WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy opened an online energy survey to service members throughout the Navy, Aug. 25, to gain a better understanding on how the fleet views the role of energy in the Navy's mission.
Participants in the survey are chosen via random selection among service members. The survey results will be used to help guide ongoing planning efforts with the Department of the Navy's (DON) energy program. The survey will be available for 30 days and the results are expected back in October.
In October 2009 the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus laid out five aggressive energy goals to improve the Navy's energy security and efficiency, increase the Navy's energy independence, and help lead the nation toward a clean energy economy.
The Department is achieving several initiatives through the energy goals and views the survey as a critical step to continue in the process.
"It is critical that we understand how Sailors perceive energy, both from an awareness standpoint and in how energy relates to the performance of their daily duties," said Rear Adm. Kevin Slates, director of the Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division (OPNAV N45). "Our goal is to leverage energy technologies and behavioral change to achieve the Navy's goals and enhance combat capability. Changing our culture today will better prepare Sailors to operate weapons of the future, such as directed energy weapons, that depend on energy instead of explosives to achieve their kinetic effect. Energy enables warfare, but we need Sailors to see value for these types of changes to become the new normal."
If you are a service member who has received the survey and have questions, contact Dr. Kimberly Whittam at kimberly.whittam@navy.mil or Geoffrey Patrissi at geoffrey.a.patrissi@navy.mil.
For more information on the Department of the Navy's energy program, visit http://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/energy.