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time, you are probably well aware of many of the
advantages—higher pay, greater prestige, more
interesting and challenging work, and the satisfac-
tion of getting ahead in your chosen field.
The Navy also benefits by your advancement.
Highly trained personnel are essential to the func-
tioning of the Navy. By each advancement you
increase your value to the Navy in two ways. First,
you become more valuable as a specialist in your
own rating. And second, you become more
valuable as a person who can supervise, lead, and
train others. The extent of your contribution to
the Navy depends upon your willingness and
ability to accept increasingly broader respon-
sibilities as you advance. When you assumed the
duties of an SH3, you began to accept a certain
amount of responsibility and accountability for
the work of others. With each advancement, you
accept an increasing responsibility in military mat-
ters and in matters relating to the occupational
requirements of the Ship’s Serviceman rating.
As you advance to the senior petty officer
level, your responsibilities up and down the chain
of command will change. Both officers and
enlisted personnel will expect you to translate the
general orders given by officers into detailed,
practical on-the-job language that can be
understood and followed even by relatively inex-
perienced personnel. In dealing with inexperienced
people, it is up to you to see that they perform
their work properly. At the same time, you must
be able to explain to officers any important needs
or problems of the enlisted personnel. This means
you must be able to communicate clearly and
effectively. Remember, the goal of all com-
munication is understanding. To lead and super-
vise effectively, you must be able to speak and
write in such a way that others can understand
exactly what you mean. Chapter 3 of this manual
discusses some techniques to help you to com-
municate clearly and effectively.
As a senior Ship’s Serviceman, you will also
have regular and continuing responsibilities for
training. Even if you are lucky enough to have
a group of subordinates who are highly skilled and
well trained, you will find that some training will
still be necessary. Some of your best workers may
be transferred, and inexperienced or poorly
trained personnel may be assigned to you; or, a
particular job may call for skills that your per-
sonnel do not have. In addition, you will be
responsible for training lower rated Ship’s Ser-
vicemen for advancement, These and similar
situations will require you to become a training
specialist who can conduct various types of
formal and informal training programs for subor-
dinate personnel.
As you advance to SH1 and then to SHC, you
will find that many of your plans and decisions
affect a large number of people, some of whom
are not even in the supply department. It becomes
increasing y important, therefore, to understand
the duties and responsibilities of personnel in
other ratings. Petty officers in the Navy are
specialists in their own fields. Learn as much as
you can about the work of other ratings, and plan
your own work so that it will fit in with the overall
mission of the organization.
As a First Class Ship’s Serviceman and even
more so as a Chief Ship’s Serviceman, you must
keep yourself informed about all changes and new
developments that might affect your rating or
your work. Practically everything in the Navy—
policies, procedures, equipment, publications,
systems—is subject to change and development.
Some changes will be called to your attention, but
you will have to look for others. Try to develop
a special kind of alertness for new information.
Keep up to date on all available sources of
technical information.
IMPORTANT SOURCES OF
INFORMATION FOR THE SENIOR
SHIP’S SERVICEMAN
As a senior Ship’s Serviceman, you will be
regularly consulted for up-to-date information on
the military requirements and occupational
qualifications of the Ship’s Serviceman rating.
You will also have responsibilities for the technical
leadership that will be directly related to the daily
work of your organization. No single publication
can give you all the information you will need.
It is important for you to know whereto look for
detailed, authoritative, up-to-date information on
all subjects related to the occupational standards
and naval requirements for advancement in the
Ship’s Serviceman rating and for the successful
performance of Ship’s Serviceman work.
To prepare for your future responsibilities as
a military leader and advisor of subordinate naval
personnel, you should become thoroughly
familiar with the current military requirements
publications. Since references to these publications
are made throughout this chapter, the publications
will not be discussed at this time. As a conscien-
tious Ship’s Serviceman who is preparing to ad-
vance to the senior petty officer level, you should
take responsibility for acquiring these publications
and for studying them carefully.
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