Voice, Apr. 2

APRIL 2, 2014

USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) VOL 5 ISSUE 08

ANCHOR UP THE CHIEF LEGACY

THE CHIEF LEGACY PG 2

A

ANCHOR UP

by MC3 Curtis D. Spencer

sk Chief”, a shorter version of the traditional “Ask the Chief”, is a common phrase for young Sailors. So common is the phrase that some of those same Sailors are unaware the Navy has not always had the E-7 through E-9 paygrades – or that the phrase was any different then.

On April 1, 1893, the chief petty officer rank was created. The Navy had officers, and it had enlisted service members, but there was no clear link to connect them. In General Order 409, the Navy called upon seasoned, senior enlisted Sailors to lead their fellow enlisted personnel and to communicate the needs of enlisted Sailors to the wardroom.

When the chief petty officer had been firmly established within the ranks of the Navy, an even more distinct link between officers and the deck plates was desired. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) position was created in 1967.

The MCPON became the enlisted spokesperson to the Chief of Naval Operations to further bridge the communication gap between enlisted force and commissioned leadership.

“The term ‘chief petty officer’ is exalted because of what it demands of each one of us. To any chief, it signifies an uncompromising dedication to our Sailors and the mission of the Navy,” said Command Master Chief CMDCM (AW/SW) Jeffrey Pickering.

“It is a way of life for us that we cannot forget when we cross the brow or lay our heads upon our pillows.

It demands steadfast dedication to others, without reservation. Our exalted position as the chief grants

service to others and requires us to teach our trades to ensure our skill sets will last the test of time.”

Each April 1, Sailors have the opportunity to not only reflect upon the inception of the chief, but on the chief petty officer’s heritage of leadership. From their genesis, chiefs were tasked to provide guidance to the enlisted force and advice to Navy leadership in order to aid in the creation of combat-ready Sailors.

“Leadership has been the chief’s most significant contribution to the Navy,” said Senior Chief Logistics Specialist (SW/AW) Juan Gutierrez, Supply Department’s S-8 leading chief petty officer. “Chiefs are like the veteran players in professional sports, they are the salty Navy Sailor leading their team to victory.”

Chiefs are tasked to develop junior Sailors according to Navy standards, regulations and traditions. Additionally, they must endeavor to remain responsive, consistent and in-tune with leadership and subordinates alike.

“The chiefs I looked up to as a junior Sailor took no excuses and constantly pushed me and my Shipmates to excel,” Gutierrez said. “They gave me study time, guided me when I needed guidance – and most importantly, they were there whenever I had questions.”

The chief petty officer does not only temper strong Sailors; he or she is required to be a strong Sailor.

Chiefs are experts in their field who use experience and technical knowledge to solidify themselves as vital links in the Navy chain.

To become a chief, first class petty officers must

have proven leadership performance.

“Once a first class petty officer passes the exam with a high enough score, he or she becomes board eligible,” said Senior Chief Cryptological Technician Technical (SW/AW/ IDW/SS) Michael Smith, Intel Department’s leading chief petty officer. “They then send their package to the chief’s selection board. Everyone gets a fair look. Every record is evaluated twice, sometimes three times. Those selected by the board become chief petty officers.”

Each year, the Navy sends out a precept message to the fleet, making first class petty officers aware of the standards the board will be focusing on most strongly.

“As long as I have been in the Navy, the board has always looked for the best, fully qualified Sailors with sustained superior performance,” Smith said. “This is the most fair process available to ensure the right Sailors are promoted.”

Chiefs are expected to follow an uncompromising code of integrity, take responsibility for their actions, and keep their word in order to set a positive tone for the command and unify the chiefs’ mess.

“For 365 days a year we train all first class petty officers,” said Smith of the CPO 365 program. “We train them on different topics throughout the year. We make sure we cover integrity, accountability, liability, and the numerous programs chiefs are responsible for. CPO 365 is in place to build team work. Candidates are pushed to function and succeed as one unit to create esprit de corps.”

Through extensive training, candidates have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills for the next level – where there will surely be a Sailor saying, “Ask chief”.

“Being a chief means you are a part of something bigger than yourself,” Gutierrez said. “We are expected to enforce the standards set before us. We are chiefs 24/7, 365 days a year, even when we are on liberty.”

Carl Vinson is host to 24 Master Chiefs, 43 Senior Chiefs and 139 Chiefs. Each embarked command brings its own chief petty officers into the mess. During deployment, there are more than 360 chief petty officers who make up senior enlisted leadership on board.

PG 3

around the

PG 6