We Ride on Your Shoulders

ADM Joseph W. Prueher, USN, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command

In my current job, people usually ask me to speak or write about U.S. Pacific Command -- about our military mission and views on Asia-Pacific security. These days that's my focus, but, let me reach back to our roots -- yours and mine -- to two of the primary pivot points of our national power: our carriers and our air wings.

As with most of you, I have read the recent articles, letters and e-mail about the state of Naval Aviation. Also some younger friends continue to stay in pretty close touch. Recently, I spent time listening to some of our squadron commanders in the Pacific, both at San Diego and NAS Lemoore. I don't claim to have a lock on all the problems or solutions, but I believe the core issues boil down to two: readiness and leadership . . . and the particulars of each.

Where We Are

We face substantial challenges -- always have, always will. One I am most sensitive to is the apparent disconnect between the senior and junior officers of Naval Aviation. Narrowing this gulf is key to grappling successfully with the other challenges we face. Critique of senior officer decisions has always been a favorite pastime in JO bunkrooms. But, my sense is that there are two things raising the ante today: the aftermath of Tailhook '91 and the pains and pressures of downsizing.

The rift widened in 1991. Some senior leaders were seen by junior officers to be hypocritical in distancing themselves from what JOs felt were key Naval Aviation traditions. Good people of all ranks got caught in the crossfire of the process. Many old traditions were discontinued; we lost some good along with the bad, to the detriment of us all. Like most corrective surgery, the scalpel was not precise. Don't misread me here -- we needed to change. But it's time to leave the bad from Tailhook '91 in the history books and recapture the good. Time to chalk up our lessons learned and get on with the business of flying.

Another important factor we tend to underestimate is the impact of downsizing on Naval Aviation. Since the Cold War ended, the Navy, like all services, has been squeezed hard on every front. Streamlining communities and altering base loading has been a disruptive and emotional process that, in many cases, involved decisions in which there were no good choices. We've worked these issues hard over the past six years, and I think with a fair amount of compassion. The facts remain -- we are left with less money, a smaller force structure and fewer people to answer the nation's unremitting call for air power around the world. We must continue to adapt and transform to answer the bell.

The Mindset

In my view, the key to morale for Naval Aviators (or any of us) is job satisfaction. Aviators get job satisfaction when they feel what they are doing is important and that they are needed by their unit, their service and their country. Said another way, I believe the three major elements of job satisfaction are an important mission or task, having the wherewithal to get the job done and, finally, a sense of belonging to a team.

The Mission -- Role of Our Nation's TacAir

First, the mission -- something our carriers and air wings have never lacked. U.S. air power has been and remains the key component in the conduct of almost all facets of our national military strategy. Carrier aviation is a critical, and the most versatile, component of our nation's TacAir. You are in steadily high demand; frequently requested by Army or Marine generals such as John Tilelli in Korea, Tony Zinni in the Gulf, or Wes Clark in Europe as well as in our area of responsibility in the Pacific. There's no doubt that we have a vitally important mission.

But sometimes we can lose touch with the importance of our task, especially if faced with long deployments and operations perceived as tedious or lacking meaningful training opportunities. It takes leadership, communication and teamwork to acknowledge these problems, keep crews on the step and keep our aviators in touch with the importance of what they do. We are a potent and prominent element of our nation's forward defense.

Readiness

The second important element of our community's morale is having the wherewithal to get the job done -- fuel, spare parts, flying hours, training facilities, TAD dollars and the other things needed to stay trained and ready. As I mentioned, I recently visited San Diego and Lemoore and had the opportunity to talk with a group of CAGs and squadron COs. We talked about recruiting, retention and readiness. Their frank comments confirmed what the readiness reports had only begun to tell me.
Our forward-deployed units are getting what they need to keep their aircraft up and stay trained and ready. However, our ConUS-based outfits are increasingly challenged by real resource constraints. Additionally, units preparing for deployment are receiving critical people, planes and parts later and later in their work-up cycles.

Haven't we always had a planned readiness "dip" after deployments? Yes, but today we are going deeper in the bucket during turn-around and not recovering until much later in the work-up cycle -- often not until just before the battle group sets sail -- leaving commanders without time to build their teams.

Our corporate Naval Aviation leadership is currently refocusing on key readiness drivers. On first look it has become apparent some early downsizing decisions may have taken spares too far from the flight line. Additionally, parts shortages have highlighted management and maintenance deficiencies that were previously "in the noise." The net result of all of these factors is fewer up jets -- especially at home. This is a regime, where, as always, your help and ideas are necessary to move forward.

Our war plans require ConUS-based units to respond rapidly to crisis. There is a bottom limit beyond which we are unwilling to go. Clearly the decline is very close to that limit, perhaps past it. It's time for some creative solutions. Our system, at all levels, must ensure it remains responsive to the needs of our aviation leadership -- the CAGs and squadron commanders and we, as a team, have got to fund, fix and fly smarter.

Teamwork and Trust

Teamwork is the third element of job satisfaction; the bonding and camaraderie that comes from working hard together to achieve a common goal. Teamwork is knowing that we are all in this together. Today's challenges require good leadership, good followership, good ideas and our pulling the oars together to reach solutions.

Trust -- an essential part of good leadership -- is the foundation of teamwork. Through training and shared hardships, Naval Aviators learn to trust each other and their leaders. They develop confidence in themselves and their peers and trust that their leaders will look out for them. Trust means that leaders accept responsibility if a subordinate comes up short after making an honest effort. Senior leaders must trust and underwrite the honest efforts and mistakes of subordinates so junior officers are free to make tough decisions and grow. This means loyalty up and down the chain of command -- not just to institutions, but to people.

The Future

Leadership, readiness and Naval Aviation are inseparable. They embody our tradition and legacy. They are halls of heroes, pitching decks, hostile fire, emergencies, courage and glory. All of us, in uniform and out, count on the men and women manning our carrier air wings and aircraft carriers.

We must remember that it wasn't a single event -- a bomb on target or a missile off the rail -- that won the Cold War. It was steady, quiet strength, forward presence and constant vigilance. Credible combat capability, just over the horizon, continues to shape the strategic environment today. Friends and foes alike know you are there and they act differently because of it. Don't ever forget it -- take pride in it.

Yes, we have challenges -- they are substantial now -- and it's up to us to face and overcome them. That is who we always were, who we are, and who we will be -- the strength of Naval Aviation. We will take the prudent risks necessary to succeed. Effective leadership will ensure we do succeed.

It is the risks, the edge of the envelope and the teamwork that makes Naval Aviation the most exciting and rewarding profession in the world. Reliance, trust, support, intensity, constant danger, the sense of adventure, the awesome responsibility, firepower, the non-routine, the pace of decisions, learning and getting better all the time -- all of these things are Naval Aviation.

Naval Aviation and the Tailhook Association have a bright future. It is our incredible good fortune to be a part of carrier and Naval Aviation. As my friend and hero VADM Jim Stockdale said, "There is no doubt in my mind that to have been diverted from this tailhooker life would have been to be disdained by destiny. You all know as well as I do that it's worth the trip."

Remember; the nation rides on your shoulders.