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Counselor Association Symposium Focuses on Balancing the Force

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110701-12
7/1/2011

From Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs

ADDISON, Texas (NNS) -- Navy personnel policy leaders kicked off the 23rd annual Navy Counselor Association (NCA) Professional Development and Training Conference in Addison, Texas, June 27 by addressing force shaping policies.

More than 900 Navy counselors and leaders attended the symposium to receive career development training from a total force perspective.

Keynote speaker, Rear Adm. Don Quinn, deputy chief of naval personnel, opened with remarks about stabilizing the force. Quinn reiterated the guiding principles to achieve a balanced force by "retaining our best Sailors with the right mix of experience, seniority and skills."

According to Quinn, the Navy uses a variety of incentives to move Sailors into critical skills ratings and believes performance is the key consideration to retain and safeguard the careers of top performers.

"We need to attract and recruit our nations' best and brightest," said Quinn. "This is very important now as the force grows smaller. The key to continue as a 'Top 50' organization is to remain brilliant on the basics. We need to make sure we take care of our Sailors so they are in the best possible position to compete and advance in the Navy. Each one is precious."

Following Quinn, Cmdr. Renee J. Squier, deputy head of enlisted force plans and policy, reemphasized the importance of balancing the force by providing a summary of the latest updates on force shaping, planning and policy.

"We are responsible for keeping manning balanced for each rate," Squier said. "The only way to achieve this and ensure we meet our mission is to make sure the right Sailors are doing the right kinds of jobs. Navy cunselors are the ones that help us move Sailors into the undermanned ratings and show them how it is better for advancement, better for their commands and better for the Navy."

After the presentations, Senior Chief Navy Counselor Gary Simpson, NCA national vice president, commented that the NCA conference is essential for communicating policy changes from Navy leadership to the counselors.

"Ultimately it's the counselors who ensure the right information gets to each and every Sailor so they can take advantage of all the options available to them," said Simpson.

The 2011 Professional Development and Training Conference is focused on retention, professional development, documentation and training using Navy career tools such as Fleet Training Management and Planning System, Perform to Serve and others.