Boxer mentors guide junior sailors.

In today's Navy and on board Boxer (LHD 4), mentors are guiding junior sailors in a way that is beneficial to the crew, the command and the Navy.

Following Chief of Naval Operations guidelines, Boxer's program ensures mentorship is available to everyone. The program's emphasis is professional development, but mentors can also help with personal issues and advice. Although formalized mentorship programs like Boxer's are new, the idea of mentoring has been in the Navy for a long time. Boxer's mentorship program coordinator HCCS (SW/AW) Mark Bjornson explained, "In a way, there has always been mentorship, but some people were more successful at it than others. Now that we are formalizing it, everybody is going to get the opportunity."

Professional characteristics displayed by mentors are the cornerstone that holds up the three pillars of the mentorship program: command arrival, initial professional qualifications and career development. Through this three-phase process, mentors meet with proteges when they arrive, then establish goals and begin basic qualifications. After mandatory qualifications, proteges are encouraged to keep progressing through training, advanced qualifications and preparation for advancement exams. In addition to the three-phase process, self-improvement and team building are promoted. Proteges professionally develop, while mentors interact with junior sailors and refine their leadership skills.

Story by PH2 Amanda J. Stuart, Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs