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SECNAV VECTOR 10

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CMC WASHINGTON DC
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SUBJ/SECNAV VECTOR 10//

RMKS/1.  This week, as a precursor to a difficult subject, I would like to 
share with you the story of Operation Pedestal.  Operation Pedestal was 
executed during World War II.  A British convoy set sail from England in 
August of 1942 with the crucial mission of resupplying the island of Malta in 
the Mediterranean Sea.  Malta is a small island in the middle of the 
Mediterranean Sea that had been used by the Allies to wreak havoc on German 
and Italian naval forces in order to dislodge them from North Africa and pave 
the way for the expulsion of Nazi forces from the European continent.  The 
Germans understood that Malta was a critical lynchpin to the Allied war 
effort and were determined to destroy it.  During one month in the summer of 
1942, they dropped more ordnance on Malta than on London, throughout the 
entire duration of the Battle of Britain.
By August of 1942, the conditions in Malta were so bad that food rations had 
dwindled to less than 6.0 ounces of food per person each day.  The island was 
desperate for resupply so Operation Pedestal was assembled off the Scottish 
coast.  It consisted of 14 supply ships, one of which, the SS OHIO, contained 
the most vital resource for the island: fuel.  The convoy was escorted by the 
largest escort force of any convoy during the entire war: two battleships, 
four aircraft carriers, seven cruisers, and no fewer than thirty-two 
destroyers.
Once the convoy entered the Med, their journey to Malta turned into a 
massacre.  Two of the four aircraft carriers were sunk, along with four 
cruisers, several destroyers, and 9 of the 14 supply ships that the convoy 
was tasked with protecting.  In addition to the loss of ships and supplies, 
nearly 1,000 British sailors and merchant marines lost their lives.  But one 
of those supply ships, the one carrying fuel, was still afloat  the SS OHIO.  
It had been hit multiple times and was sinking until two of the remaining 
destroyers, also badly damaged, saddled up to her on either side, and at 
great risk to themselves, tied lines to her to keep her from sinking and 
safely escorted her into the harbor in Malta.  This single act of 
selflessness, risk, and bravery by the crews of those destroyers has been 
described by naval historians as one of the most significant acts of heroism 
of the entire war.  It saved the fuel ship, and most importantly its precious 
cargo, so that Malta could survive and contribute to the ultimate defeat of 
the Axis powers.
Why am I sharing this story with you in this vector?  Because what the crews 
of those two destroyers did during Operation Pedestal is a perfect metaphor 
for the character we see, and need, in each of you.  Beyond all our world-
class ships, weapons systems, and global capabilities, what truly sets our 
Navy and Marine Corps team apart is each and every unique individual of our 
team.  They come from every part of this country, and they choose to serve, 
beyond self, with a higher purpose in mind.
Every time I meet a Sailor, Marine, or Department of the Navy Civilian in our 
force, I walk away renewed and inspired.  The actions you take, whether or 
not anyone is looking, reflects the pride you take in yourselves, in our 
mission, and in each other.  And your commitment to these ideals inspires the 
best in others, both in uniform and in the American people who look to you as 
an example of all that is good in our nation.
However, in every organization, and in every society, there are dysfunctional 
and destructive behaviors that threaten cohesion and trust, and undermine 
those honorable traits to which we all aspire.  We are no different in that 
regard, but our pride and commitment convince me that we handle and overcome 
these issues better than most.
One such issue that unfortunately threatens us is sexual harassment and 
assault.  This week, I was at the University of New Mexico to meet with 
civilian and academic leaders to share ideas on how to prevent these 
destructive behaviors.  We discussed the importance of peer leadership, and 
the positive examples we see, particularly among our junior enlisted ranks.  
We also discussed the collective responsibility we all share to foster a 
culture that prevents these behaviors, and handle them better when they 
occur.  The determination in the room was inspiring, and the best practices 
we shared with each other were innovative and enlightening.  Everyone agreed 
that correcting and eliminating these behaviors will be a long journey, and 
that we are only at the beginning.  Still, there was little doubt that the 
Navy and Marine Corps were setting a strong pace in this process.
The Department's focus on building partnerships across the Department of 
Defense, academia, and industry, as well as our efforts to focus on sexual 
harassment and assault prevention and how to best measure the effectiveness 
of our programs, are vital to effecting needed change.  Leveraging the 
expertise in this arena, we are identifying the latest research and emerging 
evidence-based tools to address the attitudes, culture, and low-level 
behaviors that contribute to the prevalence of this intolerable behavior.
Over the past fiscal year, we have organized discussions like the one in New 
Mexico, building on last years National Discussion at the United States Naval 
Academy.  We are engaging hundreds of universities and collaborating with 
leading experts to identify actionable recommendations for measurable change.  
Each of the Services and every military academy has committed to holding 
these discussions and producing real and immediate results.
No Sailor, Marine, or Civilian should ever fear for their physical safety or 
have to fight for basic dignity.  Its my expectation that leaders in every 
Echelon demonstrate the same determination as I have to make sure none of our 
people have to fight for basic dignity in the course of their daily lives.  
You have a big role to play in this.  You must be courageous and call out 
these behaviors, respect and protect victims, and set an example of zero 
tolerance with regard to sexual harassment and assault.
Most importantly, we all must spend time getting to know our shipmates and 
fellow workers.  We must build personal relationships, particularly when we 
they appear isolated and/or troubled.  We must model ourselves after those 
destroyer captains who risked it all in Operation Pedestal by saddling up 
next to the sinking SS OHIO and helped her make it to shore safely.  You will 
never ever regret doing this.  That shipmate or coworker is precious cargo to 
someone, and when they are victims of sexual harassment or assault, they are 
often distressed, confused, and ashamed.  They do not deserve to feel this 
way, and they should not feel isolated in dealing with those feelings.
Any instance of harassment or assault on our watch is a tragedy for our 
entire Navy and Marine Corps family.  It will take a lot of work and time to 
shift the cultural issues that contribute to this.  Some of these are 
societal, but some of them WE own.  Nonetheless, I am convinced that the 
positive elements of our culture are much, much stronger than the negative 
ones  and they will prevail.  So thank you for all youve already done on this 
issue and for all you do to uphold our sacred honor and time honored oath.  
Go Navy, and of course, as always, Beat Army!

2.  SECNAV Vectors are released each Friday to the entire DON.  Previous 
Vectors can be viewed https://navylive.dodlive.mil/2020/01/02/secnav-
vectors/.

3.  Released by the Honorable Thomas B. Modly, Acting Secretary of the 
Navy.//

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