Standards and expectations from Captain Glen Zeiders (ret), last Commanding Officer of USS Ticonderoga (CG 47).  Following his command at sea tour, Captain Zeiders served as Surface Operations CSG-SIX onboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), Commanding Officer of Afloat Training Command Mayport followed by Commander, Destroyer Squadron FOURTEEN.

TRAITS OF OUTSTANDING WARDROOMS

  • Outstanding wardrooms set and maintain high standards
  • Outstanding wardrooms are cohesive, yet competitive
  • Outstanding wardrooms raise concerns to the CO and XO
  • Outstanding wardrooms take initiative
  • Outstanding wardrooms do detailed planning
  • Outstanding wardrooms take responsibility for the results of their departments and divisions
  • They put wardrooms on ships for a reason….

THE STANDARD ON TICONDEROGA IS EXCELLENCE

  • DHs and DIVOs are the key to setting and maintaining standards, not the CO or XO
  • If you see something wrong, fix it
  • Do things right the first time, every time
  • Don’t accept mediocrity – ever…
  • Learn from your mistakes and don’t make them again
  • Always strive to be the best officer on the ship.  This is a profession, not a boys/girls club
  • Don’t make me tell you how to do your job
  • Strive for continuous improvement

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

  • Know how to fight and rive the ship
  • Know your equipment – cold
  • know your people
  • Know your job.  When you know that, learn your boss’s
  • Get into your spaces every day, without fail
  • Support each other.  Don’t let your shipmate fail
  • Communicate with your sailors and me
  • Promote self sufficiency
  • Show initiative – Don’t wait to be told
  • Know how to delegate, monitor and follow-up
  • Keep the ship clean, leak free and rust free.  You should be embarrassed if i have to point it out to you.
  • You are all Q.A. agents.  If something is not right, fix it.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS FOR EVERYONE

  • Admin – On time, accurate, in ref(a) format.  give XO and i time to review it
  • Events – Develop detailed plan, ORM, brief, pre-brief on station, execute, debrief, develop lessons learned and improve
  • Assessments – Certify on the first look.  Execute my 10 step process
  • Request chits – Return within 24 hours.  Same working day for “no” chits, only the CO says “no.”  Hand route
  • Casualties – Give me the casualty, the cause, the impact, the solution and the ETR.  Don’t put a spin on it.  Understand what you are talking about
  • Document performance – Good and bad – COI/CCOI
  • Look for opportunities to train and seize them
  • Communicate goals, expectations and “the plan” to your sailors – make sure you have a plan

DEPARTMENT HEADS

  • Talk to me daily.  it’s not the XO’s job to keep me informed of what you are doing
  • Calls to/from ISIC or higher authority – inform me.  Remember what you say is assumed to be coming from me.
  • Accurate eight o’clocks.  Be able to talk about your material status in detail at all times.
  • Ensure your departmental equipment works within ref (a) parameters at all times
  • Develop and execute a long range plan to improve your department
  • Admin – Quality is a direct reflection of your ability to be an XO
  • Know how to fight the ship.  Know all firing trains, know tactics, know PPRS, know doctrine
  • DH protective society – help each other out
  • Drive team training.  Ensure divisional training occurs
  • Train and mentor your DIVOs
  • Put the XO out of a job.  Let him train to be a CO

DIVISION OFFICERS

  • Keep your DH informed
  • Conduct a detailed walk through of your spaces every day.  Document and fix problems
  • Develop pride of ownership.  Formally assign ownership to every sailor in your division
  • Know your equipment cold to build credibility with your sailors
  • Ensure your equipment works to standard at all times
  • Qualify SWO/manage your career.  Don’t wait to be spoon fed
  • Conduct divisional training 3 times per week.  Work in rate training to help your sailors get advanced.  Document it.
  • Maintain a detailed WQSB and WTRP/PQS goal sheet so sailors know where to go and when, and know what is expected of them.
  • Be a mentor for your sailors and fellow JOs
  • Learn to understand relative motion and how the ship maneuvers
  • Give your sailors a plan – corrective and preventive maintenance, cleaning, preservation, training… liberty when complete
  • Quarters every day.  Read the POD.  Inspect your people
  • Sweepers – twice per day.  Sweepers means more than brooms.  Hot soapy water is not only authorized, but encouraged
  • Know your sailors, their issues and concerns, their professional goals and their retention and advancement status.  Know what makes them tick.
  • Sign PMS boards every week.  Assist the WCS and personally track accomplishment.  Do your spot checks.  Be critical.
  • Strive to be the best JO on the ship and to put your DH out of a job

SOME GREAT QUOTES TO REMEMBER TO SUCCEED AS A SWO

  • What interests the CO should fascinate the hell out of you
  • There is no such person named “Murphy”
  • You make your own luck
  • Expect what you inspect
  • Plan your work, work your plan
  • The six P’s
  • Tis easier to ask forgiveness than it is permission… (caveat – you better have done your homework)
  • Bad news does not get better with age
  • The 4th law of thermodynamics…
  • You gotta love it… just liking it won’t get you through the day
  • You never know the limits of your authority until you exceed them… or, you don’t know what you can get away with until you try