The Career Development Symposium (CDS) kicked off 2018 in Japan, showcasing Sailor 2025 initiatives to forward-deployed Sailors stationed at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, Jan. 16-19.

The symposium, hosted by Navy Personnel Command, brought Sailors up close and personal with Navy leadership and, using live-polling technology via smart phones, promoted genuine discussions on topics such as how to provide better service, improve retention, the upcoming new evaluations, and a host of others.

"Every day you face unique challenges as part of our forward-deployed Navy team. Your hard work and sacrifice does not go unnoticed. That's why we've traveled all the way here. We want to hear it from you," said Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke.

As part of CDS, a team of detailers met with Sailors individually to discuss billet options, new programs, answer questions and help find new rates. Face-to-face meetings allowed Sailors to go beyond a phone call or email, giving Sailors the opportunity to learn how the detailing system works, as well as discuss their next duty station. By the second day, 65 undesignated Sailors had been rated on the spot.

Senior Chief Fire Controlman Aegis Robert VanDevender, Pers-4013 placement coordinator, explained, "Normally you can call detailers for placement, but with fleet engagement, especially with new NAVADMINS that come down, it's much better to get a one-on-one with somebody. We don't always get a chance to talk to Sailors face-to-face, especially those in remote duty stations, so being able to come out here and do that is a big part of customer relations and what we're here to do."

Assistant Commander, Naval Personnel Command for Career Management Rear Adm. John Meier detailed how his team is removing administrative distractions to keep the Navy as flexible and transparent as possible to keep the Navy the employer of choice.

"We've gone in and looked at some of our old systems and learned some of these systems are decades old, or don't communicate well with our more modern systems. My team and I are doing everything we can to cut out as many administrative distractions as possible, and put newer systems in place that are more transparent, flexible and useful," said Meier.

The current Career Management System Interactive Detailing (CMS-ID) and Career Waypoints (C-Way) programs are planned to be shut down and replaced with a "detailing marketplace" to allow Sailors to quickly and accurately locate desired billets without needing to use the old cumbersome systems.

With training sessions for Navy career counselors and on Billet Based Distribution, the inclusion of the Navy Family Framework was an added topic. Ombudsman-at-Large Dr. Barbara Burke discussed how it ties career and family readiness to improve a life-work balance. She also listened to unique family challenges during town hall meetings with Sailors and their families.

"As a team we are going to work to improve the family support programs, better connect with families and exchange information, and enhance commander engagement to better prepare families for any contingency," said Dr. Burke.

Junior Sailors also learned how the changes to manpower are going to affect them and how they can take advantage of the growing Navy to advance faster, receive better selective enlistment bonuses, and remain relevant and ready in today's Navy.

"I like how it was taken into perspective about how Sailors feel," said Operations Specialist 2nd Alexandria White, assigned to the base galley at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka. "They're actually listening to what Sailors feel need to be changed; trying to work toward a way to fix the problems that we see."

Sailor 2025 is comprised of nearly 45 initiatives to improve and modernize personnel management and training systems to more effectively recruit, develop, manage, reward and retain the force of tomorrow. It is focused on empowering Sailors, updating policies, procedures and operating systems, and providing the right training at the right time in the right way to ensure Sailors are ready for the fleet. Sailor 2025 is organized into three main lines of effort: Personnel System Modernization, Ready Relevant Learning, and Career Readiness.

For more details regarding CDS, visit http://go.usa.gov/xnp7P.

For more news from Navy Personnel Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/.