Is it a good idea for all Navy Senior Chiefs to attend the Senior Enlisted Academy before advancement to Master Chief?

2014-07-26T21:43:35-04:00

The Navy will soon require all Senior Chief Petty Officers to attend the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy before they may be considered for advancement to Master Chief. This School used to be a requirement for any Master Chief prior to Selection for appointment to Command Master Chief or Chief of the Boat. Some Chief and Master Chief were also able to attend the school, but with this new requirement, the school will have to concentrate on Senior Chiefs only.

Unlike other services, Navy does not have very many, if any, other professional development courses available for their Senior Enlisted Leaders. Once a person makes Chief Petty Officer, education opportunities become very limited.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Aug 25 at 2014 3:45 AM

2014-08-25T03:45:13-04:00

Master Chief, I wrote my "white paper" at the Coast Guard's Senior Enlisted Leaders Course on the need to broaden our formal butts in seats Professional Military Education requirements. The USCG requires only a week long leadership seminar prior to making PO1, and then the Chief Petty Officers' Academy AFTER making CPO. Those are the only two mandated classroom based leadership development courses we have for our enlisted workforce.

Typically those of us who pursue CMC billets take the SELC, but all other leadership education is billet specific, and therefore not required unless the member is slated for that billet.

We need to take note of our brothers and sisters in the USAF. I had the opportunity to spend sometime with them on an exchange program. They have a much more robust and well developed leadership training program.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2014 3:51 AM

2014-08-25T03:51:45-04:00

CMDCM Gene Treants Yes I think it is a good idea. I just submitted my application package for the SEA. We should accept it as an opportunity to broaden our horizons. I think that at times our Brothers and Sisters get complacent with broadening our own horizons. As I have written in many a Charge Book, "never stop teaching, and most importantly never stop learning". I am looking forward to going to the SEA, I will get to learn new things and meet more Chiefs and expand my network. It is only going to open more doors.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2015 7:27 PM

2015-01-30T19:27:51-05:00

Great news! Since SCPO's can be Command Senior Chiefs this will be invaluable.

Response by MCPO Kurt Stauff made Sep 19 at 2015 6:22 PM

2015-09-19T18:22:36-04:00

I was set up to go to the school, as a Senior Chief, but our upper level honchos needed to spend our OPTAR on more "important" tasks. That was fine, and I made E9 that year anyway, without the school. When I looked at the overall merit of who had attended, I was not impressed enough to attend their academy. I retired an MNCM(SW/SS), without a degree in masterchiefhood, and managed to do a pretty good job, regardless. When I was teaching "A" school in 2000-2003, I would say most of my students who are still in are either Chiefs, Senior Chiefs, or officers. It gives me great pleasure to have instructed, and served with, either as leader or subordinate, to all of the currently serving Minemen of today. I am happy to be retired; it is now your job to lead, and I am happy if I was able to help you get where you are today.

Response by CSM Patrick O'Donnell made Jun 4 at 2016 8:19 AM

2016-06-04T08:19:53-04:00

As an Army retired Command Sergeant Major I can tell you that the time spent at the Senior Enlisted Academy is one of the best career investments you can make. I attended Class 09 blue group and was exposed for the first time to anything Navy. It was a great experience and the later networking served me well as a Command Sergeant Major. Whenever questions arose about coordination with the Navy people always shied away. That would be the moment that I would say to the Commander “Let me look into that”. You guessed it, I would contact a fellow classmate from 09 and then that coordination began. I highly recommend attendance.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jun 4 at 2016 10:21 AM

2016-06-04T10:21:15-04:00

And yet years ago, we had none of these requirements and did our jobs effectively. I'm from the old school, before all the political rangling for position.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jun 4 at 2016 10:29 AM

2016-06-04T10:29:09-04:00

Further comment, there is absolutely no type of education that will not enhance your ability to lead. Take everything you can get!

Response by MCPO Gary Uzonyi made Nov 13 at 2021 1:28 AM

2021-11-13T01:28:06-05:00

It's a good idea but I wouldn't make it mandatory.

Response by MCPO Gary Uzonyi made Nov 16 at 2021 11:27 PM

2021-11-16T23:27:40-05:00

Doesn't have to be mandatory. If it wasn't mandatory we'd be better Is able to separate the wheat from the chaff so to speak, at the board. I'd put it in the same box as college and Navy Correspondence and Online courses. The panels can each decide what to rate them as is done with the other educational achievements.