Military

STATEMENT OF

MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER OF THE NAVY
(SUBMARINE SERVICE/SURFACE WARFARE/AVIATION WARFARE)
JAMES L. HERDT, U. S. NAVY
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON INSTALLATIONS AND FACILITIES
OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
ON
Condition of Military Facilities:
Perspective of the Senior Enlisted
MAY 9, 2001

MMCM(SS/SW/AW) Jim Herdt, USN
Ninth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

            Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Jim Herdt, a native of Casper Wyo., joined the U.S. Navy in 1966.  After attending Machinist's Mate "A" School in Great Lakes, Ill., he served sea tours aboard the USS INDEPENDENCE (CV 62) and USS WILL ROGERS (SSBN 659G) and shore tours at Nuclear Power Training Unit, Windsor, Conn., and Radiological Repair Facility in New London, Conn. 

After leaving active duty in 1974, Master Chief Herdt enlisted in the Naval Reserve serving in various Selected Naval Reserve units while attending Kansas State University.  Returning to active duty in 1976, he served as a Naval Reserve Recruiter in Milwaukee, Wis., and in 1978 rejoined the regular Navy.

Master Chief Herdt served aboard USS TEXAS (CGN 39), USS CINCINNATI (SSN 693), and on the staff of the Nuclear Power School in Orlando, Fla., prior to his tour as Chief of the Boat aboard USS SKIPJACK (SSN 585).  He has served as Command Master Chief of Nuclear Field "A" School, Orlando, Fla., of USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71), and of Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill.  In 1996, he was selected to serve and as the Chief of Naval Education and Training Force Master Chief.  He assumed his current position as the ninth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy on March 27, 1998.

Master Chief Herdt is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy and U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.  He has earned a master of business administration degree with a concentration in human resources management from Florida Institute of Technology.  He is qualified as an Enlisted Aviation and Surface Warfare Specialist, and is qualified to wear the Enlisted Submarine Breast insignia.  Master Chief Herdt is certified as a Master Training Specialist.  His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal with Gold Star and numerous campaign and unit awards.

          Master Chief Herdt is married to the former Sharon E. Lawrence of Newark, Del., and has one son, James II who lives in Birmingham, Ala.          

TAKING CARE OF SAILORS WITH INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES

Doing What’s Right to Help Sailors Serve Americans

House Installations and Facilities Subcommittee

Chairman Saxton, thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of the Sailors and families of our great Navy.  This is my third year testifying on their behalf, and I must tell you that representing our country’s enlisted Sailors is a far greater honor than I ever dreamed it could be.  In my third year as Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON), I once again traveled extensively talking to Sailors and their families, and visiting the environments in which they live and work.  As you know, committed, volunteer Sailors are forward-deployed overseas in one-third of the Navy’s advanced ships every day.  They are peaceful, maritime ambassadors of our great nation to countries the world over, but they also send a clear signal of military power – because they are well-trained and outfitted for war – that re-assures our friends and dissuades potential adversaries, thereby securing our economic prosperity and political interests.  Tirelessly conducting our nation’s business commanding the seas, ever-vigilant Sailors in their ships and aircraft are important instruments of national policy, assuring our sustained access overseas and providing sovereign options where none would otherwise exist.  In fact, American Sailors are ready, this very moment, to answer this nation’s call to respond to humanitarian emergencies, crisis, conflict and even war.  We should greatly value their selfless dedication in so bravely protecting our nation and our vital interests overseas; we must ensure that their trust in us is well placed.

Compensation issues will always be a priority for Sailors, and it’s more evident now than ever how these same compensation issues directly produce a stronger naval force through increased retention.  With this in mind, it’s the areas of Quality-of-Life (QOL) and Quality-of-Work (QOW) impacting retention and the lives of Sailors and their families that I’m focused on most before this committee. The key in our retention efforts is to retain the Navy family.  Increasing the standards of acceptability for our Sailors’ living and working conditions will help in the battle to recruit and retain quality Sailors.

