Welcome

 Our vision statement is the “why” we volunteered for this expedition into the future.
 
MICHAEL MONSOOR (DDG 1001) represents the opportunity to transform the surface Navy today and for decades to come. There is risk. To realize these opportunities requires prudent boldness and a sense of innovation and adventure, not unlike those that have embarked on expeditions before us. And while that tradition provides context, it must not become a barrier to progress. Our ship is unlike anything that any of us have seen before and will require us to serve one another unlike any other ship in the Navy. For our Naval Profession of Arms to progress - to be better tomorrow than we are today - every one of us must lead change.
   
Our philosophy describes how we meet our vision and is summed up in these three words that Michael Monsoor wrote inside his cover.
 
“You Never Quit” conveys the confidence in the readiness of our ship, our shipmates, and ourselves to lead change.  Such confidence is born of our shared purpose, our vision of the future, and the free flow of communication and continuous development.  “You Never Quit” guided Michael each day: it is our rallying call to persevere and our guide in uncertain times.
 
Trust. Trust is the explicit operating environment in MICHAEL MONSOOR (DDG 1001): every word and action is our commitment to each other and to the citizens whom we serve.  Trust allows us to move forward in ambiguous and uncertain times, confident in the purity of our intentions, our individual and collective abilities, and the knowledge that we will never quit each other.
 
Engagement.  Our trust in one another means that we seek opportunities to improve ourselves, our team, and our ship. Through transparency of actions and the free flow of communication, we will create a feedback system that highlights each Sailor’s strengths and our collective limitations.  By emphasizing personal and professional development in MICHAEL MONSOOR (DDG 1001) where leaders engage leaders on a daily basis, every Sailor, team, and ultimately, our Navy and Nation will benefit.
 
Attitude.  Michael’s words demonstrate the positive effect of attitude in overcoming obstacles.  The opportunity to lead change requires optimism and a sense of a better future – for our families, our Navy, and our Nation.  It also requires fierce determination to bring all of our physical and mental energies and focus to bear.  With such an attitude, we demonstrate 1) the willingness to undertake this new opportunity and, 2) the perseverance to complete it.
 
Mastery.  Michael’s example of mastery provides a benchmark for us as members of the Profession of Arms: his selflessness and humility amplified his warfare skills and demonstrated his abilities as a leader in the most complex situations.
To lead change, we will master our ship and all of the capabilities she brings to bear.  More than technology though, we must know ourselves and each other to understand our leadership abilities in context.  Mastery offers us the opportunity to innovate in leadership and professional development as well as tactics, techniques, and procedures.  We do not seek the safety of a “zero-defect” command; by exercising prudent boldness, we will continuously improve, and by unleashing our innate desire to learn and lead, we make ourselves, our ship, and our Navy better every day.

WELCOME ABOARD!
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Letter from the CO:

Shipmate,

 

 

                            Vincent A. Fortson

               CAPT, USN