Posted on Feb 11, 2015
What does it mean to be the, “Captain” of the, USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
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As I was thinking just the other day of how 1 person can change the lives of thousands. This man is/was Captain Michael Manazir. (Adm.) I went aboard the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) for the 1st time on 8 AUG 2008 as a MMFR (E-1 for all of my non-Navy friends). I will always remember for 2 reasons: 1. that is my brothers birthday and 2. now this is hard to explain. I am from Wisconsin and the biggest thing I had seen up until that point was a Mack Truck. Walking up to the Nimitz was a little intimidating to say the least. Walking on aboard was something els, subconsciously realizing that I would be apart of something that is almost bigger than life itself, I felt a since of ownership and gratitude to be apart of it. I say subconsciously because concisely I didn't know where I would fit in, or if I would fit in at all.
What does all this have to do with being the Captain of the Nimitz? Well it didn't take long before the hours and repetitive work got old, although I still maintained gratitude and ownership (which will never go away) of being apart of the Nimitz We were in port during a maintenance period. Some people have the ability to take a active vibrant, energetic group of people and flatten the mood. Every Friday we would assemble together for a half hour. There was a review of progress and recondition of a Shipyard worker and a Sailor. We have all seen this done, and thought the same things... When we meet as shipmates at 1st, most of the time I didn't wont to be there, thinking to my self this is useless, and a waist of time. I wasn't sure if I was really making a difference or doings anything important. I felt as though I was just a number and could be replaced easily. What makes Captain Manazir different? This happens everyday...
Captain Manazir would take this time to not just give a report and merely going through the motions. He turned this time into a Pep-Rally to raise the morale of the ship. Giving us resin to know that we were making a difference and what we were doing is important.
It wasn't until just a few days ago when I was thinking how can I impact the lives of the people I will be speaking to through the help of Dunn-Hoisington Leadership International which has open there doors to train people as public speaker/trainers. I remembered these Pep-Rallies and reflected on them. I left the Navy JAN 2012 and it has taken until now to finally feel that what I have done was important, and that I really did make a difference. It would have been taken much longer to understand that if ever. With out true leadership men and women of the military may never feel that their serves means something to somebody.
To Admiral Manazir I say this with gratitude and respect:
Captain, BZ on a Job Well Done!
MMFN Schutte
M-Div, RX
CVN-68
What does all this have to do with being the Captain of the Nimitz? Well it didn't take long before the hours and repetitive work got old, although I still maintained gratitude and ownership (which will never go away) of being apart of the Nimitz We were in port during a maintenance period. Some people have the ability to take a active vibrant, energetic group of people and flatten the mood. Every Friday we would assemble together for a half hour. There was a review of progress and recondition of a Shipyard worker and a Sailor. We have all seen this done, and thought the same things... When we meet as shipmates at 1st, most of the time I didn't wont to be there, thinking to my self this is useless, and a waist of time. I wasn't sure if I was really making a difference or doings anything important. I felt as though I was just a number and could be replaced easily. What makes Captain Manazir different? This happens everyday...
Captain Manazir would take this time to not just give a report and merely going through the motions. He turned this time into a Pep-Rally to raise the morale of the ship. Giving us resin to know that we were making a difference and what we were doing is important.
It wasn't until just a few days ago when I was thinking how can I impact the lives of the people I will be speaking to through the help of Dunn-Hoisington Leadership International which has open there doors to train people as public speaker/trainers. I remembered these Pep-Rallies and reflected on them. I left the Navy JAN 2012 and it has taken until now to finally feel that what I have done was important, and that I really did make a difference. It would have been taken much longer to understand that if ever. With out true leadership men and women of the military may never feel that their serves means something to somebody.
To Admiral Manazir I say this with gratitude and respect:
Captain, BZ on a Job Well Done!
MMFN Schutte
M-Div, RX
CVN-68
Leadership
Navy
Influence
Posted 10 y ago
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MMFN Schutte: Thanks for sharing a great remembrance! The Admiral sounds like an amazing leader. I chose the USAF because the first USAF Black Four Star General Daniel “Chappie” James thought his time was best invested in children. As Wing Commander of Wheelus AFB, Tripoli, Libya, he came to talk to my school several times a year about what it meant to be an American and how important service to country was. It was during a time Colonel Ghaddafi had seized power and Americans were often stopped and held at gunpoint for hours for nothing but being in the wrong place at the wrong time. General James wore his dress blues with these big silver wings; he was charismatic, had a big smile and loved to talk to us as he sat in a chair surrounded by children sitting on the floor around. One of the original Tuskegee Airman, he had so many great stories! You never know who the person you meet may have the greatest impact on your life. Although the Air Base was forced to close and the Colonel to General had to leave I went on to join the US Air Force and serve 28 years in the USAF. At age 36, I was selected to be the first female US Air Attache to a Latin American country, Nicaragua, several years after the Sandinista Contra War. To get that job, I had to go through numerous panels and interviews with Generals, and GS-15s, and I often thought I have nothing in common with these folks until I started talking about General Daniel James and why I was serving. I found all of the Generals had either been a flight student or a flight instructor under General James and he walked on water to all of us! These kind of stories are so important and add tremendously to military service. We may not be able to control how US history is being destroyed or demeaned around us but we do have these great stories that live in our hearts and we can and should be willing to share!! General James was so ahead of his time and the people around and despite discrimination was able to make a difference in the lives of others!
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