The 30th Annual Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium concluded following three days of networking and information sharing highlighted by keynote addresses and panel discussions from naval leaders in Crystal City, Jan. 11.

The symposium focused on "Surface Forces and Cross Domain Integration," which highlights common procedures and combined exercises across the air, land, maritime, space, and cyberspace domains in preparation for a more powerful and integrated Naval Surface Force.

Adm. Philip Davidson, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), delivered the final day's keynote address, in which he discussed the Comprehensive Review (CR) of Surface Force Incidents, a report that reviewed surface fleet operations and incidents at sea that have occurred over the previous 10 years. The purpose of the review was to identify shortfalls and areas of improvement throughout the surface force, and make detailed recommendations with respect to corrective actions necessary to ensure safety of personnel, safe operations at sea and improve overall readiness.

"The CR team consisted of 34 people that ranged in rank from E-5 to O-10 that came from all communities," said Davidson. "We also assembled a group of mentors to help think through the problem, and they were extraordinary, because they had experience, many of them in reviewing incidents like this previously, but also they brought individual skills that were extraordinarily helpful. They helped think through the problems and what the outcome needed to be. That is to create a safer and more effective surface force going forward, with emphasis on seamanship and navigation."

Davidson went on to discuss some of the recommendations and conclusions resulting from the review. He concluded his remarks by thanking those in attendance for their contributions and emphasized the importance of implementing the recommendations outlined in the review.

"Trust me...we're going to get after this. There's no doubt about it," said Davidson. "There's a lot of energy and effort and money going into this to get this solved."

Principal Military Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, Vice Adm. David Johnson, moderated the symposiums final panels, shipbuilding and ship maintenance. Both panels consisted of Navy and Coast Guard leaders and focused on current and future force structure, industry investments and partnerships, investments in ship platforms and ship systems, and the National Security Strategy.

"Our nation needs a stronger Navy," said Johnson. "There are three interrelated elements to the ships and ship system parts of that stronger Navy-capacity, building and sustaining ships; capability, with new and modernized systems; and maintenance keeping our ships at sea. The pace of delivery, christening and commissioning's continue and is increasing. The key to delivering this pace of capacity is to sustain stable acquisition profiles, building the base in industry for future growth as the nation demands. Affordability is critical to achieving the Navy the nation needs, the force structure, the modernization and the maintenance."

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

You can view the symposium on the Navy live blog at http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2018/01/07/surface-navy-association-30th-annual-national-symposium/ and join the conversation on social media using #SNA2018.