Chief Petty Officer Academy

I chose to enroll in the United States Navy Sea Cadet Corps for two main reasons: my interests in military aircrafts and the idea that the U.S. Navy will open the doors to the world for me. I can say now that I have completed four years in this program, those two reasons were not the most important ones when looking back and reflecting on how the program has shaped me. I soon realized that being a cadet was not about doing what I liked at all times, but doing what I disliked as well for a long term benefit. During the program's long hour weekend drills and during my stay in the military base of Everett (Washington), it became clear to me that overcoming great challenges and helping others do the same, was a great reward. I was taught leadership

I used to view chief petty officer as nothing more than a rank that I would achieve as I worked my way up the ladder to higher positions within staff. I’ll admit to being a bit puzzled as to why the c/PCPO’s went through such a seemingly strenuous transition when their reward was simply making chief. Lately I’ve come to realize that yes, all you get out of the c/PCPO transition is the rank of chief, but that chief includes much more than the title of being a chief. Being a chief means you are willing to take charge of a higher level of responsibility, and coinciding with that, being able to lead a larger unit of people. Being chief means that you understand how to properly lead those who rely on you. Chiefs’ work together to make up the higher ranks of staff that plan how the unit is to run, but they also lead the individual cadets. A chief, by definition of being a higher rank, is expected to set an example for other cadets to learn by. Chiefs also select chiefs to lead the unit when they have left, accepting both the responsibility of the unit at present, and who will manage it in the future.

Leadership development in the military is critical to its mission and objectives. Understanding and embracing leadership will foster an agile culture and facilitate attainment of strategic goals. People desire quality leadership to assist with achieving their goals, albeit personal or professional development. Having a clear vision and the motivation to perform at high-levels influences others to work synergistically together to achieve organizational goals. Insomuch, employees value being treated respectfully, fairly, and ethically. Leaders serve people best when they help them develop their own initiative and good judgment, enable them to grow, and help them become better contributors.

As an officer in the United States Army, it has been imperative for me to understand every facet of leadership and why it remains important to be an effective leader. During this course, I have learned some valuable lessons about myself as a leader and how I can improve on my leadership ability in the future. The journal entries along with the understanding of available leadership theories have been an integral part of my learning during this course. For all of the journals and assessments that I completed, I feel it has given me a good understanding of my current leadership status and my future potential as a leader. All of the specific assessments looked at several areas in regards to leadership; these assessments covered several

Please consider my request to be recommended to attend the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (SNCOA) in-residence course. This course provides a unique opportunity to develop strategic-level leadership and mentoring skills while increasing exposure to organizational culture of the Active and Reserve components. I believe that in my current position it is vital that I receive the opportunity to improve my techniques to enhance my leadership abilities and skills in order to mentor our future leaders and develop valuable management tools to aid me in future mission challenges.

I have always known I love change, but from this class, I learned change is the hallmark of a leader. As John C. Maxwell says in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, “Growth = Change.”The leadership assessments allowed me to understand myself in a new way. Because I am a curious green thinker, I need explanations and answers to understand my world. I tend to see the big picture of a project and my mind motivates me toward something new or improved. I am curious about new opportunities because I easily become bored with routine. Learning I have these characteristics has increased my confidence to pursue future leadership roles in a small to a mid-sized position.

I held a lot of leadership positions while I was an upperclassman in high school and led a lot of different people. I expected to be challenged and to develop my leadership more while at the Academy, but I never really recognized how valuable plebe year would be. I have been exposed to a brand new type of leadership in which I seriously affect my superiors by my performance and my effort. Furthermore, I have been able to observe many different leadership styles. I have also learned how to better utilize the personalities of my peers. This surprise leaves me excited for my future at the Naval Academy, and reaffirms my belief that this is the premier institution to develop

My warrior mentality has been challenged more than once during my time at Marine Raider Training center and many times I have failed allowing my leadership to reflect poor judgement and decision making. With Sergeants course and a few attitude changes I have been able to bounce back and see the Marine Corps for what it is: a great organization that has enabled me to be a better person. However we still have a long way to go as a community in order to perform at the highest level possible. I am grateful for the good things my unit does such as promotion panels. However I am not blind that we as a unit have room for improvement, with me taking control of building the welcome aboard brief I believe we can be on step closer to sustaining the

I have learned throughout my career in the Navy and my master’s program at Old Dominion University, leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Leadership is a trait some individuals are born with and yet it is a skill one can learn, polish, and continually improve upon. No matter the case, in order for one to become a well balanced instructional leader, one must have a central focus of learning rather than teaching, know how to balance being a supervisor and evaluator, and finally, they must encourage and develop professional growth throughout the organizations culture.

There were many valuable topics covered during my time at the Chief Petty Officer Academy (CPOA), however three of them have and will continue to help shape me as a leader and be useful to assist those I work with at my upcoming duty assignment. There were many take-backs from my five weeks at CPOA; however the three I found the most valuable are wellness/fitness, facilitating meetings, and team building. These three very simple techniques can be quiet challenging for some and do create greater challenges if not used at all.

The Chief Petty Officer Academy (CPOA) provides Chiefs with an opportunity to learn new ways to understand their people and themselves. By using the tools provided by CPOA and reflecting on the lessons learned I will continue to grow myself into the best possible leader that I can be for Coat Guard (CG). Our time spent here at the CPOA gives us a chance to develop ourselves like no other time in our career, but only if we buy in. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment allowed use to learn something about personality preferences while the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) allows use to receive unfiltered constructive feedback form over coworkers.

While reflecting on my time at the Chief Petty Officer’s Academy (CPOA), three elements of learning most impacted my persona and changed me as a leader. These elements of learning include both class room presentations and personal interactions with fellow attendees. The three elements of learning that will be discussed in this paper are 360 peer review report, understanding generational gaps, and recognition that everyone has different experiences within the mess. Each element has changed how I view the Coast Guard and will shape my future interactions with others.

Throughout my time at CPO Academy I have been personally struck by the depth of knowledge, professionalism, and character of all the staff and for the first time felt a real palpable sense of being involved in something special with a real sense of purpose and a very long and special history. The CPO Academy brings the idea to the surface what most members only think about in passing, and that is how important the rank of the Chief Petty Officer is in the Coast Guard both now and into the future. The most important lessons that I have learned from and will take back to my unit from the CPO Academy include the lessons learned from The Leadership Challenge, a more dedicated sense and commitment to my health and physical fitness, as well as the value in the lessons learned from Sexual Assault Prevention & Response.

The CPO Academy is doing great thing for the leaders of the Coast Guard. My experience here at the CPO Academy has been great. The things that I learned here at the CPO Academy will help me be a better leader in the future. The ropes courses were a great way to bond with my team and learn about team work. The workouts helped me get back into the running shape I was in before reporting to the CGC Haddock. Writing papers were also very beneficial to me. To be a better leader I need to learn how to be part of a team and that’s what I learned on the ropes course.

The Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer states, “No one is more professional than I,” “I will strive to remain technically and tactically proficient,” and “All soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership.” As America transitions from a nation at war to a nation at the ready, it is imperative as noncommissioned officers, that we remember those responsibilities set forth in the creed in which we live by as we forge our next generation of soldiers and leaders. How we forge our future leaders, train our soldiers, and how we develop ourselves as noncommissioned officers is outlined in Army Regulation 350-1, Army Training and Leader Development. From