team continues to mature and impress with long-term results and impact,” said Lisa Mott, senior advisor for HR/EEO Community Management, Office of Civilian Human Resources. “Their noteworthy actions of evaluating trends in attrition, challenges and obstacles to recruiting during the pandemic, proactive identification of barriers, and development of solutions contributed to a model EEO program that positively influenced the overall health of the organization.”

Team members included Melissa Burkett, Justin Caporiccio, Kevin Davis, Peter DiRocco, Joshua Eggleston, Jennifer Feliciano, Kelly Nave, Anand Sharma, David Singer, and Amanda Brown.

The team continuously assessed the agency’s diversity posture across multiple areas, provided recurring analysis for improvement and identification of potentially problematic areas of concern, examined previous years’ information, and created a total data analysis that encompassed nine years’ worth of data to identify trends and pinpoint causes of demographic data within the command.

“Barrier analysis is important because it identifies trends within the agency and assists in providing a way forward to minimize negative effects,” said Kevin Davis, Barrier Analysis team lead for NAVSUP BSC. “By taking deeper dives into data, identifying trends, and assessing the reasons behind these trends, the team was able to recognize potential triggers and upcoming barriers before they became obstacles for the agency to overcome.”

In total, the team analyzed over 120 data points, provided insight for more than 600 employees, and played an instrumental role in the development of recruiting efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and a maximum telework environment.

“Guidance from leadership has been a crucial enabler in the continued success of this effort,” said Anand Sharma, a Barrier Analysis team member for NAVSUP BSC. “It’s a privilege to be part of this team and has been a great learning experience.”

“This is the second time in the past three years our Barrier Analysis team has been recognized for excellence by the Office of Civilian Human Resources,” said Capt. Gene Cash, commanding officer, NAVSUP BSC. “The team’s efforts have played a key role in the continuous improvement and development of our workforce, and significantly contributed to the command’s ability to maintain readiness and accomplish our mission.”

NAVSUP BSC provides the Navy with information systems support through the design, development, and maintenance of systems in the functional areas of logistics, supply chain management, transportation, finance, and accounting and is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP.

For more information about NAVSUP BSC visit, https://www.navsup.navy.mil/NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Business-Systems-Center/.

Source: United States Navy

The day presented the right circumstances for pomp to be on full display, and for that cause the day would not disappoint. From a bellowing 19-gun salute to a posse of eight admirals to the Second Fleet Band in tow to perform a string of several Navy standards aboard an immaculately clean Bataan adorned in patriotic streamers.

There would be even more pageantry. Following the presentation of his end-of-tour Legion of Merit award by Del Toro, Menoni was promoted with a second star as his wife, Julie, stood at his side, and the secretary administered the oath of office.

Then, near the ceremony’s closing moments, the glitz temporarily gave way to the two career naval warriors with a combined 60-plus years of warfighting experience between them. Each took their turn at the dais to present their own remarks, but when both had finished what remained was a singular unvarnished call to action that would collectively clarify the greater purpose for U.S. men and women in uniform.

After thanking his staff and others gathered, Menoni focused his remarks on the ever-increasing hostilities by the state actors who wish harm to the United States and simultaneously threaten global peace and security. Should the U.S. have to go to war, Menoni forecasted a quick-moving conflict in which “weapons engagements will be extremely fast, decision timelines will be compressed, and communications are likely to be degraded; simply put, the next war will be like nothing we have seen in our lifetimes.” Menoni then challenged all ESG2 warfare commanders looking on by imploring them to critically self-assess their unit’s combat effectiveness and to immediately drive whatever improvements are required for their Sailors and Marines to fight and win.

“The cost of inaction, of being okay with the status quo, of doing business as usual is too high,” said Menoni. “The folks that will pay that bill will be our most precious asset – our sons and daughters.”

Then it was Williams’ turn. He succinctly declared his intentions as the amphibious strike group’s next boss and his expectations of all ESG2 commanders and commodores.

