Return to Z-Grams
Return to Z-GramsCNO {Z-117}
TO: NAVOP
UNCLAS //N00000//
141300Z NOV 72
1. IT IS MY DESIRE THAT THIS Z-NAVOP RECEIVE THE WIDEST POSSIBLE
DISTRIBUTION TO ALL HANDS ON BOARD.
2. ON 10 NOVEMBER I ADDRESSED THE QUESTION OF RECOGNIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF ASSURING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND FOSTERING MUTUAL
UNDERSTANDING IN RACE RELATIONS AT ALL COMMAND LEVELS OF THE NAVY.
MY REMARKS WERE DIRECTED PRIMARILY TO ALL IN A POSITION OF LEADER
SHIP URGING THEM TO DIRECT THEIR FULLEST EFFORTS AT ENSURING THESE
PROGRAMS WERE BEING CARRIED OUT IN FULL.
AT THAT TIME I ALSO STATED THAT THERE MUST BE NO SUBSTITUTION
OF ONE PREJUDICE FOR ANOTHER. THAT THE PREJUDICE AGAINST GOOD
ORDER AND DISCIPLINE IS AS BAD AS THE PREJUDICE OF RACE. IT IS
TO THIS POINT THAT I WOULD ADDRESS ALL HANDS.
ADMIRAL ERNEST KING, IN SPEAKING TO MY GRADUATION CLASS, STATED
THAT TRUE MILITARY DISCIPLINE IS THE "INTELLIGENT OBEDIENCE
OF EACH FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALL." AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE,
IT IS THROUGH ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP THAT WE OBTAIN THAT TRUE
MILITARY DISCIPLINE ABOUT WHICH ADMIRAL KING SPOKE SOME 30 YEARS
AGO.
DURING THE PAST 28 MONTHS I HAVE SET AS MY OBJECTIVE BRINGING
ABOUT A NAVY ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD ASSIST OUR NAVAL COMMANDERS
IN PROVIDING THAT ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP THAT WOULD ENSURE "INTELLIGENT
OBEDIENCE FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALL." I BELIEVE THAT WE
HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL. WE HAVE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY OUR PEOPLE
WHO HAVE RESPONDED WITH BRAVERY AND DEDICATION TO THE RECENT MASSIVE
INVASION OF SOUTH VIETNAM. THEY HAVE DONE SO IN THE FACE OF GREATLY
EXTENDED AND EARLY DEPLOYMENTS, REDUCED SHIPBOARD MANNING AND
OVER-LONG HOURS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. NAVYWIDE WE HAVE SEEN OVERALL
DISCIPLINARY AND CONFINEMENT RATES REDUCED FROM THEIR EARLIER
FIGURES WITH COMMENSURATE REDUCTIONS IN SHORE PATROL REQUIREMENTS.
I AM PROUD OF NAVY'S PERFORMANCE, FOR IT HAS TRULY BEEN SUPERB.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT THIS IS PERHAPS A GOOD
TIME TO REITERATE TO THOSE OF OUR MORE JUNIOR PERSONNEL WHO HAVE
ENTERED THE NAVY IN THIS PERIOD OF TRANSITION AND WHOM I HAVE
NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH IN THE PAST YEAR, MY PERSONAL
PHILOSOPHY REGARDING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO LEADERSHIP IN OUR
NAVY. I DO THIS ESPECIALLY SINCE I NOTE THAT, OF THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED IN RECENT INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE OR OTHER DISRUPTIVE
ACTIVITIES, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY ARE THOSE IN THE 18 TO 20
YEAR AGE CATEGORY AND WITH LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF NAVAL SERVICE.
THIS SAYS TO ME THAT MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THE NAVY VERY
WELL MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING TO MAKE THE NAVY A CHALLENGING, INTERESTING AND REWARDING
CAREER, NOR OF WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO THE NAVY WITHIN
THAT SAME FRAMEWORK.
LET ME SPEAK TO YOU, IN TURN, OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE
NAVY AND OUR COUNTRY. WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU IS SELF DISCIPLINE,
ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES OF EXTENDED DEPLOYMENTS AND REDUCED
MANPOWER. IT IS YOUR DUTY TO YOUR SHIPMATES AND THOSE WHO ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR WELFARE IN TIME OF PEACE AND ESPECIALLY IN
TIME OF WAR TO CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A MANNER THAT CONTRIBUTES
TO THE OVERALL GOOD AND WELFARE OF YOUR DIVISION, YOUR SHIP, YOUR
STATION AND, IN THE LONG RUN, OF YOUR COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TAKEN
AN OATH TO DO SO AND THE NAVY WILL EXPECT NOTHING LESS NOR WILL
IT ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS.
