WASHINGTON (NNS, June 5, 2013) — Effective June 1, Navy headquarters staff realigned in support of the establishment of 21st Century Sailor office (OPNAV N17).
Establishment of the 21st Century Sailor office will provide for more coordinated and streamlined efforts in Sailor resiliency and readiness programs. Full details of the realignment can be found in Naval Administrative Message 153/13.
The office is responsible for the integration of the Navy’s objectives for equal opportunity, Sailor personal and family readiness; physical readiness; substance abuse prevention; suicide prevention; sexual harassment and sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR), hazing prevention, and transition assistance.
“The goal of 21st Century Sailor office is to provide our Sailors with the support network, programs, resources, training, and skills needed to overcome adversity and thrive,” said Rear Adm. Walter “Ted” Carter, Director of the 21st Century Sailor office. “Resilience is not one program or initiative, but a comprehensive effort to build life skills that not only ensure Navy readiness, but also fully develop the personal and professional talent of our force. The 21st Century Sailor office will drive policy and strategies that are responsive to our Sailors and their families.”
The 21st Century Sailor office was created through a realignment of existing Navy resources as part of the recommendations from Task Force Resilient. Task Force Resilient was chartered by Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) Adm. Mark Ferguson on January 22, 2013 to review Navy resiliency efforts as well as suicide related events in order to increase resilience and reduce suicides.
Led by Rear Adm. Walter “Ted” Carter, Task Force Resilient determined Navy resilience resources could better serve Sailors if aligned under one overarching and integrated organization that provided unity of effort across the Navy enterprise. Task Force Resilient recommended establishing the 21st Century office, led by a Line Flag officer, to serve as the overall lead for Navy resilience efforts by focusing on outcomes and continuity of care across Navy programs.
“Building resilience through a culture of total fitness (physical, mental, social, and spiritual) will empower a force that is always ready to operate forward and execute our warfighting mission,” said Carter. “There is much work to be done, but the 21st Century Sailor office establishment is an important step toward supporting life skills programs that our Sailors will want to better themselves and improve our readiness.”
21st Century Sailor office will include six individual policy branches residing under the N17 organization: Total Sailor Fitness (N170), Suicide Prevention (N171), Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (N172), Sexual Harassment Prevention and Equal Opportunity (N173), and the Office of Hazing Prevention (N174).
The realignment of the Navy 21st Century Sailor Office began June 1, 2013 and will be completed prior to January 2014.
To view the Task Force Resilient report, visit http://www.navy.mil/docs/TaskForceResilientFinalReport.pdf .
For more news from Chief of Naval Personnel, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnp /.
