Every year, the U.S. Navy sends more than 60 of its best and brightest personnel to experience a non-standard tour through multiple fellows and scholars programs.

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Officers and enlisted Sailors spend a year at prestigious research organizations, academic institutions, and major corporations with the goal of developing demonstrated intellectual aptitude, ability and expertise in critical skillsets.

They then bring those enhanced skills back to the Navy.

“I was excited to learn that the Navy had a program of its own to develop strategic thinkers,” said Cmdr. Anne Stehlin, currently completing a Federal Executive Fellowship at The Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Stehlin, a helicopter pilot, had not heard of the fellows and scholars programs until a flag officer recommended the experience. She spends her days reading, writing, preparing for, and attending class, where she participates as a guest lecturer.

“I lead discussion groups and events, which is a great opportunity to get to know students and have informal conversations with them about strategic topics and the military in general,” she said. “Many haven’t previously known anybody at all in the military, and many are surprised to know the Navy has pilots, let alone female pilots.”

Stehlin also attends several lectures and evening engagements each week on a broad range of topics with political leaders and notable academics and authors.

“My time in the program is expanding my aperture,” said Stehlin.

Her experience mirrors that of Capt. Jennifer Couture, a surface warfare officer who completed a Federal Executive Fellowship in 2016

Couture spent a year at the Center for New American Security (CNAS) with four other fellows from the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard. She was paired up with a running mate and developed a strong relationship with a mentor.

“It was so different from anything I’d ever done,” said Couture, explaining she showed up at 7:30 a.m. on the first day and no one was there yet. “I was like an ensign again learning the battle rhythm and environment.”

Now leading the Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic’s Commanders Action Group, Couture relished her time as a fellow because she feels it set her up for success in follow-on tours.

“I was encouraged to make myself not just a more well-rounded military officer, but a more well-rounded person,” she said. “It was a learning experience without an obligation. My only task for a year was to become a better strategic thinker.”

She directly applied those strategic skills on the Chief of Naval Personnel’s staff and as a destroyer squadron commander.

“It was an immediate return on investment,” Couture said. “For instance, as a deployed commodore, I had better context to the international situations I found myself in. I had better understanding of the perspectives of other countries and could build better relationships.”

Lt. Cmdr. Theresa Ramsey, a human resources officer, is preparing to apply her lessons learned at her next tour as a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) commander. Currently a Secretary of the Navy Tours with Industry fellow at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Ramsey has a front-row seat to the specialized recruiting necessary there.

She is assigned to St. Jude’s talent acquisition team and spends her days hiring people to work at the institution, from creating job advertisements all the way to developing individual hiring offers.

“I am learning best practices from a major organization,” said Ramsey. “I’m getting an insider perspective, and I’ll bring it back to the Navy.”

Ramsey misses the familiarity of the Navy, but feels this tour has been a good challenge professionally. Part of that challenge has been working remotely due to COVID-19, but it’s also been due to learning a new corporate culture. She credits her coworkers with creating a collaborative environment.

“I never expected to think about this, but I’m surrounded by all these women who are smart and really good at what they do,” she said. “It inspires me. It’s a good feeling.”

The current group of fellows and scholars (2020-2021) is midway through their tours. Officers and enlisted personnel interested in these programs can find more information at the below links and then submit applications for future sessions: