The Surface Navy Association (SNA) wrapped up three days of information sharing and networking at the 28th Annual National Symposium in Crystal City, Jan. 14.

The symposium provided an opportunity for discussions on a broad range of professional and career issues for the surface community.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) Adm. Michelle Howard touched on distributed lethality and how the Navy has improved over time, particularly through surface warfare.

"When you think about the dimensionality of distributed lethality, that's how we win the fight," said Howard. "It's not about amassing the platforms, it's about massing the fires. It's not that every ship is the shooter, but every platform and every domain has the ability to have offensive capability."

Howard added that one way for distributed lethality to succeed involves the synchronization of four domains: sea, air, sub-surface and the latest one: cyber.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus paid a visit to the symposium and expressed his appreciation for our Navy.

"We have the greatest Navy and Marine Corps in the world," said Mabus. "Together we will ensure that our Navy remains, for the next 240 years as it has for the past 240 years, a preemptive force in the world for peace security and stability. Semper Fortis."

Another event was the international navies luncheon where members of our Navy and foreign navies to include Brazil, Chile, Canada and Saudi Arabia exchanged ideas.

"It was great to meet with the foreign navies and see different perspectives and how we all function," said Lt. Cdr. Collin Fox, program manager for the foreign liaison officers, Fleet Forces Command.

The symposium also featured government-contracted defense companies, suppliers and commands exhibiting the latest in surface warfare technology and the way ahead for future research and development. This years theme was, "The Surface Warfare Strategy: A View Beyond the Horizon."

The SNA was incorporated in 1985 to promote greater coordination and communication among those in the military, business and academic communities who share a common interest in Naval Surface Warfare and to support the activities of Surface Naval Forces.

For more information about the SNA, visit www.navysna.org/.