Coast Guard

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md.— Senior enlisted leaders from across the Department of Defense and partner agencies gathered for the Defense Senior Enlisted Leader Council (DSELC) at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Sept. 23-24, 2024.

The bi-annual two-day event, led by the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, brought together key stakeholders to align strategies on quality of life, military compensation, and family support networks. The conference also focused on enhancing cooperation between DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs, with a goal to improve care for service members, families, and veterans.

Key participants included Mr. John Hall, Director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA); Patricia M. Barron, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy; Honorable Tanya Bradsher, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Jeffrey P. Angers, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna; and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Heath B. Jones.

The conference centered on discussions related to the SEAC’s Strategy Alignment, focusing on Quality of Life (QoL), the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC), and the Family Support Network (FSN). Leaders examined the challenges and opportunities within these domains, ensuring that the enlisted force is well-equipped and supported.

Mr. John Hall of DECA emphasized the agency’s commitment to service members and their families, outlining improvements in savings calculations, product stocking, Click2Go, off-installation delivery, and internal system modernization. His focus was on ensuring commissary services deliver increased benefits to those they serve.

Ms. Barron highlighted significant advancements in the Military OneSource program, which has expanded since the pandemic. She also spoke about initiatives in spouse education, career programs, and the Military Family Readiness Council—all geared toward taking better care of military families.

The Honorable Tanya Bradsher addressed improvements in VA programs, expanded healthcare coverage, and the ongoing effort to create better synergy between DoD and VA systems to provide a seamless experience for veterans.

Mr. Angers spoke on behalf of OSD P&R, discussing enhancements to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and planned adjustments to better support service members and their families.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna provided an update on force design and management within the Space Force, emphasizing the importance of combat readiness and resource allocation. The Senior Enlisted Leaders shared lessons on force management and discussed how the Space Force can leverage its “fresh start” to avoid legacy issues faced by other services.

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Heath B. Jones spoke about the unique challenges and advantages the Coast Guard faces under the Department of Homeland Security, rather than the Department of Defense, particularly those surrounding budgets. He explained his reasoning for calling Coast Guardsmen “Sentinels,” drawing inspiration from Alexander Hamilton’s writings in Federalist Paper No. 12, where Hamilton envisioned how “a few armed vessels, judiciously stationed at the entrances of our ports, might at a small expense be made useful sentinels of the laws.” This early vision laid the foundation for what would become the U.S. Coast Guard, with the mission of protecting America’s shores and enforcing national laws. Jones connected this historical role to the modern-day mission of Coast Guardsmen, emphasizing their enduring role in safeguarding the nation’s coasts as vigilant protectors.

Additionally, spouses attending the conference participated in a separate briefing on the DoD School Liaison Program, which aims to empower military spouses to advocate for the educational needs of military children.

“We’re here to help improve anything and everything possible for the military family,” said Retired U.S. Marine Corps First Sergeant Stacie Black, the SEAC’s spouse. “As spouses, we have a wide set of experience as veterans, private industry professionals, and especially as customers of the military family support network. We’ve come together to share our culture and talents to support all the families like ours across the Armed Forces.”

In his closing remarks, SEAC Sgt. Maj. Troy Black stressed the importance of bringing together Senior Enlisted Leaders to address the issues impacting the enlisted force, families, and veterans. He emphasized that the engagements over the two days would help prepare the force for its ultimate mission: warfighting and war winning.

The day concluded with a shared commitment to improving the quality of life and operational readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces.