Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus announced Navy-wide changes that will affect midshipmen's physical readiness, career paths and post graduate education, during a speech at the United States Naval Academy (USNA), May 13.

The initiatives Mabus outlined focused on improving flexibility, transparency and choice for midshipmen's careers.

Starting this September, SECNAV is establishing the Office of Talent Optimization at USNA. The office will analyze labor market data from private sector and academia to keep personnel systems competitive, and create a true marketplace of talent.

"This office will identify better ways to align our Sailors' and Marines' talent," said Mabus. "Getting out of the here and now and focusing on the future warfighting requirements of our communities."

A refinement in service selection will be seen in the upcoming year. Improvements in the optimization models will put more focus on talent and interest thereby increasing midshipmen's chances of getting their top choices in service selection.

"Our new process will all but guarantee that midshipmen talents and interests are paired to their choice in service assignment," said Mabus. "Here at the Naval Academy and ultimately in ROTC and OCS; and the fleet will get the right officers in the right communities."

Increased job assignment opportunity for women was discussed as a priority for Mabus. Fifty-seven percent of college graduates are female, and the U.S. Navy wants to attract more educated female officers to serve in the world's premier naval fighting force. Removing gender specific roles and opening all operation billets to everyone is critical to achieving higher female accessions.

"In the Navy, women wear every warfare pin except for the Trident, reserved for SEALs,'" said Mabus, "In the Marine Corps, we are conducting the most comprehensive assessment of physical standards ever undertaken and the results will enhance combat readiness and effectiveness in all military operational specialties, independent of gender. In all cases, I personally believe we ought to have one standard for both sexes, a standard that matches the demands of the job, and if you pass, you pass."

A culture of fitness in deeply intertwined within the development of midshipmen into officers. As officers they will be responsible for the mental and physical health of the Sailors and Marines under their command. A revamp of the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) will have the standard biannual test augmented with physical readiness spot checks, keeping the standard of performance a year-round endeavor. A new reform to the height and weight standards will also change how body mass index testing is performed.

"We will completely revamp the Physical Fitness Assessment," said Mabus. "Our pass/fail system that only, and often inaccurately, assesses one aspect of overall fitness will end. We will instead focus on evaluating health, not shape. As junior officers, you will be responsible for the fitness of your Sailors and Marines. In the Navy alone, we separate 1,500 people a year for failing the PFA. That wastes our time and resources."

This year's class of 2015's females will be the first to wear the Navy service dress white choker blouse and combination cover. They will debut the uniform, on graduation day next week, which will eventually be worn throughout the fleet.

"There is no better venue to debut the future of the Navy and Marine Corps, in multiple contexts, to the fleet, to the Corps, and to America," said Mabus. "I look forward to seeing, not male and female officer candidates, but new United States Naval and Marine Corps officers next week."

For more news from U.S. Naval Academy, visit www.navy.mil/.