Ask the Chief: Backbone of the Navy Review

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(More customer reviews)"Ask The Chief: Backbone of the Navy" is a book by J. F. Leahy that tries to answer the question, "What is a Chief Petty Officer?" Instead of trying to answer the question himself, the author wisely lets the Chiefs speak for themselves. In 14 chapters, Leahy gives us an overview of the Chief Petty Officer continuum, from the newest initiates to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, the Navy's senior enlisted advisor who reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations.
Mr. Leahy spent time aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) and the Guided missile Cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), and interacted closely with the Chief's Mess on both ships. He works from first principles (Leadership, Development, Communication & Support) and proceeds through the real meat-and-potatoes of just what it is Chiefs do in the Navy each day. I've learned a lot from this book, and would unhesitatingly recommend it for anyone who aspires to "Be the Chief".


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Whenever sailors are confronted with "unsolvable" problems - be it a fouled anchor or paint that won't dry - they often throw up their hands and exclaim, "We'd better ask the Chief." That refrain, heard for generations throughout the Navy, is the theme for Jack Leahy's newest book. Written at sea, the book provides a compelling picture of the Chief Petty Officer's community in the U.S. Navy. As a guest of the Chief Petty Officer's mess aboard USS George Washington during Operation Enduring Freedom, Leahy was granted complete and unfettered access to all areas of the massive carrier and the other ships in her battle group. He interviewed nearly one hundred Navy Chiefs from the aviation, surface, submarine, and special warfare communities and recounts stories of their daily life at sea. In doing so, he presents the true backbone of the modern Navy: the wisdom, character, and dignity of the Chief Petty Officer's community. This book of contemporaneous oral history follows the format that proved so successful with Leahy's earlier book on Navy boot camp. Color photographs help bring the story to life.

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