“I intend to empower all commanders at ESG2 to achieve warfighting excellence,” said Williams, a surface warfare officer who previously commanded a frigate, destroyer, and

destroyer squadron. “All commanders shall be biased toward action and seek opportunities in ambiguous situations … I expect commanders to know the readiness of their ship, craft, and gear, and to own it and lead your Sailors and Marines to get better every day.”

The day also allowed those in attendance to reflect on some of Menoni’s most substantial accomplishments during his relatively brief, but significant 10 months with ESG2 before transferring to the Pentagon to become Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy, N3/N5B.

Del Toro cited Menoni’s leadership during the two-week long Exercise Baltic Operations 2022 (BALTOPS 22) that completed a week prior to ESG2’s change of command. Hosted by Sweden and executed by 15 other NATO allies and participants in the Sixth Fleet area of operations, Secretary Del Toro lauded Menoni’s BALTOPS efforts as commander of the amphibious task force as well as the expeditionary strike group.

“Admiral Menoni and his team embarked USS Mount Whitney in this exercise that involved 45 ships from 16 nations committed to freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea,” Del Toro said. “I recently visited Sweden’s Embassy to the U.S., and I can assure you they appreciated your leadership and performance during that exercise. Because of your efforts, our forces were ready to meet U.S. European Combatant Commander tasking at any moment’s notice throughout the AOR.”

Del Toro also applauded the outgoing commander’s “clear eyed focus” to help fix ongoing challenges for the Navy. Soon after joining ESG2 last September, Menoni asserted his responsibility to maintain readiness by making clear his expectations that all ESG2 command members maintain compliance with NAVSEA 8010 guidance on fire prevention and response in an industrial environment – words turned into action after Menoni drove a vigorous lessons learned effort to an audience of senior-ranking admirals days after the completion of a Chapter 13 fire drill aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) as she lay in the shipyards. The drill facilitated standardized naval firefighting training aboard Wasp along with an added a layer of complexity through the activation of Mid-Atlantic Region Maintenance Center’s emergency operation center on Naval Station Norfolk where Menoni and his colleagues exercised command and control management with local and government firefighting resources.

Commissioned in 1992 through Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Cornell University, Williams is now ESG2’s 15th commander since the command stood up in 2007. The Reston, Va. native will now be trusted to provide oversight and management of its 12,500 Sailors and Marines from across 32 subordinate units, including 14 amphibious ships, five Naval Beach Group units, two tactical air squadrons, and two expeditionary sea base ships.

With his final words as ESG2 commander, Menoni followed his admission of disappointment in having to leave a job he so enjoyed with an endorsement for the man replacing him.

“If I had to hand pick someone to take over for me, it would be you, Tom,” said Menoni. “You are the right guy to lead this team forward and get them ready for whatever is thrown their way.”

Source: United States Navy

While in Taranto, the ship will conduct a change of command ceremony, in which Cmdr. Lawrence Heyworth IV will relieve Cmdr. Greg Page as commanding officer. The ship will also assume duties as the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 2 flagship, under command of U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Scott Sciretta.

In assuming the duties as SNMG 2 flagship, Forrest Sherman will relieve the Italian Navy Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Margottini (F 592) and Rear Adm. Sciretta will relieve Italian Navy Rear Admiral Mauro Panebianco.

“This deployment presents an opportunity to strengthen our relationships not only with the Italian Navy, but with NATO as a whole,” said Cmdr. Greg Page, commanding officer of USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98). “As the flagship for SNMG 2, the Forrest Sherman team is excited to show the world her relentless fighting spirit.”

Forrest Sherman and her crew are no strangers to the European theater. The ship deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR) area of operations earlier this year in support of U.S., allied and partner interests, sailing through the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Baltic Sea on an approximately three month deployment.  The crew conducted over 200 hours of flight operations, 11 drills with NATO allies and partners, six strait transits and six replenishments-at-sea. The interoperability exercises required close coordination to conduct maneuvering operations, cross-deck flight operations, and flashing light and flag-hoist drills with navies from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.

