Author: Joel Schofer, MD, MBA, CPE
2025 Lewis E. Angelo Professional Symposium (LEAPS) – 23-27 MAR 2025
The Lewis E. Angelo Professional Symposium (LEAPS) is more than just an event—it’s a movement. Designed to empower current and future health care leaders, LEAPS 2025 serves as a launchpad for innovation, collaboration, and professional growth. With the theme, “No Better Time to Inspire, No Greater Time to Launch,” this symposium aims to ignite new ideas, inspire action, and equip attendees with the tools and connections needed to lead the way in modern health care.
Ready to take your leadership journey to the next level? LEAPS 2025 is your opportunity to step into a transformative space where innovation meets action. Stay tuned for registration details and secure your spot at this must-attend event! Let’s make 2025 a year of growth, inspiration, and impact.
Language for Writing Your FITREPs
One of the most popular posts of all time is when I took a promotion board precept and convening order and pulled out all the language so it could be used to write FITREPs. Last year I did the same thing with a promotion board precept. Here is an updated pull from the FY26 O6 promotion board convening order:
“a commitment to operational excellence and continual performance improvement”
“character, as evidenced by the presence of the four core attributes of integrity, accountability, initiative,
and toughness”
“adhere to Navy and Department of Defense (DoD) ethical standards , are physically fit, and demonstrate loyalty to the Navy Core Values”
“a readiness for leading and solving problems at larger and larger scales”
“reflect Navy Core Values: Honor, accountability for behavior, mindful of the privilege to serve our fellow Americans; Courage, the moral and mental strength to do what is right, with confidence and resolution
even in the face of temptation or adversity; and Commitment, joining together as a team to improve the quality of our work, our people, and ourselves”
“foundation of Navy Core Values”
“a mindset of continuous self-improvement, a desire to Get Real, Get Better every day. This includes the ability to self-assess, to be absolutely honest, humble, and transparent in determining the actual performance of themselves and their teams; self-correct, to apply problem solving frameworks to
pursue root cause and solve the Navy’ s hardest problems in a lasting way; and always learn, to pursue knowledge and apply learning from varied sources in order to make themselves and their teams better”
“ability to build teams and rapidly collaborate across organizations to solve problems and achieve lasting outcomes.”
“creating opportunities to remove barriers to individual, team, and Navy warfighting excellence”
“proven and sustained superior performance in command or other leadership positions in difficult and challenging assignments”
“contributions to warfighters and warfighting through successful performance and leadership in combat conditions”
“seize absolute ownership of their assigned mission and all that goes into its accomplishment. A command’s mission is absolutely essential to the Navy’s ability to fight and win. Look for those officers that imbue this belief in their team. Look for those that take fierce pride in this obligation. Select the officers that are the example their team reflects and those that embody humility, selflessness, and
complete transparency”
“relentless in building a culture of the highest character and a tough, resilient team that wins”
“seek those officers that acknowledge the value of every Sailor and civilian. Consider those that take care of themselves and their teammates. Seek those that always do the right thing, especially when it is hard. Consider those that keep close watch on their own mental, physical, and emotional health, and the health of those they lead”
“an unrelenting commitment to operational excellence”
“mastery of the skills critical to naval warfare”
“service and superior performance on operational fleet and subordinate command staffs”
“the ability to self-assess and self-correct”
“using a Get Real, Get Better mindset every day”
“the ability to develop a culture of learning in the teams they are called to lead, embracing meaningful feedback as an opportunity to get better”
“operational excellence and increasing education, and exposure to strategic concepts”
“the ability to outthink and outfight all competitors and adversaries”
“seek opportunities to broaden their cultural awareness through experiences and education to enable better communication in a global operating environment”
“think creatively, develop new ideas, take prudent risks, and deliver superior outcomes
“build great teams that innovate as they manage risk and ensure standards”
“prepared for decentralized operations”
“demonstrate the four core attributes that guide our decisions and actions: integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness. Integrity may be demonstrated as an individual or as a team member by displaying conduct that is upright, honorable, and by working to strengthen the resolve of their peers, superiors, and subordinates. Accountability may be demonstrated by achieving and maintaining
high standards, honestly assessing progress, and adjusting as required. Officers demonstrate initiative by taking ownership, acting to the limit of their authorities, and looking at new ideas with an open mind. Toughness can mean marshalling all sources of strength and resilience, including rigorous training;
encouraging the fighting spirit of our people; and providing steadfast support to our families. Officers who demonstrate these core attributes ensure the Navy remains the world’s finest navy and deserve your careful consideration when selecting officers who are best and fully qualified”
“builds strong culture and teams while achieving measurable outcomes”
“relentlessly builds a culture of the highest character – a tough, resilient team that wins.”
