20200828: Job Description

Navy Leading Petty Officer (LPO)

Less than 10% of the U.S. adult population have served in the military and of those people, even fewer have been in the Navy. So, I imagine most readers won’t know what a Leading Petty Officer (LPO) is. Fortunately, it’s your lucky day! I’m going to lift the veil and show you behind the scenes of one of the most gratifying and frustrating jobs in the world!

The LPO sits on the lowest rung of the middle management ladder, so everyone in the office looks to you. The junior Sailors direct their concerns and complaints to you, expecting some resolution. The upper leadership expects you to handle the day-to-day running of the department. You sit in the middle of the action and it’s your job to keep everyone happy.

To be a successful LPO, you must assume and master several roles at once:

• Trusted Counselor
• Production Manager
• Tireless Student

The following three stories are typical for any LPO worth his or her salt.
 

Trusted Counselor

Suicide is a problem. Even on a ship with thousands, the loss of one Sailor is devastating. A life on (or below) the waves takes constant hard work and sacrifice and the average Sailor deals with long work hours, cramped living conditions, and poor leadership. Many people find the transition from civilian to military life a difficult one.

Big Navy, the term used for national leadership in Washington D.C., has invested a lot of time, money, and resources into lowering the number of suicides and it expects leaders to be compassionate and thoughtful, especially when dealing with subordinates. They are tomorrow’s leaders; never forget that you are training your replacement.

While I lived in Japan, a young analyst working for me attempted suicide. Fortunately, he survived, and I visited him in the hospital. He had only been on the ship for a couple of months and felt aimless and confused. The Navy employs trained individuals to counsel and console the attempter.

I returned to my department and started monitoring the other Sailors in the aftermath. I looked for abnormal behavior. Is the bubbly, joyous person now withdrawn and isolated? I spoke to the analyst’s Shipmates and friends; they needed to talk, and I listened. 

Unfortunately, military service isn’t for everyone and he returned to civilian life several months later.
 

Production Manager

I worked in the intelligence department; the work is covert and secretive. I managed the analysts who created a daily presentation for the Admiral. My boss would inform me of the topic he thought important and I would allocate the labor to make his vision a reality. I understood everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and depending on the assignment, I picked the best person(s) for the task. I’d then review the work, edit it, and forward it to my supervisor for final approval.

My aptitude for production management opened the door for my selection as the intelligence LPO during a war simulation with the South Koreans. During the first half of the exercise, my team and I had the analytical lead. We were supposed to teach the ROK (Republic of Korea aka South Korean) analysts the American military style of making intelligence products.

Things started out choppy. The American presentation aesthetic favors visuals, brevity, and the best course of action. Conversely, the ROKs prefer text, completeness, and every possibility listed and explored. I repeatedly told the Koreans to resubmit their work, stepping on more than a few toes along the way. Even though I was only doing my job, it didn't make my declarations any easier for them to swallow. During the second half of the exercise, I worked for the lead ROK analyst, but we produced content in the American style anyway; I think their commanders preferred it.

By the end of the exercise, both teams had developed a rapport and appreciation for how the other country does business.
 

Tireless Student

In the Navy, you’re always training for something. There really isn't any down time at sea; the expectation is that you study for the next rank, another position, or to get more knowledge in your job field. Sailors with more qualifications are more valuable because they can fill more positions. Flexible Sailors are useful Sailors and rewarded with increased responsibility and compensation.

After twelve hours of performing your regular day job, it can be hard to dedicate another three hours to study. But, as the LPO, you set the example for the junior Sailors. The amount of knowledge a newly minted Sailor is supposed to learn can be overwhelming, so we try to set a good example and study even when we’d rather relax or go to sleep.

This one time my ship visited Australia after a long sea voyage. People were ready to cut loose and spend some of that hard-earned pay burning a hole in their pockets. Some planned to go diving at the Great Barrier Reef and others just wanted to relax in the surf. All the alternatives sounded nice, but there was a small contingent that had to stay onboard the ship and perform mandatory tasks. I decided to sacrifice one of my free days and study in the department. Everyone knew I never demanded anything I wasn’t willing to do myself.

While I might have missed out on 24 hours of bliss, I found this amazing didgeridoo the next day. It ended up being one of the most amazing souvenirs I’ve ever collected.

Flesch Reading Ease                     58.3
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level          8.7
Passive Sentences                         0.0%