Blueprint for Success: The US Navy’s CNO Professional Reading Program

Admiral Michael M. Gilday’s CNO-Professional Reading Program is a collection of 12 books covering a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, military strategy, management, and technology, among others.

Adm. Gilday currently serves as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). He is the top uniformed officer in the Navy and serves as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of the Navy, and the National Security Council. He is responsible for the readiness, training, and welfare of the Navy’s more than 400,000 personnel and their families, as well as the Navy’s budget, equipment, and operations.

The goal of his program is to encourage a fleet-wide campaign of self-improvement by encouraging sailors to seek knowledge independently through reading and sharing information. Gilday believes that “in today’s competitive environment, what you know and how quickly you can learn is essential for readiness”.

The program consists of the following texts:

• To Rule the Waves By Bruce Jones
• A Brief Guide to Maritime Strategy By James Holmes
• China as a 21st Century Naval Power By Michael. A. McDevitt
• Not One Inch By Mary E. Sarotte