            Sailors throughout the Navy are pleased with last year’s 3.7 percent pay raise; increases in housing allowances; continued pay table reform; and improved health care benefits, just to name a few of the legislative gains your committee helped with last year.  Their impact will help our retention and recruiting efforts.  Only time will tell the true magnitude of their impact on these two key personnel manning efforts.  I believe that compensation is extremely important, but only the first hurdle we must jump to properly address retention.   Sailors have seen the consistent increase in support in recent years from Congress, and their optimism is certainly building for continued improvements in upcoming years.  This optimism for support, and increased pride in serving is the needed mindset change to ensure the Navy after next is stronger than ever.  Sailors and their families are counting on us to continue taking significant steps to improve their quality of life and quality of work.  The quality of our lives and quality of our working environment are two very key determinants whether our Sailors make the Navy a career or leave for employment that will deliver better working conditions and higher standards of living for them and their families.  We must reenergize our efforts to provide first rate working environments equal to the top-quality service members serving in our Navy today.  This committee’s commitment to acquire and maintain decent military facilities plays a significant role in our QOL and QOW, and in the way in which we are able to live. In my time with you today, I would like to detail these.

            Today, our Navy consists of 315 ships.  One hundred thirty-six of them, or 43 percent, at sea … 102 of them forward deployed on extended deployments of up to six months.  There are 46,477 Sailors underway today.  It is no surprise to, or a source of contention for Sailors to deploy away from their loved ones for six months at a time.  Deployments are what we do, but we should never underestimate or take for granted the incredible sacrifices that a six-month deployment imposes on our Navy families.  While deployed, Sailors consistently live in the least desirable conditions of all the services.  Our Sailors don’t complain about deployments, or the unique living conditions aboard their ships, but we certainly owe them our commitment to provide the best living conditions, training facilities and support facilities possible when their ships are in port.  It is reasonable for them to expect this, and they deserve it.

FACILITY INVESTMENT FUNDS

            One common complaint throughout the Navy is that our Sailors are forced to make do with the deterioration of our infrastructure.  Our service is experiencing a critical backlog of facilities maintenance and recapitalization requirements. Facility Investment includes both Real Property Maintenance (RPM) and Military Construction (MILCON) funds.  When asked why the roads on bases are crumbling, or lead-based paint is peeling from the walls of World War II era buildings, the answer is always there are not enough funds for the required maintenance or recapitalization. The problems are severe and appear to be getting worse.

            Since 1989, the military reduced its end strength by 30%, the number of ships in the Navy were reduced by 40%, yet the Department of the Navy plant replacement value for our shore infrastructure has only decreased by 17%.  According to the FY98 Defense Authorization Act, the DoD is left with about 23 percent excess base capacity when compared to the ratio of infrastructure capacity to force structure that existed in 1989.  In simple terms that means we must now maintain a greater amount of infrastructure with fewer resources than we did at the end of the Cold War.  Reducing infrastructure costs by eliminating excess capacity would assist the Navy in properly resourcing for readiness at sea.  I agree with the CNO who told the Senate Armed Services Committee last September that further rounds of BRAC are an option, however the payback through the BRAC process, while substantial, can take seven years or longer before the savings and cost avoidance are realized.  We need help much sooner than that.

Quality of Service

"Quality of Service" is a balanced combination of Quality of Life (QOL) and Quality of Work (QOW).  Some aspects are tangible, such as adequate compensation, a guaranteed retirement package, comprehensive health care, and other benefits associated with traditional Quality of Life programs.  Others, however, are intangible but are cardinal factors that make a career in the Naval Service attractive to talented people relative to other options they may have.  

          These intangibles -- job satisfaction, ongoing professional growth, high quality training and education, personal recognition, confidence that they will have the tools necessary to succeed in combat, and a belief that the Nation will fulfill its commitment to them and their families – comprise crucial elements of Quality of Service (QOS).  Sailors draw great professional pride and personal satisfaction from their many contributions throughout their service.  In turn, they deserve the unambiguous support of the Nation they serve so that they know that what they do is important and worth the personal sacrifices they make and the "opportunity costs" they incur.

