The Navy's top personnel officer visited Naval Station Rota to meet with Sailors, listen to their concerns and discuss the Navy's Sailor 2025 initiative, Nov. 5-7.

Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke spoke with Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ross (DDG 71) and USS Carney (DDG 64) as well as Naval Station Rota Sailors during separate all-hands calls and small group discussions.

Burke highlighted Sailor 2025, which is the Navy's program to improve and modernize personnel management and training systems to more effectively recruit, develop, manage, reward and retain Sailors.

"Our Sailors are our best weapons and that's why I'm really excited about this job because I get to take care of you," said Burke." You are our best investment."

Sailor 2025 is built on the framework of three pillars: a modern personnel system, the career learning continuum called Ready, Relevant Learning, and Career Readiness. Each of those pillars has initiatives that have already begun and future initiatives that will be rolling out to the fleet in the next year or two.

"With the ongoing advancement in technology and growing tension around the world, it's important that we ensure our Sailors are trained and equipped with the most modern technology and equipment which is geared towards fleet readiness," said Burke. "Optimizing our processes will allow us to recruit, train and retain the force of tomorrow."

Sailor 2025 is composed of more than 40 individual programs. Some of the programs discussed included streamlined detailing, improved personnel administration processes, expanded paternity leave, and the Career Intermission Program, which allows Sailors to take a sabbatical from the Navy for up to three years.

"I enjoyed his perspective on expanding past using just our primary rates and getting more on-the-job training or certification in other specialties in order to make the Navy a more well-oiled machine," said Yeoman 3rd Class Robert Wilkins. "I thought he had outstanding ideas in making the Navy's administrative processes, when it comes to manpower, detailing and training, a lot smoother and more effective for Sailors."

Naval Station Rota, which is part of, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (EURAFSWA), provides operational platforms ashore that enable U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.

Just as ship performs lines of operation that provide a capability, Navy Region EURAFSWA bases perform the same eight lines of operation to provide capability to the fleet, joint and allied forces. These eighth lines of operation are: air operations, port operations, safety, security, housing, MWR, Fleet and Fleet and Family Services and what is called the core: the fuels, water and power that keep the bases running. Through our lines of operation, our installations are force multipliers that maximize combat capability of operational units.

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