Cordle, the human factors engineer for Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT), is a retired Navy captain who has commanded two ships during his career. He continues to devote his professional life to helping Sailors even after he has removed his uniform. Today he is a subject matter expert on crew endurance, surface ship safety and using circadian clock rotation to improve operational performance. His priority is to find the most philanthropic way for sailors to complete a mission.
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George H.W. The Bush Reactor Division and Cordle studied the ship’s use of the circadian clock to determine what works and what needs improvement, as well as what the surface and aerospace communities can learn from each other.
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“This is about three things: the Navy and its improvement, which George H.W. Bush, and it’s about you,” Cordle said. “You’re the only person who knows how tired you are. Better sleep makes you a better sailor, it makes you a better person, it helps your physical and mental health, and understanding that this is a lifetime investment is another matter. As a manager, I have a certain responsibility towards you not to use up and throw away, that is irresponsible.”
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During his time aboard the George H.W. Bush – a command he served on board during his career – told Cordle about his failed first attempt at calculating the circadian clock. The biggest problems he had were meal times and the uneven distribution of qualifications between rotations.
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“Another thing I didn’t do the first time was ask the crew for input, I was the good idea fairy,” Cordle said. “If the captain says so, do it. That never works, but I didn’t know that. So I learned to listen to my people.”
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Cordle acknowledged that George H.W. Bush has additional considerations as a surface platform with aerospace and nuclear communities required to fulfill specific departmental missions supporting both the ship’s and carrier strike group’s missions. He noted that what is good for one community on the ship often impacts another, requiring planning and teamwork to balance the demands.
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“Crew endurance and resilience programs like circadian waking telegraphs are important not only because they’re right for our team, but they also make us a deadlier warfare team,” said Capt. David-Tavis Pollard, commanding officer of George H.W. Bush. “The level of planning and dedication to working towards healthy seafarer solutions and leadership performance is not easy and I am proud of the work our leaders are putting into this initiative.”
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Beneath the cover plates, the nuclear community is known for many hours to ensure the wearer can complete the mission. On George H.W. Bush, the reactor department is leading the charge on circadian clock bills. Capt. Jason Deblock, who heads the detachment, and Lt. Cmdr. Kara VanSice, the ship’s reactor training assistant, works diligently with the rest of her team to create a sleep-focused schedule.
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“This was a significant team effort and I am impressed not only with the work but also with the results,” said DeBlock. “We continue to make incremental changes here and there as there is always room for improvement, although the feedback we receive from our sailors is that this has been a success for their quality of life and shows in team performance.”
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