The lions startled us by moving ever closer to our position. We take a step back, and, in doing so, push a small rock over the edge of the cliff. For a brief moment, we follow with our eyes the path of the rock as it tumbles toward the bottom of the abyss. The rock hits the bottom, but, due to the distance, we did not actually hear it hit, but our mind replaced the brief gap of silence with its own crashing sound timed with the visual of the rock exploding into a million pieces. One step closer to the edge and we would have met the same fate as the rock! Time slows down, our senses intensify, and we feel like all the blood is starting to drain from our extremities. Just then, we can hear a growling that sounded as if it was produced by the devil himself. Unlike the cliff, the lions provide us with a very different and more immediate threat. We don’t turn to face them straight away; maybe in a hope that they might just go away and leave us alone, but, as the seconds pass, we realize that is clearly not going to be the case. We slowly turn to face the lions while trying not to make any sudden moves that may trigger an attack. Now, our attention has fully returned to the lions. We are so overcome with fear we cannot even count how many there are. We have fixed our eyes on the largest and closest feline. Even with his mouth closed we can see large teeth, but those are not what grab our attention. We fixate on the pupils of his eyes, they seem as big around as quarters, and, when we look deep into them, we realize we are the only thing that lion has on his mind; we are his prey, and he is hungrily sizing us up for the kill. Tears are now starting to well up, making everything a bit blurry, and we are too afraid to blink. Oh God, what do we do?

Launching ourselves off the cliff would be taking our own life; we may suffer less, but how would it affect our after-life? Most religions frown upon people taking their own life. Besides, if we jumped, our bodies would quickly reach terminal velocity, we would be gasping for air, as it would be like trying to breathe with your head poked out a car window at about 120 miles per hour. The sudden stop against the hard, uneven ground would break every bone in our body, and death would be instantaneous. On the other hand, the lions would each bite and rip into our flesh, tearing the organs from our body as we watch in horror. We may even stay conscious long enough to hear the popping sound our leg would make as it separates from our torso. Are we having fun yet?

The bodily pain from jumping of the cliff will be very short lived. With any luck, we may lose consciousness before we even hit the ground, but the pain which will hurt the most will be the mental anguish we will experience from the fact we will not be able to say goodbye to those left behind, and the pain brought on by the wondering of whether or not we made the right choice. Conversely, the pain we will experience at the claws and jaws of the lions will be mostly physical in nature. The trauma of having our flesh ripped open by the multiple predators will generate unbelievable amounts of physical pain that our only thoughts will be in its relief. Death is moving ever closer, and as the pain becomes more than we can bare, we will ultimately embrace the concept of our death and wish it to hurry along.

We are ultimately defined by what we do with the things we can control and how we react to the things we cannot. Even in our no win scenario involving the cliff and the lions, we had only two real choices to make; admittedly, each leading to a closed casket funeral, but provided tons of information to reflect upon. In life, we are confronted with various challenges, and a majority of those choices will not have to deal with life or death, but know that each decision we make is an example that others may use to help guide their future actions.

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

For the rest of the 2010 list here is a copy of the NAVADMIN ->>>> NAV09230

            NCRC  - CHIEF NAVY COUNSELOR (RECRUITER)
      4715  ANDRADA KARL      047         3581  ARCILA CARLOS     045
      5320  BARTHEL MATTH     031         6485  BENJAMIN DEWA     030
      3884  BOMAN JEFFREY     025         0953  BOROUGHS MONT     009
      3055  BRUMFIELD MIC     040         5341  CANNON STEPHE     024
      0856  CHARARA HEATH     067         6193  CONNELL RYAN      026
      7175  COUSINS CHARL     074         2579  COWHAM RYAN D     039
      7037  CRAYNE RICHAR     016         0209  CULLIVAN ANGE     052
      0294  DEPALMA RICHA     076         9345  DEPRE DENNIS      018
      2824  DRAKE MICHAEL     055         9241  DUNLAP SHAWN      056
      9143  DURRAH WAYNE      077         1247  EASLEY STEVEN     054
      7937  EISENMANN WAL     038         2165  ELLIS ANDREW      013
      0739  FRISSON WILLI     001         9159  GARZA LOUIS D     043
      7082  GOLDSMITH ERI     049         7318  GOLEACH DANIE     065
      0269  GOLTZ ARTHUR      002         5147  GOOD GERALD B     020
      1901  GRIFFITH SARA     048         2967  GUAN VICTOR       062
      2939  HENRY RODERIC     068         8593  HORNER MARTIN     003
      7743  HUYNH VU DOQU     042         9332  JARDINA AARON     061
      7736  JOHNSON JOSHU     017         0307  JOHNSTON KATH     063
      8694  JONES KENDALL     004         8841  JONES TABATHA     012
      2490  JOSEPH RODNE      050         3042  JULIAN ADAM C     064
      4914  KAMMERER DAVI     036         4015  KIKAWA KEVIN      066
      7767  KINGERY DONAL     044         5147  MCGAHAN RODNE     015
      4497  MCNAIR SALEEM     046         8494  MOORE BRIAN D     051
      0899  MYNATT SCOTT      006         6451  NELSON ERIC A     075
      8099  OESTEREICHER      058         3962  ORGIAS KEVIN      007
      3305  OZUNA JOSE OM     027         2187  PEARSON CARL      005
      2298  POPE ALPHONZO     079         4649  RAAB SHANON E     033
      9281  RAINEY JONATH     010         9405  RAMBERG JAMIE     034
      1880  RAMSEY TIMOTH     035         3761  RAYBURN JAMES     059
      0828  REALUBIT HOME     073         3776  RICE TERRANCE     014
      6012  RIVERA DANIEL     053         3690  RUIZ GABRIEL      029
      9222  SALVATORE LOU     022         2223  SANCHEZ ERIK      069
      0328  SANCHEZ RENE      011         3830  SCHRAMM PETER     023
      8700  SEESE DAVID A     028         1193  SEYMOUR ALAN      071
      5066  TORRES JOHN P     037         9518  VANHORN JASON     070
      1902  VANSICKLE CHR     008         1013  VEACH CHRISTO     032
      6661  VINSON JOSHUA     019         1960  WESTCOTT MICH     021
      5289  WHITE SHAWN A     041         6976  WHITTEN MARK      072
      5830  WIENEN JENNIF     078         5337  WRIGHT KENNET     057
      5678  WYANT NATHAN      060