Quality of Work

We ask a lot from our Sailors.  In return, we owe them a high "Quality of Work"  -- modern facilities, proper tools, sufficient supplies, and a working environment commensurate with what we expect them to do, fight and win.  Their work must be centered on honing their professional skills and enhancing the combat effectiveness of their units.  A satisfying QOW is one of the very most important factors in retaining our best people.  Our Real Property Maintenance and MILCON programs have a significant impact on our Sailors’ QOW and we must remain vigilant to ensure that these programs are adequately funded.  Whatever we can do as leaders to better provide a professional QOW, it is our duty and obligation to do.  Failure to do so provides the opportunity for our Sailors who sacrifice so much to question whether they belong to a second rate outfit, whose leaders cannot provide a roof in the work area that keeps the rain out or a tool that they can buy over the counter. 

GOVERNMENT HOUSING AND PUBLIC PRIVATE VENTURE (PPV)

            Military housing is the one piece of our approach to housing the fleet.  This includes barracks projects, the traditional family housing, and Public/Private Venture (PPV) projects as well. Barracks projects are particularly important to the Navy as we move closer to providing all Sailors the choice to live ashore when their ships are in port.  Currently, single shipboard Sailors E-4 and junior routinely live in the most Spartan accommodations in all of the Department of Defense (DoD).  While strenuous living conditions at sea are a necessity for now, we’re working to improve the QOL in port.  We are exploring avenues that will allow us to move these Sailors ashore.  Current estimates for the number of additional bed spaces that moving Sailors ashore will require is approximately 25,000 depending on the number of ships in port.  We’ve noticed an early increase in retention rates in the areas where we have ongoing pilot projects of moving junior single Sailors into barracks while in port.

There is still a strong need for continued support for government owned and leased military family housing. Often times we need base housing due to the short supply of private sector homes in the surrounding community.  Owned and leased family housing is a necessity to suitably and affordably house many of our Navy families because of these shortfalls in surrounding communities.  To support this goal, we have and will continue to invest in family housing construction projects.  The FY01 budget provided for the repair and modernization of 1781 homes at $155M and replaces or constructs 1055 additional homes for $169M.  The majority of these homes are for junior enlisted families.  We are on track to eliminate approximately 23,000 homes considered inadequate by FY-2010 consistent with Defense Planning Guidance.  Military family housing is, and will continue to be essential for an acceptable quality of life for Sailors.

            Our PPV program for Military Family Housing projects continues to develop and create more opportunities for military families to reside in quality, affordable housing.  This year we completed agreements for developments at Naval Station Everett, Wash., and Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas.  These projects will provide 438 new homes for Navy families.

            We are also progressing toward signing agreements for new projects in San Diego, New Orleans, and South Texas.  In total these projects will renovate 1,838 homes, replace 884 homes and additionally construct 1,231 homes at an estimated cost of $70 million in MILCON funding.  The cost to perform similar work through traditional programs would be well over $400 million.  We are continuing to evaluate future projects that can take advantage of the unique advantages PPV offers.

            Continuing to pursue these PPV projects where it is advantageous is essential to keeping up with the growing need for family housing.  I’ve expressed an awareness of this before, but we continue to grow as a married force.  Unlike the Navy of yesterday, 65% of our Sailors today are married, and that number continues to grow.  The fact that most Navy facilities are located in typically high cost-of-living areas adds an even greater dimension to our need.

Finally, I wish to thank the President for making military housing a priority, evident in  his request for an additional $400 million in his FY 2002 budget.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

Fitness facilities, projects for single Sailors and other recreation projects in general are also significant QOL issues that need appropriate MILCON consideration.  The Navy realizes the importance of MILCON projects for personal readiness and enhancing QOL for married Sailors and their families, but we are equally mindful of the fact that our large single Sailor population is the primary beneficiary of modern fitness facilities and recreation centers that provide a centralized location for highly popular, essential leisure time activities that contribute to readiness and retention. 

Single Sailor Program.  In the past few years we’ve worked hard to continue developing the Single Sailor Program as an MWR managed initiative that provides QOL alternatives for the special needs of single, unaccompanied servicemen and women on shore duty, deployed Sailors assigned to afloat commands and squadrons, school commands, and Sailors permanently assigned to bachelor quarters.  Primarily intended to develop and improve social skills and leisure needs of single enlisted Sailors, this program provides QOL alternatives for Sailors throughout the Navy.  Priority and planning for activities and events should be targeted for the 18-25 year age group, but other unaccompanied personnel are not excluded.  The program also focuses on providing healthy lifestyle alternatives to alcohol and tobacco use.  Program elements include but are not limited to trips and excursions, outdoor recreation, leisure skills development, and single Sailor recreation centers.  These recreation centers typically contain free internet access permitting young Sailors to stay in touch with family and friends.  Other basic elements of single Sailor recreation centers include video games, TV and movie lounges, reading rooms, pool tables, ping-pong, and snack bar areas.  

