By Lt. Cmdr. Megan Shutka

NAVIFOR Public Affairs

 

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven S. Giordano visited Naval Information Forces in North Suffolk on Jan. 24.

Giordano, who previously served at Naval Information Forces as the force master chief, hosted a town hall including Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command, Naval Network Warfare Command and Fleet Cyber Command South as well as Naval Information Forces.

To begin the town hall, Giordano conducted the re-enlistment of Petty Officer 2nd Class (IW/SW) Joseph R. Picklo, an intelligence specialist from Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command. His family was in attendance to support him during the ceremony, including his wife and two sons.

“Remember to always do the right thing when no one is looking,” said Picklo, after Giordano asked him to share a few words of inspiration with the audience during his re-enlistment ceremony. Picklo has served in the Navy for 11 years.

During the town hall, sailors asked Giordano various questions ranging from what thoughts he had on future military pay and entitlements and the status on the policy of adoptions and how that may impact sailors, to the status of ratings in the Navy and what the new Secretary of Defense plans for policies on cyber security.

“With the recent rating changes, taking them away and then giving them back, I’m concerned the Navy has just been taught that if the outrage is loud enough, public enough, and from high enough, it will cause the highest levels of leadership to change their mind,” said Petty Officer 1st Class (IW/SG) Sean K. Greening Jr., a cryptologic technician collection from Naval Information Forces with 10 years in the Navy. “Keeping that in mind, how has your office and the office of the CNO changed their approach to making these unpopular decisions?” asked Greening.

Giordano responded by saying he hosts town halls to hear feedback and the feedback he receives is then shared and communicated whenever he is testifying regarding proposals or changes on sailors and the Navy.

“Always remember to serve with the CNO’s four core attributes in mind; integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness,” concluded Giordano, reminding sailors to live by the Navy’s core values.

Following the town hall, Giordano hosted an all hands call with the chief’s mess from all the Navy commands on the Suffolk complex.