“acknowledges and honors the value of every Sailor and civilian”
“takes care of themselves and their teammates”
“leads with humility, with the ability to self-assess”
“always does the right thing , especially when it is hard”
“keeps close watch on their own mental, physical, and emotional health, and the health of those they lead”
“build on our Core Values of commitment in how they demonstrate a Get Real, Get Better mindset; use data-driven insights; master the skills critical to naval warfare; and act transparently in how they receive feedback from seniors, peers, and subordinates alike”
“is loyal to and behaves consistently with the Navy’s Core Values”
“actively pursue what is right and behave consistently with the Navy’s Core Values”
“demonstrate consistency between the Navy’ s Core Values and their on- and off- duty behavior”
“Championing a Culture of Excellence”
“deliberate in how they build great people, leaders, and teams. This is demonstrated through emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and investing in their people’s needs”
“excelled in their knowledge of the political-military affairs and U. S. strategic interests in the Indo-
Pacific region, and operational contingency planning for Indo-Pacific war plans”
“inspire and deliver results in complex and challenging environments”
“exceptionally high operational and clinical professional competence”
“critical thinking skills to analyze any situation and are willing to make risk informed decisions that address the root cause of any problem”
“able to succinctly articulate their findings and actions to patients and/or senior leaders depending on their professional practice”
“must engage all stakeholders to help create and communicate Navy Medicine’s vision, as well as build, empower and motivate teams to accomplish that vision”
“understand the balance of readiness and operational requirements”
“have the courage to stand on principles and demonstrate a clear potential to lead the Navy of the future”
“recognize talent and mentor, coach, and develop juniors, then build the environment in which subordinates can thrive through instilling trust and confidence by subordinates”
“understand and use best clinical practices, business tools, and operational risk management in ensuring the readiness of our operating forces so they are healthy and on the job”
“clearly understand Navy Medicine’s obligation to support the Fleet, Marine Corps, and Joint Force and demonstrate the capacity to meet the challenges of our commitment to maritime superiority”
“demonstrate proven leadership within their operational, clinical, educational, scientific, and other specialty communities”
“proven leadership experience”
“demonstrated experience and expertise across the spectrum of military medicine, especially inclusive of operational experience and operational platforms”
“experience and expertise with the intersection of the strategic and tactical issues in provision of military healthcare through experience in headquarters or other associated DoD agencies”
“The qualities of effective martial leadership, including initiative, innovation, and concern for subordinates, are indicators that an officer is prepared for the increased responsibility of promotion”
DoD Probationary Workforce Statement
As the Secretary announced yesterday, the Department of Defense is re-evaluating our probationary workforce, consistent with the President’s initiative to reform the Federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity.
This re-evaluation of probationary employees is being done across government, not just at the Defense Department, but we believe in the goals of the program, and our leaders are carrying out that review carefully and smartly.
We anticipate reducing the Department’s civilian workforce by 5-8% to produce efficiencies and refocus the Department on the President’s priorities and restoring readiness in the force.
We expect approximately 5,400 probationary workers will be released beginning next week as part of this initial effort, after which we will implement a hiring freeze while we conduct a further analysis of our personnel needs, complying as always with all applicable laws.
As the Secretary made clear, it is simply not in the public interest to retain individuals whose contributions are not mission-critical. Taxpayers deserve to have us take a thorough look at our workforce top-to-bottom to see where we can eliminate redundancies.
As we take these important steps to reshape the workforce to meet the President’s priorities, the Department will treat our workers with dignity and respect as it always does. Those who commit themselves to defending our nation deserve nothing less.
– Darin Selnick, Performing the Duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Statement on General Officer Nominations
This evening the President announced that he intends to nominate Lieutenant General Dan “Razin” Caine, USAF, for the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Council.
General Caine embodies the warfighter ethos and is exactly the leader we need to meet the moment. I look forward to working with him.
The outgoing Chairman, Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, Jr., USAF, has served with distinction in a career spanning four decades of honorable service. I have come to know him as a thoughtful adviser and salute him for his distinguished service to our country.
I am also requesting nominations for the positions of Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff. The incumbents in these important roles, Admiral Lisa Franchetti and General James Slife, respectively, have had distinguished careers. We thank them for their service and dedication to our country.
We are also requesting nominations for the Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars.
– Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
Finance Friday Articles
- Examining Vanguard’s Forecasted Returns for the Decade Ahead
- One Stock at a Time
- Protect Your Brokerage Accounts From ACATS Transfer Fraud
- Should You Make Roth or Traditional 401(k) Contributions?
- Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement?
- Solar Panels: A Bad Financial Decision for Me
- What It Looks Like to Run Out of Money
- What You Need to Know About the Survivor Benefit Plan
- When Safe Withdrawal Rates Collide With RMDs
- Why Hiring Your Spouse Is (Probably) a Bad Idea (Even If Hiring Your Kids Is Not)
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 