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Home : Media : News
NEWS | March 9, 2017

SERMC Launches High Velocity Learning Campaign

By Scott Curtis SERMC

One year ago the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson released his directive Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority which includes his desire to “achieve High Velocity Learning (HVL) at every level” within the Navy.

The term “high velocity learning” was penned by Steven J. Spear in his book, “The Velocity Edge,” where organizations “swarm” to solve problems when they occur and share information and successes. Southeast Regional Maintenance Center’s (SERMC) HVL program seeks to improve the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) enterprise through ideas and concepts from deckplate Sailors.

Capt. Dave Gombas, Commanding Officer at SERMC kicked off the initiative with an unveiling of 10 “Idea Boards” located at key locations throughout the command.

“High-velocity learning means listening to the different perspectives provided by any member of a team who sees how we could be doing business better, and we want to tap into that,” Gombas said.

“There is a tremendous amount of energy and intelligence among our Sailors and Civilian employees, and the idea boards remove the organizational barriers that can sometimes frustrate our people,” added Gombas. “Great ideas can come from any level of the organization, and we need to capture all of those.”

Through High Velocity Learning, SERMC strives to create a culture that applies the right resources to the right places at the right time.

“I want SERMC to see a problem, solve that problem and then share what we learned. It’s up to us as leaders to cultivate these capabilities,” said Gombas.

By making high-velocity learning part of SERMC’s day-to-day thinking, all hands become involved in developing solutions to unique problems. In addition to the Idea Boards, Sailors and Civilians can submit their ideas through the SERMC Intranet homepage or by participating in semi-annual Departmental brainstorming events.