Photo By Chief Petty Officer Brannon Deugan | NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Sept. 16, 2015) Chief Builder Patrick Smith, assigned to...... read more read more
NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain - Three Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 Seabees were pinned to Chief Petty Officer during deployments to Rota, Spain and Guam, Sept. 16, 2015.
Chief Steelworker Jason Read, Chief Builder Patrick Smith, and Chief Builder Ricky Bonds found out on Aug. 6 that they were chosen for promotion to chief petty officer and have been anticipating to be pinned with the gold fouled anchors on their lapels and to have the combination cover of a chief petty officer ceremoniously positioned on their head.
“It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my naval career,” said Smith, deployed to Rota, Spain. “To have my mentors with me to cover and pin me was great.”
The ceremony is a major milestone in an enlisted member’s naval career and most often spent with families and friends. However, the deployment left the celebration with family and friends to a minimum and even more meaningful for those able to spend it with loved ones.
“Being pinned was awesome,” said Read, deployed to Rota, Spain. “My wife was able to fly here from Gulfport and pin me. It was one of the highlights of my day.”
The three newly appointed chiefs spent six-weeks undergoing intense training for CPO 365 Phase Two, a Navywide initiative for senior leaders to introduce the chief selects to challenges designed to strengthen leadership skills and to provide a better understanding of what it means to be a Navy chief. Phase Two also included training on the history and traditions of the CPO Mess, tough physical challenges, mentorship and many other responsibilities.
“Phase Two was the most challenging and beneficial experiences I have ever been through,” said Smith. “You learn a lot about yourself and how other Sailors think. I am happy to say I am a better leader today because of Phase Two.”
Phase Two for Naval Station Rota was a base wide evolution that involved 21 Sailors and one U.S. Air Force Airman. These newly pinned chiefs were not only challenged mentally and physically, but they were also able to make new friends during the six-weeks.
“It was probably one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences of my career,” said Read. “I was able to meet people that I might have never got a chance to meet outside of this tradition.”
The transformation through Phase Two and being pinned to the pay grade of E-7 signifies more responsibility and increased expectations while joining the longstanding tradition of the Chief’s Mess.
“Your entire way of life has now changed,” said Naval Station Rota’s Command Master Chief Delbert Terrell, who read the CPO Creed during the chief pinning ceremony on board Naval Station Rota. “More will be expected of you. More will be demanded of you. Not because you’re an E-7, but because now you’re a chief petty officer. You have not merely been promoted one pay grade; you have joined an exclusive fraternity.”
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2015 04:58 |
| Story ID: | 176937 |
| Location: | ES |
| Web Views: | 188 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Three deployed Seabees pinned to chief petty officer, by CPO Brannon Deugan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT