Navy’s top sailor pushes reading habits, not a required list

The Navy's top enlisted sailor wants more reading in the fleet, but he's not handing out a single required list.

Snapshot

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman released "MCPON's Bookshelf" on Sept. 23, a collection of recommended reading organized around understanding the Navy, mastering a job, leading people and growing beyond the uniform. According to military.com, Perryman said the point isn't getting every sailor to read the same titles but building a habit of learning that lasts a career.

Key points

• Four categories: The bookshelf is split into Reading for Every Sailor, Build Your Craft, Lead People, and Grow Beyond the Uniform, moving from the basics of the profession toward leadership and personal growth.
• No single mandatory list: Perryman said his goal "isn't for every sailor to read the same books," and that inclusion on the list doesn't mean the Navy endorses every author's views, per military.com.
• Builds on a 2021 program: The Navy's last major update included 53 books picked by the chief of naval operations and 21 more from then-MCPON Russell Smith, ranging from submarine fiction to Malcolm Gladwell and Robert Heinlein.
• Likely free to access: Many past recommended titles were available through Navy MWR's digital library, now folded into the joint DOD MWR Libraries system, which offers more than 250,000 ebooks and audiobooks, military.com reports.

Quick take

This reads less like a curriculum and more like Perryman nudging sailors to take ownership of their own development, then share what works with shipmates. Whether that looser approach gets more books actually opened than past formal lists did is the real test.

Read the full story: military.com