NAS Jacksonville hosts inagural CNIC NICBOD

"The NICBOD is an active, decision making body, working in tandem with Vice Adm. Conway to make the major decisions that impact shore installation support," said Dave Cosco, Conway's special assistant for organizing the business and decision aspects of these meetings. "Now, with the addition of the new NICBOD, he has brought the ICOs, those on the front lines, into this decision making process, as they work through their superiors, the REGCOMS".

The NICBOD isn't necessarily a new concept however, up until now only the REGCOMS met with Conway every two months at different region headquarters.

Commander, Navy Installations Command Vice. Adm. Bob Conway talks to installation commanding officers and regional commanders at the Navy Installations Board of Directors meeting Dec. 12. Photo by MC2(SW/AW) Rebecca Kruck

Conway decided to meet with the ICOs because in his words, "we are under no illusions about who in shore installation support does the heaviest lifting. It is the ICO, who is at the tip of the CNIC spear, side by side with the warfighters, the fleet and the families in our Navy, executing their installation's mission each and every day."

This initial meeting of ICOs had a goal to communicate both Conway's vision for CNIC, and how he plans to align key elements such as headquarters, regions and installations to best achieve the CNIC mission of providing support to installations that directly support to the warfighter. Conway dedicated most of the NICBOD to listen to the ICOs concerns and issues.

"My desired effects for this training symposium are simple; that we listen closely and learn abundantly from the ICOs, that the ICOs understand my expectations and go away in sync with CNIC values and the CNIC way ahead," said Conway.

Commander, Navy Installations Command Deputy Director Joyce Borgen discusses the execution of the Navy warfare training systems with Cmdr. Randy Martin, commanding officer of Fleet Activities in Chin Hai, Korea. Photo by MC2(SW/AW) Rebecca Kruck

"My emphasis in CNIC is that we are a command, and we are exclusively about supporting the Navy's fleet, fighter and family in all that we do - with prime focus on their readiness. We are an extension of the fleet warfighting systems," he added.

Commander, Navy Region Southeast, Rear Adm. Mark Boensel echoed that comment during his opening remarks at the conference on Dec. 12. "We are about the business of warfighting," he said. "We are in charge of where our warfighting starts and where it is sustained - across all enterprises, and that is a huge responsibility."

When asked what his overall message is, Conway stated, "we've got to provide better facilities. Because at the end of the day, after everyone does this hocus pocus business, our Sailors have to look and say, 'am I better off today than I was yesterday because of what big Navy is doing for me?' And that's what we're going for at CNIC. We want that answer to be 'yes, I'm better of today than yesterday.'"

The next meeting of the ICBOD will be in the summer of 2007.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy B.J. Penn looks on as Bob Stoufer, readiness and reqirements officer for Commander, Navy Installations Command, describes mission essential task requirements during this year's Navy Installations Command Board of Directors event. Photo by MC2(SW/AW) Rebecca Kruck

Capt. Charlie King, commanding officer of NS Mayport, asks a question regarding installation reorganization during this year's Navy Installations Command Board of Directors event at NAS Jax Dec. 12-13. Photo by MC2(SW/AW) Rebecca Kruck