America’s Navy:
SAN DIEGO – Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, commander, Naval Surface Forces visited the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) Oct 25, as he continues to engage the leadership and crews of surface warships across Pacific Fleet waterfronts.
During this all-hands call in San Diego, Rowden spoke frankly to the crew regarding the current environment around the world and what it means to be on the crew of a ballistic missile defense ship. He enforced sound shipboard operating procedures (SSOPs) and relayed how following these core principles is the path to success in everything they do.
“What’s wrong with this picture,” Rowden asked the crew, quoting a critical thinking question from the core principle of questioning attitude. “That’s hazard identification,” Rowden said.
“Every member of this crew is crucial to mission success and every single one of you has a voice. No matter what you are doing, what your role is or the level of involvement, you need to have the integrity to ask yourself and your shipmates that question. This ensures what you are doing is safe, right, and upholding procedural compliance.”