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

The Navy Ethos:

• We are the United States Navy, our nation’s sea power – ready guardians of peace, victorious in war.
• We are professional Sailors and Civilians – a diverse and agile force exemplifying the highest standards of service to our nation, at home and abroad, at sea and ashore.
• Integrity is the foundation of our conduct: respect for others is fundamental to our character: decisive leadership is crucial to our success.
• We are a team, disciplined and well-prepared, committed to mission accomplishment. We do not waver in our dedication and accountability to our Shipmates and families.
• We are patriots, forged by the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment. In times of war and peace, our actions reflect our proud heritage and tradition.
• We defend our nation and prevail in the face of adversity with strength, determination and dignity.
• We are the United States Navy.

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

battle stations

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

The LMI study provided the recommendations needed to reduce the number of recruiting district headquarters to the current 26 and also facilitated the closing of regions central and south and the moving of regions north and west’s headquarters to Millington, TN.

If I remember correctly the RCI study was completed but only gave a second “thumbs-up” to the LMI plan. Both studies were expensive but predicted massive savings in logistics and personnel and fell in line with what the headquarters staff and the Navy wanted to have happen in the first place.

Well, it appears Navy Recruiting Command has decided it is time to run another study, this one can run up to $12.3 million over three years.

The McLean-based management and technology consulting firm will create cost modeling and other management tools to help the Command, which is tasked with maintaining the Navy’s reserve force, make better business decisions.

This study appears to be focused on the reserve mission. When Navy Reserve Recruiting was integrated into Navy Recruiting Command it was the, “Big fish swallowing the little fish” as one active duty region commander so eloquently put it. Active and reserve command structures were essentially the same but the only similarities in how we attained mission success was the fact that both needed bodies. How a recruiter would go about finding, processing and shipping that body was different.

The integration was difficult. Reserve recruiting tactics and processes were forced to become more like the active recruiting model and very few, if any, tactics and processes of the reserve component were adopted by the active members. A wedge started to form between the active and reserve members – for the most part your input was only credible if you came from the component your idea/input was for.

Are there issues that need to be addressed? Absolutely. My question is, with all the super educated people we have in the Navy, why do we have to go outside the service to evaluate processes?

We have the resources – most officers above the rank of LT have completed their masters degree and have experience in process improvement and I would bet we have sent and paid for members to learn the Six Sigma business improvement methodology the BearingPoint Inc. members will be using for this latest study commissioned by CNRC.

“It is always good to have outside eyes take a look.” Bull crap. Every command in the military operates under the philosophy of the commander who operates within mandated guidelines such as logistics, reporting and accountability processes. This study may change who reserve recruiters report to by reverting to what once was. The study will for a fact project cost savings over a certain period of time that of course will be applied to another study in 4 years.

Stop the cycle of madness!

Here is my proposal – Get a few of the projected 3,125 Navy Captains and one of the 218 Admirals (who will be recruited by these same companies and do these studies when they retire by the way) to spend a week or so doing an evaluation influenced by what Navy Recruiting staff wants in the first place and save a few million for the tax payer.

Do retirees get Benny Suggs?

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

After reading “The Commercial Appeal” here in Memphis today, I feel as I must make full disclosure before I continue – in a couple letters to the editor about this topic people felt compelled to tell the readers what race of human being they are…

So, not that it should matter, I am a 45 year old married father of three grown men who happens to have a lighter skin complexion because my ancestors lived further from the equator than some peoples and closer than others. I am registered Republican. I vote republican because I believe in smaller government, a strong military and strongly believe in people’s freedoms.

I am dismayed at the treatment Barack Obama is receiving in the media and on the street – yup, I said it. It is wrong.

