• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Timely, Accurate Info Critical to Navy's Strategic Comms Initiatives

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090324-22
Release Date: 3/24/2009 10:17:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Devonte Jones, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va (NNS) -- The Navy chief of information (CHINFO) visited USS Enterprise (CVN-65) March 23 to meet the ship's mass communication specialists (MCs) to discuss with them the importance of their role in the fleet

Rear Adm. Frank Thorp IV, is the principal spokesman for the Department of the Navy. He provides strategic communication counsel to the secretary of the Navy and leads the Navy's public affairs community of more than 2,500 active and Reserve officers, enlisted Sailors and civilian communication professionals.

Thorp expressed the importance of providing timely and accurate internal and external information with the MCs, telling them that when a ship goes on deployment, it's up to the MCs, to let the people around the world know what these Sailors are doing.

Thorp also talked about the current state of the MC rating, which was established almost three years ago by merging the photographer's mate, journalist, lithographer's mate and illustrative draftsman ratings. Enterprise was one of the first ships to merge the ratings from separated divisions into a single media department.

"From where I sit, the rating merger was absolutely the right thing to do," said Thorp. "I think the Navy is leading civilian media efforts. It's all about multipurpose and the product. No longer are the days in journalism and media where you can be a print reporter or a videographer or a broadcaster. You've got to be good across the board."

Thorp stated that the legacy ratings that fundamentally make up the MC rating will soon disappear from memory completely.

"In five years, our MCs will no longer use that word 'legacy' anymore," said Thorp. "Because, it won't matter if you're a legacy journalist or a legacy photographer or a legacy draftsman. Across the board you will be counted on and relied upon to take information and multipurpose it across many different avenues."

Enterprise is currently in Newport News, Va., at Northrop Grumman Ship Yard undergoing an extended drydock select restricted availability (EDSRA) in preparation for an upcoming deployment.