The Naval Station Rota base theater filled to capacity Feb. 5 with Sailors willing to listen, learn and ask questions about current, new and upcoming changes to Navy personnel initiatives as part of the MyNavy Career Development Symposium (CDS), hosted by Navy Personnel Command (NPC).

“We’re turning things upside down and inside out to lay the foundation for what’s to come,” said Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke.

“Despite our technology, we prevail because of our people – that’s you,” said Burke. “Our 2019 goals include getting rid of [administrative] distractions to give you some time back. Time to study, train and achieve a better life-work balance.”

Nearly 600 Sailors attended one of two half-day sessions, wrapping up day one of CDS. The symposium brings senior Navy leadership directly to Sailors to inform them of changing Navy programs, policies and Sailor 2025 initiatives.

Topics of interest included the 24/7 accessibility of MyNavy Career Center and demonstrations of the new Performance Evaluation and Detailing Marketplace systems.

Cmdr. Case Garrison, NPC Aviation Enlisted community manager, brought his expertise and demonstrated a prototype of the detailing marketplace for CDS attendees.

“(CDS) gives us a great opportunity to show as many people as possible the future of how we’re going to align Sailors with billets and the future of job opportunities for today’s Sailors,” said Garrison.

The overall goal is to provide better service to Sailors and to be constantly improving personnel initiatives with feedback from the Fleet, Garrison added.

Electronics Technician 1st Class Benjamin Priga, assigned to Navy Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic, Detachment Rota, took the opportunity to talk with Rear Adm. Jeff Hughes, commander, Navy Personnel Command about the new performance evaluation.

Being able to speak directly with senior leaders and detailers is priceless, Priga said.

“One of the major desires of a lot of Sailors is to have face-time with the detailers,” said Priga. “But with them out here in person telling us how things work and how things are going to change, it is certainly going to help Sailors understand how those changes will affect our professional and personal lives,” said Priga.

Detailers, community managers, and personnel specialists were available during the event to discuss individualized future plans, give career advice and host overviews of special duty careers available in recruiting, special programs, officer communities and Selective Reserve. Additionally, there were opportunities for Professional Apprenticeship Career Tract, or PACT, Sailors to receive rating designations on the spot.

For more information about MyNavy CDS visit: https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/career/talentmanagement/Pages/CDS.aspx.

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