Tonthat, Tom

Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional ArchiveDSpace RepositoryNews Center News Articles Collection2022-03-18Career Submariner Steps in as NPS NewUndersea Warfare ChairTonthat, TomNaval Postgraduate School, Monterey Californiahttp://hdl.handle.net/10945/69296This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, UnitedStates Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in theUnited States.Downloaded from NPS Archive: Calhoun1/3Career Submariner Steps in as NPS New UnderseaWarfare Chairnps.edu/-/career-submariner-steps-in-as-nps-new-undersea-warfare-chairCareer Submariner Steps in as NPS’ New Undersea Warfare ChairMC2 Tom Tonthat  |  March 18, 2022Retired Navy Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer is the Naval Postgraduate School’s new UnderseaWarfare (USW) Chair, taking over for longtime USW chair retired Rear Adm. Jerry Ellis.Sawyer will serve as the principal advisor and liaison between the university and the Navy’ssubmarine forces.Retired Navy Vice Adm. Phillip G. Sawyer has taken the helm as the Naval PostgraduateSchool (NPS) Undersea Warfare (USW) Chair, and will now serve as the primary liaison andadvisor between the university and the Navy’s submarine force. Sawyer retired from active duty in September 2021, serving as Deputy Chief of NavalOperations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5) in his final assignment. In fact,Sawyer visited NPS in May of 2021, and says he was highly impressed with the school’scapabilities, and the direct Naval application of student research.2/3“The lieutenants and lieutenant commanders bring an enthusiasm through their academicsand research that is rejuvenating and adds an operational advantage to the world-classorganization that is the Naval Postgraduate School,” said Sawyer. “It’s just an ideal place tobe able to come and work to progress the Navy and Marine Corps down the paths that weneed for the future.”As a career submariner, Sawyer brings years of experience and knowledge to the USWprogram in guiding its future direction. He understands the importance of maintaining anadvantage in the USW domain and how NPS can help solve Fleet problems and createoperational advantage for the U.S. Navy to stay ahead of its rivals. “There’s a lot out there for undersea warfare and there’s plenty of work for us to do both hereat NPS and in the Navy,” said Sawyer. “My goal here is twofold. First, help the studentsunderstand what undersea warfare is while helping the world-class academic staff herebetter understand the operational side of what they’re doing and how it applies to the fleet.“Also, I’m here to make sure that we’re helping the fleet as best we can,” he continued. “It’smaking sure that they have an open door to come in and say, ‘Here’s something we’re tryingto solve. Can Naval Postgraduate School help us with that?’”Sawyer also sees the interdisciplinary capabilities of NPS as a way to support the USWprogram, finding ways for various areas of research to connect with the domain.“I think the research that’s done here – from acoustics or physics to mechanical engineeringand additive manufacturing, even [artificial intelligence] and machine learning – haveapplications within the Navy and specifically USW,” he said. “A strong link between whatNPS is doing and how we’re going to use that operationally is needed. With maybe sometweaks to refine or focus a project a little bit differently to leverage it for undersea warfare.” Sawyer says that NPS’ interdisciplinary capacity is further demonstrated through its NavalWarfare Studies Institute (NWSI) and its task force approach to research to benefit USWand other programs.“The point is that most Navy problems don’t neatly fall into one degree discipline,” saidSawyer. “If you’re outside looking in, you may not know if it’s a physics problem or anacoustic issue. NWSI is now the place to bring that problem and the NWSI team let thesubject matter experts who understand NPS to all work on it. They will direct it to the rightNPS experts – researchers, academics, professors, students – across departments to attackthe problem. As Undersea Warfare Chair, I will be a senior advisor to some of the teams todevelop an operational voice. I am very excited about the advent of NWSI here. I think it’sgoing to be significant for the Fleet and NPS.”NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau also expressed excitement about the futureof the USW program under Sawyer’s leadership, while also offering her deep appreciation forthe exemplary performance of former chair retired Rear Adm. Jerry Ellis, who served in the3/3position from March 2009 until his retirement in 2021. “I am deeply grateful to these leaders,” said Rondeau. “Rear Adm. Ellis dedicated his life tothe Navy with nearly 60 years of total service. In the final chapter of his career, he focusedhis leadership into teaching and mentoring our warrior scholars, many of whom are leadingthe Naval forces today.“Vice Adm. Sawyer brings a wealth of Fleet experience, strategic insight and exemplaryleadership skill with him,” she continued. “We are very fortunate to have Vice Adm. Sawyerjoin our senior leader team and faculty. Our students, NPS and future Navy are in very goodhands.”As Sawyer steps into his new role, he says he’s looking forward to being a part of theuniversity’s evolving impact on the future Fleet and force. “I think Naval Postgraduate School is a world-class organization that brings together thingsyou don’t find anywhere else,” Sawyer concluded. “Other civilian installations have world-class researchers and academics. Others have students like we have military students, butnobody brings it all together like NPS.”

Career Submariner Steps in as NPS New Undersea Warfare Chair

https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/69296/nps-edu-Career_Submariner_Steps_in_as_NPS_New_Undersea_Warfare_Chair.pdf?sequence=1

Career Submariner Steps in as NPS New Undersea Warfare Chair

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Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School