THIS SELF DISCIPLINE AND SUBORDINATION OF SELF FOR THE GOOD OF
ALL IS ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY FOR ANY ORGANIZATION, CIVILIAN OR
MILITARY, TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. IT CANNOT BE ANY OTHER WAY.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMAND ARE NOT EASY IN THIS MODERN DAY
OF COMPLEX MACHINES AND EVEN MORE COMPLEX MEN. YOUR COMMANDING
OFFICER HAS RESPONSIBILITIES TO HIGHER AUTHORITIES AND TO HIS
COUNTRY THAT STAGGER THE IMAGINATION AND THE MAGNITUDE OF HIS
RESPONSIBILITIES HAS BEEN MADE EVEN GREATER BY THE FACT THAT.
WORLD TENSIONS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE. THESE
PAST NINE MONTHS HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE STRENUOUS BECAUSE OF THE
INCREASED EFFORT OFF HE COAST OF VIETNAM.
ON THE DAY THAT I TOOK COMMAND OF THE NAVY I SAID THAT I WAS ASSUMING
AS MY FIRST TASK THE IMPROVEMENT OF ALL ASPECTS OF THE - NAVAL
CAREER. I HAVE DEDICATED MYSELF TO THAT TASK AND HAVE MADE MANY
CHANGES DESIGNED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I ALSO SAID, AND I REPEAT,
THAT THOSE CHANGES WILL ONLY BE MADE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE
MAINTENANCE OF GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE, AND THAT THOSE FEW WHO
WOULD ABUSE THESE PRIVILEGES MUST BE HELD TO ACCOUNT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW TO THE NAVY OR WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE
OF MY STATEMENTS IN THIS REGARD, LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT I MEANT
WHAT I SAID THEN AND HAVE REITERATED IN EVERY SUCCEEDING CHANGE
THAT COULD BE INTERPRETED TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON PERSONNEL BEHAVIOR.
I EXPECT, AND WILL CONTINUE TO INSIST UPON, THE STRICTEST POSSIBLE
ADHERENCE TO OUR DISCIPLINARY STANDARDS IN EVERY RESPECT. THOSE
WHO DO NOT ACCEPT THESE STANDARDS CAN EXPECT TO BE PROMPTLY AND
FAIRLY DISCIPLINED AND HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE UCMJ.
OTHER CHANGES MADE DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS ARE DESIGNED TO ASSIST
BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL AND THOSE IN COMMAND TO DRAW ON THE ASSISTANCE
OF THEIR SUPERIORS TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS BEYOND THEIR IMMEDIATE
ABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY. THESE INCLUDE MATTERS SUCH AS PERSONNEL
ASSIGNMENTS, TRANSFERS, PERSONAL SERVICES, ETC. THESE ARE NOT
INTENDED NOR IN ANY WAY CAN THEY BE CONSTRUED TO MEAN AN ACCEPTANCE
OF "SHORT CIRCUITING" THE LEGITIMATE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
COMMANDING OFFICERS RECOGNIZE THESE FOR WHAT THEY ARE--A TOOL
TO BE USED WHEN SOLUTIONS ARE OUTSIDE HIS AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE, A SOLUTION TO
PROBLEMS THAT CANNOT BE SOLVED WITHIN YOUR OWN COMMAND STRUCTURE.
FINALLY, LET ME CONCLUDE BY ADDRESSING THE MATTER OF YOUR PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE MAINTENANCE OF GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE,
FOR IN THIS MATTER THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE. I ADDRESSED MYSELF
TO OUR NAVAL LEADERSHIP ON THIS SUBJECT ON 10 NOVEMBER. NOW LET
ME TELL YOU WHAT I EXPECT OF YOU. I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE EXTRA
HOURS WORKED AND THE OVERLONG DEPLOYMENTS EXPERIENCED BY MANY,
BUT THE NAVY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER INSTITUTION IN THAT
IT REQUIRES COMPLETE AND TOTAL OBEDIENCE. IT CAN BE NO OTHER WAY.
I PLEDGE MY CONTINUING EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR NAVY
MEN AND WOMEN WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE MY FULL SUPPORT IN MAKING
THIS NAVY OF OURS AN EXCITING, CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH
TO WORK AND LIVE WITH THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY WHICH CAN ONLY BE
ACHIEVED WITHIN A FRAMEWORK OF DISCIPLINE. IN TURN I LOOK TO YOU
TO MATCH THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE YOUR SENIORS IN WORKING
TOWARD THE SAME GOALS.
E.R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U.S. NAVY,
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
Note: The original unclassified message is entirely double-spaced
with all letters capitalized.