Moving through the halls of Fleet Readiness Center Northwest on Monday, April 15, Rear Adm. CJ Jaynes did not appear interested in fanfare or grip-and-grins. Instead, the Commander of Fleet Readiness Centers wanted genuine, honest conversations with sailors about a variety of topics including sequestration, manpower, furloughs, tuition assistance, suicide and sexual assault and more. 

And it was only 7:30 a.m.

Sequestration and budget cuts have the attention of most who are working in the Department of Defense, and that is causing concern and frustration. 

The admiral stated that Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy appreciate the efforts and contributions of Navy civilians facing possible furlough, and are “exhausting every effort to get the number of furlough days down to zero.” Current Department of Defense guidelines call for no more than 14 furlough days through the end of the fiscal year, down from the original possible number of 22 furlough days.

In the meantime, Jaynes said people could allieviate budgetary impacts through innovation and creativity. “Those are the most effective ways to combat the effects of sequestration,” she said.

Tuition assistance, an issue of great concern for many sailors, will remain intact for the foreseeable future, Jaynes said, though modifications to the program can be expected. These adjustments may come in the form of sailors paying for failed classes and a slight decrease in the total annual allotment of TA. 

Jaynes closed her discussion by addressing two of her top priorities: sexual assault and suicide prevention.

“It is incumbent upon us to look out for one another and ensure no sailor becomes a victim of these atrocities,” Jaynes said. 

Jaynes’ message was clear: the Navy is tackling surmountable challenges and those challenges will be faced as a family. “Sailors should keep their heads in their work knowing we have their backs,” she said.