In FY00, we opened Single Sailor Program facilities in Mayport, FL.; Bethesda, MD; San Diego, CA.; Pearl Harbor, HI; Gulfport, MS and Yokosuka, Japan.

For FY 01, we plan to open additional facilities in La Madallena, Italy; Keflavik, Iceland; New London, CT; Bahrain; Portsmouth, VA; and at Submarine Base, San Diego. These facilities have been funded almost exclusively with nonappropriated funds and primarily involve minor construction and renovation of existing structures.

Navy Fitness.   Navy has established a new culture of fitness for our Sailors and all members of the Navy community that will promote "total fitness" and a commitment to healthy lifestyles.  This "back to basics" approach includes ensuring fitness program and services for both fleet and shore commands meet DoD and Navy standards.  Using that guidance, permit me to share a couple short examples: in FY00/01 we will spend over $11M to outfit every afloat unit with new fitness equipment.  Additionally, we are in the process of providing over 20 fitness professionals on board aircraft carriers and amphibious ships by the end of FY02.  These professionals will provide competent fitness instructions and programs, maintain the fitness equipment and assist the Command Fitness Coordinators with their fitness program responsibilities; all of which promotes a fitter force and enhances mission readiness.  On the shore side, our greatest challenge is to update and enhance our fitness facilities.  About 80% of MWR fitness/sports facilities fail to attain DoD or Navy Fitness Facility standards. We have eight (8) fitness facilities (NAS Atlanta,GA; ANCSCSCOL Athens, GA; NAVSUPPFAC Diego Garcia; NSWCDD Dahlgren,VA; NAVSTA Pearl Harbor, HI; NSA Mid-South, TN; NAVSECGRUACT Sugar Grove, WV; and CBC Gulfport, MS) programmed for construction at a cost of $48M.  To bring Navy fitness facilities into compliance with existing DoD and Navy standards to enhance our Quality of Service to our members, I ask for your support.

The Liberty Program has already produced these types of facilities at: La Madallena, Italy; Keflavik, Iceland; New London, Conn.; Bahrain; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; and submarine base San Diego.

These facilities are important to the morale for our Sailors serving outside the continental United States who may not otherwise have these recreation opportunities.  They are cornerstones in the Navy’s Right Spirit campaign that de-glamorizes alcohol use. 

Childcare.  With regard to childcare, assisting Navy families’ need for affordable, high-quality childcare is still a high priority.  The Navy is currently meeting 56% of the DoD potential need and will attain the Navy goal of 65% by FY03.  During FY99 and FY00, MILCON replacement centers for Mechanicsburg, Key West, Philadelphia, and Charleston have provided modern and safe facilities to care for the children of our Sailors.

CONCLUSION

            In the past year we saw USS COLE (DDG 67) attacked by terrorists in which 17 American Sailors made the ultimate sacrifice to allow us to be here today.  Again last month 24 of our Sailors had a brush with disaster following a mid-air collision near China. It’s unfortunate but true that the over 55,000 Sailors deployed today face similar dangers, but that commitment overseas has guarded world peace and stability, ensuring that this nation’s fights have been fought to victory “over there”.  We don’t live in a very friendly world, but what I see during my visits to the fleet is the honor, courage, commitment, and professionalism in Sailors serving today, the pride I take in them shakes me to the core.  Thanks to them, we have the luxury of enjoying the forward defense afforded us by the most powerful, capable Navy in the history of the world; one that assures sustained access overseas, ready to aid, dissuade or project precision firepower ashore.  In the end, we should all recognize that it is the service and sacrifice of these fine Sailors along with that of the men and women of our sister services that make all else possible in our great country.  The honor of representing them is a far greater honor than I ever dreamed of having.

            On behalf of our Sailors standing the watch around the globe, I want to thank the Committee for its unfailing and continued support.  Your efforts are making a difference, and we thank you for what you do.  Mr. Chairman, this completes my statement, and I am pleased to answer any questions you may have.