Additionally, Forrest Sherman also conducted port visits to Stockholm, Sweden, and Gdansk, Poland, underscoring the United States’ commitment to security in the Baltic Sea region. While in port Stockholm, the crew hosted Ambassador Erik Ramanathan, the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden; Rear Adm. Ewa Skoog Haslum, chief of the Swedish Navy and commander maritime component command (MCC); and several Swedish flag officers.

This deployment and the ship’s time as flagship of SNMG 2, affords the crew another opportunity to strengthen relations and interoperability with allied and partner navies in theater.

“The crew is ready to operate in the European theater and looks forward to participating in a range of maritime activities in support of NATO allies and European partners,” said Page.

In addition to preparing the ship to serve as flagship, Sailors will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of tours and embrace the culture in southern Italy, indulging in local foods, art, history and outdoor activities in Taranto. The port visit also provides the opportunity for increased interoperability among forces, while building cultural understanding and trust.

USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

Source: United States Navy

Three out of the five Naval Legal Service Command (NLSC) judge advocates in Bahrain openly identify as part of the LGBTQ community.  Why is that remarkable?  Because for the first time in their careers, they are in the majority.  Add in additional queer-identifying attorneys and service members aboard the installation, and you will find a thriving LGBTQ community in Bahrain. And that is something to celebrate this Pride month.
 
“There are so many of us here,” says Legal Assistance Attorney Lt. Nic Walker, “that it really puts into perspective how far we have come since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed.”
 
Walker continues, “At times, I carry an assumption that people can still be prejudiced, though thankfully I have not experienced that in my career thus far.  As I look to successful JAG Corps leaders who identify the same way I do, I’ve become more comfortable being my authentic self, in and out of work.  I appreciate the path of acceptance they’ve paved for all of us and I am motivated to do the same.”
 
One of those visible JAG Corps leaders is Capt. Christopher Williams, commanding officer of Defense Service Office North, who recently visited his command’s branch office in Bahrain and met with local JAG Corps personnel.  
 
“These junior officers represent the hope of so many who served in silence for fear of investigation and discharge,” says Williams. “As someone who spent the first half of his Navy career under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, it made me incredibly proud to see them living fully authentic lives while also making vital contributions to the readiness of our operating forces in the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command area of responsibility.  Our team in Bahrain is a powerful reminder that cultivating an environment of dignity and respect allows our people to bring their best to the fight, and that’s ultimately what we’re here to do.”
 
However, that didn’t always come easy to Walker.
 
“Early in my career, I found myself speaking very deliberately, using gender-neutral pronouns to discuss my partner and avoiding certain topics about my personal life,” he says.  “Now, conversations flow more naturally as I’m able to speak honestly without having to hide.  Lifting that mental barrier has allowed me to feel more accepted, to form deeper bonds with my colleagues, and to devote more energy and concentration to work, rather than wasting cognitive effort hiding who I am.”
 
Officer-in-Charge at Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Europe, Africa Central, detachment Bahrain, Lt. Cmdr. Alvir Sadhwani, began the process of coming out while on active duty in 2013, two years after the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
 
“I told my family and friends back home – and, to my surprise, received the support and acceptance I had hoped for,” Sadhwani says.  “Work was the next step.  One day, my commanding officer, executive officer, and I were discussing an underway opportunity I was selected for.  When asked if I had any questions, without context or a smooth transition, I blurted out, ‘I’m gay.’  I can’t help but laugh thinking about how scattered I must have come across.  Their immediate acceptance, in my mind, reflected the sentiment of the larger JAG Corps.”
 
