Over the past year and a half of writing for this blog, I have acquired a "mega" folder of notes. So this week I present a "variety pack" of short notes. Some of the links given below are only available to individuals with DoD Common Access Cards, but they are important. So I beg everyone else’s forgiveness on those.  There are several links that are public, so keep reading down the list.

1. The inaugural issue of the NAVAIR Journal for Scientists & Engineers is available at https://mynavair.navair.navy.mil/navairjournal. This link is available for active military and civilian access. Join the Navair Journal Community on myteam. The team is soliciting articles for the next issue. If you'd like to see your article featured, submit an abstract by September 24, 2012, to navair_journal@navy.mil. 

2. A hearty “Bravo Zulu!” for NAWCAD Lakehurst’s chapter of the Navy Civilian Managers Association (NCMA), which was selected as the nation’s outstanding NCMA chapter for the last year.  NCMA national president Scott Bucher noted that Lakehurst made contributions through educational outreach, career days, shadowing opportunities and scholarships awarded.  For more information, check out their link at http://ncmalakehurst.org/ .

3. Earlier this summer I noted the NAVAIR Career Guidebook was substantially updated and was ready to be published.  It is now available at https://mynavair.navair.navy.mil/portal/server.pt/community/navair_career_guidebook/1442 and I think it is a remarkable improvement in a guidebook that was already pretty good! The team has expanded the skills section, and added some really useful links in the appendix.  The guidebook is intended to help all employees make informed decisions on training, jobs skills, and your career choices.

4. Admiral John C. Harvey, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command published a Memorandum for the Record on his public blog site http://usfleetforces.blogspot.com/2012/08/surface-ship-material-readiness.html that addresses Surface Ship Material Readiness.  It is an honest assessment of where the Navy has been, and what is being done to improve surface ship material readiness, manpower and manning, training, organization, chain of command, culture and financial issues.  Those involved in Air/Ship Integration activities should take the time to read the document, but it should be interesting to all of us as we look at naval aviation through the same lens.

5. Admiral James G. Stavridis, Commander, U.S. European Command posted a blog titled “How to Brief a Senior Officer” at http://www.eucom.mil/blog-post/23669/how-to-brief-a-senior-officer. Although you might think from the title he is telling folks how to brief him, he is really reflecting on his experiences briefing individuals like the Secretary of Defense, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, and President Obama. It is not often that a 4-star Admiral takes the time to pass lessons like this on to the rest of us, and it is worth the time to look at it.

6. Finally, at the U.S. Naval Institute blog site http://blog.usni.org/2012/08/10/the-perils-of-content-the-perils-of-the-information-age/ Yeoman Second Class (Surface Warfare) H. Lucien Gauthier III posted about “The Perils of Content, the Perils of the Information Age.”  It’s a piece that demands our thought and introspection, and fits well with Admiral Stavridis’ article cited above about briefings. YN2 Gauthier lays out some concerns about how we learn, how we communicate, and how we shape opinion in the information age.

OK, that cleans up the file cabinet for now.  Enjoy the reading, think about what you read, and above all – be safe out there!

– RM