Holding Senator Obama accountable for the words of another is wrong. Reverend Wright had every right to say what he said – I do think he is completely wrong, but he does have the right to say his peace. Senator Obama has said he also disagrees with the comments – that’s good enough for me and should be good enough for everyone. He has not demonstrated anything in his past that I’m aware of which leads me to believe he has credibility issues.

Think back in your past, heck, it could be your present; when you attended high school or college did you ever have a teacher that for whatever reason you thought was un-American, racist, dishonest, too liberal, too conservative or just plain creepy? Did you take everything the person said to heart and mold your life after it? I bet, in the end, you actually learned something from the individual (maybe how not to do something) – some of the best teachers I ever had were those I could not agree with on just about any level.

Also, shame on those attempting to play the name association game Obama – Osama. This is crap. How can you insinuate Senator Obama is Muslim and somehow evil then in the next breath be against the man because he spent the last 20 years attending the same United Church of Christ?

Should a candidate’s past come into question? Absolutely – As long as you are making your judgments based on the decisions made and actions taken during the circumstances in question. Senator Obama has been by all accounts an outstanding representative for the people of Illinois.

I am not endorsing Senator Obama for President – not that my endorsement would carry more than just my one vote – I am only asking that those of us with the greatest responsibility and privilege of voting for those who will lead us take it seriously. Peel back the rhetoric and fan away the smoke!

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

Before you can determine the path it really does make sense to answer Donna’s first question of, “Who are you?”. It really should be the starting point of any self improvement endeavor – having a pretty good understanding on where you stand on life’s big stage is important.

Are we even fully qualified to answer the question of who we are? I’d say no if you are not assessing input from all your available sources. If the choice of who we were was totally up to the individual then all we would have to do is think it and POOF – Your it!

Let us venture out just a bit further and deeper than that.

Who Are You?

Keep in mind, we are ultimately defined by what we do with the things we can control and how we react to the things we cannot. Analyzing the input of feedback of other members of the human race is essential. I don’t mean sent out a questionnaire and I don’t mean you should ask each person to fill out a critique sheet after the encounter. I am talking about the verbal and non-verbal cues people give when interactions occur. It could be your boss telling you your doing a great job or a client rolling their eyes – point is we all receive enormous amounts of useful FREE information for self assessment.

Whether or not others will agree with your stance on who you are is information you should seek out so your personal reflection on the subject can be tempered with at least some reality.

Pride is a feeling of personal worth and self respect that comes from successfully striving for and eventually meeting short, medium and long term goals you have determined important. Goals in this context are tasks as I describe in the article, Human Leadership.

So basically who you are is the sum total of your self pride tempered with the feedback of others.

Who Do You Want To Be?

Once you have figured out who you are lets try and figure out where you want to go next. Your new destination will be tangible, something you can touch, smell, feel, hear which will ultimately produce a desired intangible such as different potentially more powerful emotions in self and/or others.

Remember, money is not a motivator, the motivator is the emotion money can buy.

Don’t just dream it, make it happen. Dreams are essentially goals without deadlines. Devise achievable, quality goals and tasks and just like with any new destination you will be traveling to write down the directions!

Personal Accountability

You are in the drivers seat. You control the wheel, brake and acceleration of your “You”. As a leader the most challenging subordinate you have is yourself. Take responsibility for your actions and hold yourself accountable, it takes “Personal Responsibility In Daily Efforts” to have pride.

May you have a joyous and fulfilling journey, drive safe!

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

We attempt to teach our children, well most of us do, to grow up to be responsible adults. We attempt to choose our words carefully and to help them make sense out of the vast world around them. We don’t teach our children that a couch is actually called a stove, we don’t point to a deer and call it a bear. We understand that every action we take, every word we speak places a star in the sky your child will use as they navigate through life. We should be making every attempt to ensure our children are getting the right information so when they grow into adulthood they will be valuable members of society.

Obviously there are a number of words and phrases with different connotations, take conviction as an example – the word maintains many meanings which can be both positive and/or negative. There is one word however that should only carry a positive message to our children, it is a word we want ALL of our children to grow up and be, Adult.

The word adult does have many uses in the english language but the main use is to describe a level of maturity, a level of maturity we all want our children to aspire too. Today we see the word used more and more to describe pornographic stores, movies and web sites.

The Internet’s version of the word appears to be driven toward sex and violence. Search the word adult in Google using a “safe search” and it will return about 263 million pages (you won’t see pornographic sites but you can find out where to host them), add another 100 million pages if your not using the filter. Most search returns have something to do with topics you would not want a child reading or having any exposure for that matter.

Ask your child today, “What is adult?” – hopefully the closer they get to actually being one it will carry the same definition we have been teaching them. Ask your child a lot of questions! Be conscious of the fact there are a number of influencers providing input to your children’s mental growth and you have a responsibility to filter and adjust how the information is being processed. Be involved and demonstrate to your child your wisdom as an adult.

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart

Semper Fi

Technorati Tags:marines, leadership, military, iraqi conflict

2010 Military Pay Chart
2011 Military Pay Chart