Sadhwani continues, “During the underway, I decided to maintain a straight persona to avoid making anyone uncomfortable, including myself.  Coincidentally, I had a very vocally homophobic bunkmate.  Over the next eight months, I ignored the anti-gay statements and deflected any notion that I was part of this community.  My bunkmate was a friend and a shipmate – I should have challenged his beliefs.  It’s easy to judge a faceless community and so much harder to hate up close.”
 
Reflecting on that experience, Sadhwani notes the importance of visibility in the LGBTQ community.
 
“Prior to coming out, I had an openly gay Indian law professor who simply by being himself made me feel I could do the same,” he says.  “He didn’t know the impact he had on me.  Looking back, had I been more open about my own sexuality during that underway, even if I wasn’t able change the beliefs of my bunkmate, I could have potentially eased the path for struggling LGBTQ junior Sailors.  Now, the idea of being transparently authentic is something I value and strive toward.”
 
That authenticity is different for each person – the LGBTQ journey is not linear.  I use she/her pronouns, but identify as masculine of center.  I don’t identify as a lesbian, but I do identify as queer.  My identity has changed and may continue changing – and that’s okay.  What is important is that I can live authentically both in and out of the workplace.
 
That said, living authentically doesn’t always come easy to me.  The military is a difficult place to be gender non-conforming because so many aspects of service fall within a gender binary.  With customs and courtesies that utilize the gender specific “Sir” or “Ma’am,” to uniform and grooming standards, there is little room to exist outside the binary.  
 
I have to balance a hairstyle that feels authentic to me with ensuring it remains within female hair regulations.  I am often called “Sir,” and, in female restrooms, I am sometimes asked if I am lost.  Twice, while on base and in uniform, people have looked at me and actually run out of the restroom.  These moments burden me to justify my existence in these spaces, something I do not owe anyone.  I have never experienced these types of prejudices or microaggressions from people who know me. Those attitudes and assumptions come from those at a distance.  As Sadhwani says, “It is harder to hate up close.”
 
Despite the challenges and uncomfortable moments I face because of my gender presentation, I would change nothing about my identity other than understanding it at a younger age.  Growing up, I did not see examples of people presenting along the gender spectrum.  It is so hard to be what you don’t see.  It took until my second year of law school, when I was 27 years old, to have the confidence to wear a suit instead of a dress to a formal event.  I was 30 before I faded my hair.  It was euphoric to finally understand what makes me feel comfortable and confident.  I owe this euphoria to fellow law students I watched succeed professionally while being their authentic selves.  I now want to be that person for others.
 
The struggle I face being gender non-conforming is amplified for our nonbinary shipmates – those who do not identify with either gender and utilize they/them pronouns.  They do not yet have the ability to exist fully authentically within the military.  While there is no official ban on being nonbinary, there is also no official recognition that nonbinary Sailors exist or guidance on how they should adhere to gendered policies.  And for our transgender shipmates, a transition is even more challenging within a binary system.
 
While there is more work to do, this Pride month we reflect on how far we’ve come since the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Without the repeal, there would be no visibility of the LGBTQ community here in Bahrain.  Instead, Lt. Morgan McGill, who currently is stationed at RLSO Southeast and is joining the Bahrain legal community later this summer, can rest assured she will be fully accepted.
 
“I was initially apprehensive about my orders to Bahrain as I was unsure how my sexuality would be perceived,” she says.  “When I found out there was a strong LGBTQ community, I felt comfort knowing I am joining an accepting JAG Corps community with strong leadership and mentorship.”
 
An accepting JAG Corps community is exactly what we are celebrating this Pride month – from the leaders who gave Walker the confidence to be his authentic self in the workplace; to Sadhwani’s commanding officer and executive officer, who immediately accepted him; to Williams, who continues to pave a way for the younger generation to serve openly; to my mentors, who encouraged me to speak about my experiences in this article.  We continue to strive toward a more inclusive workforce where all our Sailors can bring their authentic selves to the fight – we will be a stronger Navy for it.