US Navy Supply Corps
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 SUPPOs Supplying the Fight A Message from the Chief of Supply Corps Recognizing the central importance of supply to establishing the Navy, President George Washington laid the foundation for the U.S. Navy Supply Corps in 1775 with the appointment of Tench Francis, a Philadelphia businessman, as the country’s first Purveyor of Public Supplies. Francis provided vital support to the first Navy ships, and started our tradition of selfless service. The Navy’s trusted providers of supplies, our supply officers (SUPPOs) keep operations running smoothly to support the mission. But they can’t do it alone. Working as a team with their skilled and experienced enlisted members, our SUPPOs are experts in our field who know inventory and financial management, food, retail, postal operations, and disbursing management. They are leaders and problem solvers who tackle complex challenges to implement effective and efficient management solutions, ensuring our customers’ needs are met. To be “Ready for Sea,” we must be professionally ready with the skills to operate in all our lines of operation. We also need character readiness, demonstrated by our integrity, accountabili- ty, initiative, and toughness. Lastly, we need to be individually ready; to be fit, healthy, and ready to meet the demands of the fight. This issue provides insights from our SUPPOs’ important work as they meet the unique needs of their various commands. Like the pursuers and paymasters who have gone before, SUPPOs uphold our rich heritage, and embrace their responsibilities to support the warfighter with a servant’s heart. Our SUPPO’s success depends on their character and competence, knowledge of the shore infrastructure, relationships with our professional civilian workforce, and on the enlisted members they lead and serve with.
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