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SLIDESHOW | images | 190520-N-N0443-1001 NEWPORT, R.I. (May 20, 2019) Naval Leadership and Ethics Center logo. (U.S. Navy graphic)

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SLIDESHOW | images | Capt. Derek Granger 201123-N-N0443-2700 PENSACOLA, Fla. (Nov. 23, 2020) Official photo of Capt. Derek Granger. (U.S. Navy photo)

Every Sailor’s mission is operational readiness, and that involves and is impacted by both our personal and professional lives, including holding ourselves to high ideals.Capt. Derek Granger

NEWPORT R.I. — Naval Leadership and Ethics Center (NLEC) held a change of command ceremony at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport June 18.

Capt. Stephen J. Ilteris relieved Capt. Derek Granger as commanding officer of NLEC.  Granger has been the commanding officer since August 2019.

While headquartered at NAVSTA Newport, NLEC has additional locations in Virginia Beach, Virginia and San Diego, California, established under Granger’s leadership in support of fleet training.  NLEC programming focuses on developing an effective, integrated command triad – master chiefs/chiefs of the boat, executive officers, and commanding officers – as well as in preparing commanding officers’ and command chief spouses for their support role.  The center also provides short-term leadership training for division officers, department Heads, and executes the Enlisted Leader Development Continuum.

During his tour, Granger guided NLEC through a period of transition from alignment with the U.S. Naval War College to Naval Education and Training Command.  As part of that change, NLEC grew to support the continuum of character development, ethical decision-making, the profession of arms, and preparation for combat across the Navy, impacting leaders at every level from E-1 to O-6.

“Every Sailor’s mission is operational readiness, and that involves and is impacted by both our personal and professional lives, including holding ourselves to high ideals,” said Granger.  “Our Navy and our nation relies on each and every one of us to have integrity, serve honorably, and live our Navy’s core values.  The amazing staff at the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center works day in and day out to help our people understand these issues through research and designing thought-provoking educational programs so that ethics and leadership is factored into everything that we do.”  

In response to COVID-19, the NLEC staff adapted and developed an online course delivery method, while preserving the quality of education, to continue leader developmental training in support of the Navy’s Culture of Excellence (COE) initiative.  COE is focused on promoting positive behavior, healthy norms and role modeling about what right looks like across the Navy.

Granger also led NLEC through a yearlong academic research project on officer development to identify key leadership themes which ensure officer and enlisted leadership development courses remain vibrant and fleet-relevant.  The project resulted in introducing behavioral ethics and decision science into the curriculum. 

“I couldn’t be more proud of the work that we’ve accomplished, the advances we’ve made, especially over the last couple of years,” said Granger. “I want to thank everyone that has been involved in making NLEC a success, and our Navy’s leaders for their support.”

Indicative of his passion for the subjects of leadership and ethics, Granger personally facilitated instruction for more than 4,000 Navy leaders and their spouses.  He focused on key timeless and battle-proven leadership and human development tenets, encouraging staff and students to think creatively while considering the impacts their decisions have on their Sailors.

Granger, a native of Millbrook, Alabama, is retiring after 30 years of service.  A 1991 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, he served as a surface warfare officer aboard USS Halyburton (FFG 40) and USS Spruance (DD 963).  He was the commanding officer of USS Zephyr (PC 8), USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), and Patrol Coastal Squadron 1, and was deputy commodore and then commodore for Destroyer Squadron 22.  Ashore, his tours included serving as an instructor at Surface Warfare Officers School and the U.S. Naval War College; as Surface Warfare Department Head detailer at the Bureau of Naval Personnel; with the Joint Systems Integration Command; as deputy executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations; and on the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic.  He also received master’s degrees from the University of Rhode Island and the U.S. Naval War College.

Ilteris, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, reports to NLEC from his previous tour as commanding officer of USS Anchorage (LPD 23).  A career surface warfare officer, he is a 1996 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in 2008 and attended the U.S. Army War College.  He served aboard USS Cleveland (LPD 7), USS Hué City (CG 66), USS Tortuga (LSD 46), and USS Guardian (MCM 5); as executive officer and then commanding officer of USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49); and as chief staff officer for Amphibious Squadron 6.  His shore tours include service at U.S. Strategic Command and at Surface Warfare Officers School as an instructor and later as executive officer.

For information on Naval Leadership and Ethics Center, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/NLEC.  NLEC reports to the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), led by Rear Adm. Peter Garvin, the U.S. Navy’s Force Development pillar and largest shore command.