Talk:Michael D. Stevens

Edits to Post Navy Career

Good Afternoon, I'm the person who initially placed a Post Navy Career in for Mike D Stevens. I see that someone claiming to be "the" Mike D Stevens keeps deleting it, along with questioning it entirely. Foremost there are a number of different sources and direct quotes from Mike D Stevens himself acknowledging his work after he retired from naval service and began his post-navy career.

Below is an excerpt from the NavyTimes:

Beyond a small working group, convened this past summer and led by then-Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens, next-to no one in the Navy saw this change coming, sources with knowledge of the decision-making process say. And it’s been received with near universal contempt by sailors past and present. Stevens, who retired in September after four years in the top enlisted post, has discussed that process at length with Navy Times going back to the summer. Stevens said he had full support from the service’s top admiral, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, and Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke. “I felt it was not optional,” Stevens said, “but my duty to lead this effort, knowing all along that there would be controversy attached to it.” The former MCPON, as the position is known throughout the service, says he believes the move is necessary and that now Navy leaders “must follow through.”

There are a different number of sources from NavyTimes, Military.com, USNI (USNI was cited on his bio page), (multiple sources, multiple reports) etc. that all have Mike Stevens acting as the leader of the working group after his post navy career that spearheaded the newest navy force modernization. I'd rather put this statement on the talk page to show forth that there is a little more credibility towards an addition of a post-navy career in good faith, rather than indicated by someone who keeps deleting it.

I invite @Mike Stevens: to comment here regarding their edits. 331dot (talk) 17:11, 11 February 2017 (UTC)

I am Mike Stevens the former 13th Master Chief Petty Officer of The Navy. I am the one the made the edits. I was not retained as a civilian after my retirement. While on active duty I did lead the efforts to make recommendation to the CNO and CNP. However, the articles that were written trying to explain the process are largely inaccurate. After retirement I left DC and moved straight to Pittsburgh where I now work as the COO for Victory Media. I am more than willing to provide the accurate details of my post Navy career if requested. Thank you and sorry for the confusion. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mike Stevens (talk • contribs)

@Mike Stevens: You will probably need to visit this page and follow the instructions there to verify your identity(the email address given on that page). 331dot (talk) 17:21, 11 February 2017 (UTC)

@Mike Stevens: You also should refrain from editing this page further until this issue is discussed. Autobiographical edits are highly discouraged as a conflict of interest. This doesn't mean the corrections you want cannot be done, but you should not perform them yourself. 331dot (talk) 17:23, 11 February 2017 (UTC)

Actually, none of that appears to be from after his retirement - in the articles, the working group was clearly doing its review before his retirement. After all, he retired 2 September 2016 and the NAVAADMIN 218/16 is dated 16 September 2016. Your own quote says "...led by then-Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens" (emphasis mine). There doesn't seem to be any evidence of him being a "consultant" whatsoever. --tronvillain (talk) 15:13, 20 September 2017 (UTC)

Again

The following seems to be a variation of what was discussed above:

Beginning in June 2016, Stevens oversaw a review of the Navy's existing enlisted rating system, directed by the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus and the Chief of Naval Operations, and supported by the senior enlisted leadership mess. After Steven's retirement, a group of senior enlisted leaders came to the conclusion that the Navy needed to replace its current enlisted system on September 29, 2016 with the release of NAVADMIN 218/16. The changes would have eliminated ratings in favor of the generic titles of "Seaman" (E-1 to E-3) or "Petty Officer" (E-4 to E-6) and accompanying Navy Occupational Specialty codes, but this change was reversed in December 2016 after substantial criticism.

A user stating they are Stevens has said this is inaccurate and poorly sourced. Please discuss this further here. 331dot (talk) 17:17, 22 June 2018 (UTC)

Have they though? Or is the IP user also Stevens? Oh wait, it was on their user page I see.--tronvillain (talk) 18:12, 22 June 2018 (UTC); edited 18:18, 22 June 2018 (UTC)

Anyway, the paragraph is consistent with existing sources, and even with what a user claiming to be Stevens said previously, as I pointed out below. --tronvillain (talk) 18:21, 22 June 2018 (UTC)

References

Review of Ratings System

It seems relatively clear that Stevens was in charge of the review of ratings system, but that the changes weren't made until after his retirement, which is what the article currently says and has said since September. I'm not sure what is being described as "false content" in the edit summary. --tronvillain (talk) 15:17, 22 June 2018 (UTC)

For example, see here and here. The User:Mike Stevens even says above "While on active duty I did lead the efforts to make recommendation to the CNO and CNP." That's not a source of course, but it's also what the available sources say. --tronvillain (talk) 15:28, 22 June 2018 (UTC)