Aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) there are more than 5,200 Sailors from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, and this alone can make the all-important task of finding a mentor who fits the individual Sailor's needs complicated.

To alleviate this difficulty, Ike's leadership recently provided the crew an opportunity to meet and speak with leaders throughout the ship to find the right fit through a speed mentoring session.

Hosted on the mess decks, the program focused on introducing newer Sailors to potential mentors by cycling them through one-on-one sessions in short rotations. It allowed crew members to get to know a variety of people in a small amount of time.

"Having the right role model can help navigate the path in finding success and meeting realistic goals," said Chief Phil Ballard, command mentorship program coordinator. "Having mentors look out for junior Sailors helps keep them on track to better themselves and better the future of the Navy."

Speed mentoring gives the opportunity for a prospective protege to choose who they want as a mentor in and out of their field, and to receive mentorship for their career and their personal life. The relationship is also beneficial to the mentor.

"Everyone benefits from a strong mentorship program," Ballard said. "The protege will build confidence and have a better understanding of what is needed to succeed and advance. By becoming more involved both personally and professionally, the mentor can learn how to cater to the individual Sailor and become a better overall leader."

The speed mentoring program has been a success for over a year on Ike, connecting many junior Sailors with mentors that they would not have met during their normal routines.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Dylan Stinson attended the session and was able to find a mentor who had achieved the goals he has set for himself.

"I'm glad I attended the event," Stinson said. "I see now there are so many more qualifications I can achieve. It's awesome to have someone who can guide me and point me in the right direction and I can trust him because he's been in my position and can point out mistakes I need to avoid making."

The speed mentoring program is an ideal opportunity for Sailors looking to find a leader who they are confident can set them on their path to success.

"Overall I think the program was a huge success," Petty Officer 1st Class Tamia Daniels, one of the organizers of the event. "Sailors got to see different options and find someone who fits their needs. I hope we can do this again in the near future."

Ike, currently deployed as part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.



For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit http://www.navy.mil/.