NEWPORT, R.I. — Commander, MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) Rear Adm. Stuart Satterwhite visited Newport, R.I. to meet with students from the Human Resources Center of Excellence’s (HRCOE) Human Resources Advanced Course (HRAC), Nov. 4, 2024.

During the visit, Satterwhite highlighted the importance of lifelong learning for warfighters and how indispensable human resources (HR) officers are to the fleet.

“As the Navy sharpens its asymmetric advantage to meet current and emerging threats, it is critical we invest in our HR professionals dedicated to taking care of the warfighter,” said Satterwhite. “Our HR Center of Excellence – the courses they develop and deliver – produce highly skilled HR officers who are strategically placed to deliver world-class data-driven services enabling a mission-focused Fleet and Joint Force.”

The objective of HRAC is to provide students Navy and Department of Defense strategic perspectives and updates on MyNavy HR initiatives enabling their success at senior-level HR careers. The goals are to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to plan for a future force, assess personnel policies that support and shape that force, and lead the organizations that deliver our future force.

“Our HR Advanced Course represents a critical investment in our most valuable asset – our people,” said Capt. Frank Brown, HRCOE director. “In today’s complex operational environment, having HR leaders who can strategically align our workforce capabilities with mission requirements is not just beneficial – it’s essential for maintaining readiness. This course equips our HR professionals with the advanced competencies and strategic insight needed to build, sustain, and optimize our Navy team for the challenges of tomorrow. It’s more than professional development; it’s about strengthening the backbone of our naval force.”

In total, 20 active and Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) HR officers completed HRAC on board Naval Station Newport, R.I. from Nov. 4-8. The course covered flag-level perspectives, Culture of Excellence 2.0, Get Real Get Better, force management and requirements, active listening, ethics and more culminating in a capstone presentation.

“Across our community we tend to get busy with our day-to-day roles, whether we’re boots on the ground focusing on recruitment or analyzing budgets, we get focused and myopic on what we’re working on,” said Cmdr. Matt Reising, an HRAC student assigned to the Chief of Naval Personnel. “Courses like this help us understand the bigger picture and how our little piece fits into the bigger MyNavy HR enterprise. It provides a lot of motivation for the work that we do, understanding how we fit in and enable our warfighters in the fleet to do their jobs.”

As part of Naval Education and Training Command’s (NETC) Center for Service Support (CSS), HRCOE was established in 2007 by the Chief of Naval Personnel to serve as a focal point for the HR community to further deliver expertise in defining, recruiting, developing, assigning and retaining a highly skilled naval workforce.

“Courses like HRAC are key for networking with leaders at our level and also senior HR leaders,” said Cmdr. DeCrisha Nolan, an HRAC student assigned to Commander Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central. “Being here gives us the opportunity to see what is going on throughout our community, get that leadership perspective and really see how we as HR officers are impacting the fleet.”

CSS provides Sailors in the Naval Administration, Chaplaincy, Command Support Program Management, Human Resources, Logistics, Maintenance Coordination, Media, and Security Management communities the necessary professional skills, knowledge, and education to support the fleet’s warfighting mission.

To learn more about the Navy’s HR community follow here: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Detailing/Officer/Pers-44-Staff-RL/Human-Resources/.

To learn more about CSS follow here: https://www.netc.navy.mil/CSS/.

Story by CSS Public Affairs.