CHAPTER 3
QUALITY OF LIFE
The Navy’s most valuable asset is its people. As a
future petty officer, you have the requirement to help
safeguard this asset. The Navy has taken great pains to
set up programs to train and help you manage and
nurture the quality of life of this resource.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide you
information on programs that support the Department
of the Navy Core Values Charter, shown in figure 3-1.
To do this, the importance of promoting quality of life
issues will be presented first. Then you will be
provided with information on specific programs that
benefit the Sailor.
PURPOSE
Learning Objective: Recognize the purpose of quality
of life programs.
Why is it so important to know about these
programs? As a future petty officer and leader, you
must be able to help your people. You must be aware
that resources are available to help in different
situations. Then you must be able to direct your people
to the right person or source to get the information or
help they need.
I am a man, and nothing human can be of
indifference to me.
—Terence The Self-Torturer
The purpose of quality of life programs is to
promote the effective use of the Navy’s human assets.
Thus, the various programs within this system have
been designed to allow individuals the chance to
develop their capabilities to the maximum. This
development of abilities promotes sound leadership,
which strengthens the chain of command. As the chain
of command exercises good leadership principles, the
entire Navy benefits by seeing an improvement in areas
such as the following:
Management
Order and discipline
Acceptance of responsibility
Authority and accountability
Pride and professionalism
Motivation
Retention
PROGRAMS
Learning Objectives: Recognize the purpose of the
personal excellence program. Recognize how to help
shipmates in regard to personal financial management.
Recognize programs available in the quality of life
initiative. Recall the purpose of the casualty assistance
calls officer. Recall the military cash awards program.
Recall the Navy’s family housing policy. Recall the
equal opportunity and human rights elements of
leadership programs and policies.
When individuals use their full potential, the Navy,
in turn, reaches its goal of improved combat readiness
and capability. The Navy encourages people to use
their potential by instilling a sense of pride and
professionalism as well as the desire for personal
excellence. The Navy achieves its goal through people
like you who work to improve and develop individual
leadership and counseling skills. Good leadership and
counseling results in personnel stability and improved
communications.
The quality of life initiative has the following
major programs:
Personal Excellence
Family Support
Equal Opportunity
Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Health and Physical Readiness
Navy Family Housing
Each of these programs will be described in detail.
By using these programs properly, you will enhance
your leadership and management skills. As a leader,
you must be familiar with each of these programs to be
able to properly support your people and the chain of
command.
3-1
