Naval Reserve Association

Active DutyProgramsNavy ReserveFull-Time SupportCDR Matt DuboisNational VP for Active Duty ProgramsAllow me to introducemyself. CDR Matt Duboishere, your NationalVP for Active DutyPrograms. Please put mye-mail address in yourcontact list. I want to hear from you abouthow the Association is or isn’t meeting theneeds of the Full-Time Support (FTS)community. Why aren’t all FTS membersof their professional Association? I havemy own thoughts on how the FTS feelbut want to hear from you. The entireAssociation leadership and I are committedto making the Association valuable for allmembers.Today’s demand for the Navy Reserve tomeet operational requirements quickly,with fully-trained Sailors, on a continuingbasis, highlights the increased importanceof Navy Reserve FTS personnel. Everyday, the integration between the Navy andthe Navy Reserve becomes greater andmore evident. In the years ahead, this totalforce concept will continue to growstronger, elevating the role of the NavyReserve and its Reservists, including FTS,as never before.Like many FTS, there are times when Ifeel unappreciated. I feel as though I’mstuck between two worlds where neitherone fully accepts me as a member. TheActive Duty officer corps doesn’t like mebecause I haven’t shared in the same painthey consider as the price of admission.The drilling population can sometimesget the impression that I don’t careenough about their needs. Does any ofthis sound familiar?The thing to me that has always madethe FTS program a model program is ourpride in ownership. Booz Allen Hamiltonactually agreed and, a few years back, usedthe Navy’s program to benchmark how aFull-Time Support program should be runas an example to the other Services. I’llbet you haven’t heard much about thatinitiative.The overarching truth is that our programis a Reserve program and, therefore, aSELRES program. Do you know any FTSthat think our jobs would be great if onlywe didn’t have to work with those peskySELRES? If you do, it’s time to showthem a little leadership. Without theSELRES, the program would not exist andtheir valuable capabilities the Navy needswouldn’t be available. Does this meanFTS are not an important part of theNavy? Absolutely not. In fact, it is ourownership of the program that makes itrun so well and ensures that our SELRESare well taken care of and at the top oftheir game. We are great stewards ofreadiness, operational support, performance,and mission success. Could AC personnelfill our shoes? Sure they can, but will theyever take ownership? Who will ultimatelysuffer? The population that will suffer isthe drilling Sailor who relies on ourexpertise and commitment.Most discussions about doing away withFTS are based on cost savings. Would it becheaper to disband the program and haveAC personnel fill the billets? Maybe. FTSbillets get cut, instant savings, right? Howmuch does it cost in goodwill for ourdrilling Reservists to go unpaid for weeksor months? How much does it cost forthem to be underutilized? How much forthem to transfer to the IRR? Do all thesethings happen under the current program?They do, but I humbly submit that it wouldbe much more pervasive if the programwere being run by folks who may havebeen put there because they didn’t meettheir normal career milestones or theywere in search of orders to a particulargeographic location that might not otherwisehave been available.Bottom line. The FTS program is avibrant program of professional operators,leaders, and managers who take ownership andensure that the Navy Reserve is successful.The Navy is going through a period ofunprecedented change. The Navy Reserveis no different. Ongoing issues in ourcommunity include the FTS FlagpoleStudy, career path changes, de-FTSingof certain rates, and Perform to Serve (PTS)for our enlisted Sailors (more later).Disclaimer – I am not the expert on thefollowing information. I’ve done myhomework; but as quickly as thingschange, the information could be obsoletebefore we go to print. If questions arise,please contact your detailers and communityleaders.First up, the dreaded FTS Flagpole.Parts I and II have been briefed and acceptedby the Flags. Part I results are beingimplemented and include: Consolidate theREDCOMs; consolidate Reserve Intel andSECGRU leadership structure; andstreamline the NOSCs. Part II dealt mostlywith staffing standards in our RC fieldactivities. The continuing debate concernswhether FTS should be assigned tooperational tours. The debate will continueand ultimately, whether we agree or not, adecision will be made. Not necessarilywhat’s right for you, me, or the FTSprogram . . . but what is right for theNavy.Officer career updates. There havebeen a few recent officer career pathitems of which you should be aware. Thesurface community is going to a XO/COfleet-up arrangement like the aviatorshave had for years. This means instead ofXO afloat as a career milestone as a LCDR,the new milestone will be CDR commandscreen followed by XO fleeting up to COafloat.The aviators are phasing out the squadronOIC position. This means that instead ofbecoming an FTS officer only to find out youare late to compete for OIC, you will getlooked at for CDR command giving eachofficer more time to progress within the FTScareer track. Without an OIC, the day-to-dayfull-time officer will be a Reserve officer onactive duty, either a FTS or a SELRESrecalled to active duty for the duration ofthe XO/CO tour.22 NRA NEWS/APRIL 2007