So far #fridaynightnavyknowledge has been a great success. I want to try something a little different by making this more of a crowdsource type process. The topic tonight is “Thoughts on being an XO.” Please add on, riff, beat a dead horse, etc. on any of the below topics. /1

Here are my caveats:
My experience is in aviation. Aviation has a fleet up model (15 months XO then 15 months as CO for VFA). Our 4 major departments are Maintenance, Operations, Safety, and Admin. There are “other” DH jobs, but those can be and are done by senior JOs. /2

First, flippant XO phrases:
-“Heads and Beds”
-“Keep the trains running”
-The “Black Hat.”
Quite simply, the XO is the chief of staff for the department heads. /3

The CO looks at the command and up, i.e. how does the command best serve the boss.
The XO looks at the command and down, i.e. how does are command run efficiently to support the larger mission.
The XOs goal is to make sure the CO’s tour is awesome. /4

First step is to have a sit down with the CO prior to starting the job. Get a feel for their command/leadership philosophy, division of responsibilities, writing style/admin bugaboos, and most importantly, pet peeves. /5

A fleet up XO is a different beast, in that you are supporting yours CO’s command philosophy, but you are also laying the foundation for your time as a CO. It can be a delicate balance of not undermining your boss while also not compromising your time as a CO. /6

However, you also have the advantage of observing the command for a significant amount of time to dial in what you need to do. I.e. there is the command tour you envision, and the command tour you are handed. /7

Division of responsibilities is different CO to CO. Some are very hard over on XO is Admin and Safety, CO is Ops and Maintenance.
Some CO’s don’t care. /8

My CO didn’t really care. But in all honesty, I didn’t have enough brain bytes to devote to Ops and Maintenance even though those are both my comfort zone. I certainly poked my nose in both to protect the CO, but not as much as I envisioned. /9

Admin. My time as Admin O when I was a DH were the worst 6 months of my life, but I am thankful for that time in the hole now. Engage admin rant: /10

Admin is all about timelines. First my mantra that every blue folder contains a person. So even though that may be the 20th leave chit you have seen that day, that is the only piece of paper Seaman Smith is concerned about. Keep it moving. /11

Know the priority paperwork. Evals and Awards are always at the top of my list. My pet peeve is sending an award to someone’s next command. Bullshit. Every Sailor should receive their award in front of their peers where they earned said award. /12

Sounds easy, but needs to be planned months ahead. Sailor leaving on X date, last available quarters timing before X date is day Y, Skipper needs to sign award ahead of that date, which means it needs to go through the anaconda chop chain starting a Z amount of time before Y. /13

XO should have a very clear tracker that shows all those appropriate milestones to stay on top of dates.
Plans of actions and milestones (POAMs) are a great tool for evals and FITREPs. Sets a clear deadline for every step of the way. /14

POAMs are also great for getting writing expectations from the CO. EPs have ranked bold bullet. P’s don’t. A dash with a header for each bullet, etc. /15

Another great planning tool for dates (and the beginning of coordinating efforts between departments) is the PB4t (planning board for training). Separate from a DH meeting, it gets the squadron leadership in the same room to cover big calendar items for the next 6ish months. /16

Keep examples of the FITREPs and awards the CO signs and use for templates on future awards. Know their hated words (like flawless and tireless). Have a good boilerplate for group awards like end of cruise/det, that the CO signs off ahead of time. Reduces work for everyone. /17

Another good metric for the admin piece is instructions. Start with the SORM as the mother of instructions and update from there. /18

My opinion is fewer the instructions the better. Command instructions should not just be a wholesale rewrite of a higher echelon instruction. Revise, update, or cancel instructions with impunity. Set a regular schedule to audit all instructions. /19

A companion to instructions are command programs/collateral duties. The XO and the CMC need to be in lockstep to ensure that they are running efficiently and effectively. /20

Do not except single point failures.
It is primarily in the wheel house of the CMC, but as XO be like a dentist when auditing. Pick around, but if you find a cavity, get drilled in deep. /21

For legal matters, be clear on the CO’s expectations. Again, some CO’s want everything to come to them. Others are good with issues being dismissed at DRB or XOI. Either way, make sure everything is locked down and clear when it comes in front of Skipper. /22

XO’s needs to keep undue command influence in mind during the entire process. As an XO, communicate with the JAG and other entities to get everything in order to protect the CO while at the same time ensuring their options are clearly laid out. /23

General space upkeep and cleanliness should be a constant drumbeat. How do you want the spaces to look when you are the CO? Set that standard early. /24

Ultimately the XO has two important jobs:
Make sure the departments efforts support each other vice distract from each other.
Second is to be the trusted agent. Shoot holes in the CO’s decisions, but walk out of the office supporting them to the hilt. /25

For the “black hat” role as XO, I told myself to come in hard as a new XO. However, I believe it is too hard to play a part. Instead, be you. Know the standard, hold the standards. Establish who you are and what you believe is important. That will make life as a CO easier. /26

No one wants to be an XO. But my time was certainly humbling. There were many times the CO made a decision using a thought process I hadn’t even considered. I learned a lot, and my XO time prepared me well for command. /Fin