MILLINGTON, Tenn.—Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa Jr. told an audience of more than three hundred Millington Chief Petty Officers January 9^th, that he has planned a staggered roll-out of action items associated with his Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles.

MCPON Campa announced that it’s his intention to make clear to the entire fleet that there is an intentional, effective separation between the wardroom and Chief’s mess.

“I do not believe in ‘blurring the lines’. Our job is too important to blur the lines between Chiefs and officers. A significant part of deckplate leadership is training those junior officers, then working in tandem to develop our Sailors.”

MCPON also used the Millington Chief’s call as a vehicle to announce his decision to open the doors of the Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy to Chief Petty Officers, starting with class 130, which convenes February 26th. The course had previously been offered only to Senior and Master Chiefs. A small number of seats will be available to Chiefs in that iteration, followed by increasing numbers over the fiscal year.

“S.E.A content is as relevant for Chiefs as it is for Senior Chiefs. We should provide the professional development necessary to ensure their success as naval leaders as early as possible in a Chief’s career.”

Campa unveiled a number of initiatives at the CPO call and said a strategic working group he re-convened in December (the second in a span of three months) put the finishing touches on the MV-GP.

The working group, consisting of Command Master Chiefs representing a wide range of communities and a surface warfare officer, met for the second time in three months with a specific charter from MCPON Campa.

“The first meeting in September laid the foundation,” said Campa. “Last month was focused on execution. It’s time to let the fleet know the direction of their Chief’s Mess.”

The strategic planning session, led by organizational development practitioners Master Chiefs Karen Sayers and Vincent Schutz, focused on clarification of the Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles and how to ingrain them into the fleet.

During the two-day session the group dissected each portion of the MV-GP to determine specific steps Chief Petty Officers must take to ensure they are acting in accordance with the guidance.

“This is not a philosophy. It’s a course of action,” said Campa. “The success of our navy hinges on the effectiveness of the Chief on the deckplate. We’ve developed a strategy to incorporate the mission, vision and guiding principles into everything we do.”

Enforcement of standards, deckplate leadership and the credibility of the Chief’s Mess were common themes and focal points of much of the discussion. In a statement provided to All Hands magazine, Campa said Sailors of all ranks will soon see the results.

“In the next several months you are going to see MV-GP lessons inserted into the training plans of every leadership school the Navy offers. I’m going to task schools like the Senior Enlisted Academy with examining how it relates to our core values, our CPO Creed and our Sailor’s Creed.”

Campa said the Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles may seem to focus on the actions and responsibilities of Chiefs, but the effect will be felt Navy-wide.

“The enduring goal,” he said, “is to strengthen our entire Navy through the strengthening of the Mess. History has shown us that an effective Chiefs Mess is the key ingredient to any successful crew.”

Campa added that petty officers aspiring to wear anchors should use the MV-GP as a roadmap to get there. He emphasized that by the end of fiscal year ’07, performance indicators like evaluations and Sailor of the Year nominations will reflect how closely senior petty officers are following the guidance.