On Leadership

Be All In

By RDML Amy "B12" Bauernschmidt, USN

Smoke was engulfing the passageways on the second deck near the aft mess decks. Five minutes later, smoke was reported filling the O3 level. This was not a drill. Fire spreads rapidly onboard ships quickly consuming spaces and options. Sailors rushed to their gear, DCA mobilized the response and XO and CHENG guided efforts at the scene while I coordinated external communication. The response was automatic. It had to be – we were being tested on all our training.

That morning I was on the bridge discussing the underway and missions in front of us with the team. Over the 1MC, the first call of smoke near the aft mess scullery was made, then came the second call of smoke. XO and I both ordered GQ to be called away almost simultaneously. My heart sank, besides thinking about USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Sailors, the question entered my mind - would we face a similar situation as USS George Washington (CVN 77) did in 2008?

Never pass up an opportunity to get better. What we do matters. Our hard work makes the difference, mobilizing to complete the mission against the enemy, whatever or whomever the enemy may be. On this day, our adversary was a fire, but tomorrow it could be another country. Whether we serve on ships, in squadrons, turn wrenches, man consoles in combat, stand lookout, do the laundry, or support vital functions in other ways, we are all warriors. As warriors, we must own our part of the mission, seizing ways to have the maximum impact each day in those moments where training, initiative, and courage make the difference.

One of my favorite quotes is from JJ Watt. It goes something like this: “Success isn’t owned - it’s leased and rent is due everyday." Every single day. Someone is coming for your greatness, and if you’re not constantly improving your game, just know someone else is improving theirs.” On game day, if and when we need to head into the fight, you are only as good as the daily training opportunities you methodically and meticulously capitalized on and used to your advantage. Every single day. We have to do the work, owning what we do each day forges how we will operate when it matters. In Lincoln’s case it was damage control, but equally important are daily communication checks, brushing up on NATOPS, practicing search and rescue, or methodically rehearsing and refining tactics to be ready for the day we face a different enemy.

In seizing training opportunities, we aid ourselves and our teammates in accomplishing the mission more effectively. However, reflect on a time when we didn’t own our training, when we didn’t take advantage of an opportunity presented to make ourselves, our crew, our squadron and our Navy better. What is the impact of missed opportunities? We can’t afford to waste them. We all have countless examples of someone who owned the mission, we also know within ourselves, the day we didn’t put forth the effort we could have to complete an extra event or challenge ourselves in the air or in the simulator.

On the bridge, it seemed like a lifetime had passed. The XO updated me as he donned an SCBA and headed through the smoke to the fire. I was exceedingly confident my XO, CHENG, DCA, ADCA and 1,300 Sailors part of the Damage Control Training Team and Lockers were where they needed to be, doing what they needed to do. I knew the XO, Training Officer, and Fire Marshall had meticulously prepared the ship for this day. We did not repeat drill packages or drills. We did not drill in the same location with the same casualties. I knew from the previous 16 months monitoring everything this team worked so hard to achieve, my job was to stay out of their way, keep the big picture, guide the bridge and combat team, and coordinate with my Strike Group Commander, and higher echelon chain of command for the required support.

Because of our amazing Sailors, we contained the fire within 20 minutes, then spent hours de-smoking from frames 60-200 and the 03 level down through the second deck. The NCIS and NAVSEA fire experts arrived within 24 hours to assess and inspect the scene.

People rise to the environment they are in - what environment and opportunities are you creating to own the mission and forge the team into the warfighting organization required to execute the mission? The good leader will take the opportunities and the mission and translate and transform it into tangible daily actions ensuring, when needed, everyone is ready and able to perform at their best. Our job developing warfighting competencies must be a part of what we do each day because each day, each flight hour, each event matters. Owning the mission, whatever it may be, methodically executing every detail allows the larger warfighting effort to fall into place.

Today, we operate in a consequential environment during a consequential time. As tensions rise around the globe, it is important to remember we are the backbone of our national defense. The challenges we face are complex and we must prepare daily to confront a determined adversary. What we do each day matters and our hard work makes the difference, don’t miss opportunities. We are not always given ramp up time to get to the needed level of performance, we need to be performing at a high level daily.

To this day, my Chief Engineer credits the fact the fire only damaged one space (approx 5x8ft) to the fact we called away GQ immediately, alerting everyone to a developing situation, and a group of Sailors swiftly taking action to combat a fire which, we estimate, reached temperatures in the area over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

As combat crews have proven again and again throughout our Navy’s history, all the training and dividends from drill repetition created the muscle memory and kicked in driving the team's response demonstrating great skill and tremendous courage. The Chiefs and Officers made sure the crew’s valiant efforts had the maximum effect, starting with the prompt alarm and their immediate mobilization. Never pass up an opportunity to get better - what we do matters and our hard work makes a difference!