Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Richard Rizzo | SEAL BEACH, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2017) Master Chief Petty Officer Robert S. Uribe, right, a...... read more read more
SEAL BEACH, Calif. – A native of Montebello, Calif., Master Chief Petty Officer Robert S. Uribe, Reserve Command Master Chief for Cargo Afloat Rig Team 3 (CART 3), was honorably discharged from his 30 years of naval service in a retirement ceremony held Nov. 4 at Coastal Riverine Squadron 11 aboard Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.
The master of ceremonies, Master Chief Petty Officer Jeffery Persiani, Command Master Chief for Navy Operational Support Center Los Angeles, began the ceremony by introducing Cmdr. Douglas Holtan, commanding officer of Cargo Afloat Rig Team 3, and Capt. Bradley W. Story, commanding officer of Coastal Riverine Squadron 11, both of whom were received by side boys and a boatswain’s pipe in accordance with naval custom.
The color guard paraded the nation’s flag before those assembled as The Star-Spangled Banner was played, after which an invocation was delivered by Uribe's own uncle, retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. John Telles.
Persiani then extended a welcome to attending family members, with special acknowledgment paid to the retiree’s wife and children for their years of support throughout Uribe’s career.
“Our nation is thankful for the sacrifices you have made as your husband and father served our country, and I speak for all the commands here when I say how grateful and pleased we all are to have you all here today,” Persiani said.
Story then took to the podium as guest speaker, where he related highlights from Uribe’s career biography, beginning with the day Uribe first donned his uniform in December of 1987 as a recruit at San Diego’s former Recruit Training Center.
Uribe’s early career was spent in pursuit of training qualifications for his work as an electronics technician. His training carried him to Florida, Illinois, and back to California in 1990, where he met his first ship, USS William H. Standley (CG 32), a guided missile cruiser homeported in San Diego.
After only six months aboard Standley, Uribe was transferred to USS New Orleans (LPH 11), an amphibious assault ship also homeported in San Diego, on which Uribe was serving when the vessel deployed to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In 1994, Uribe was again assigned to a unit in San Diego, this time for shore duty with Fleet Combat Training Center Pacific. From there, Uribe applied for independent duty with Naval Special Warfare’s Patrol Coastal Maintenance Support Team 1, where Uribe served as an operations officer aboard USS Hurricane (PC 3) and USS Monsoon (PC 4) in Coronado, Calif.
After being selected for advancement to Chief Petty Officer in 1997, Uribe decided that he would transition out of the active duty community. He affiliated with the Navy Reserve in April 2001, and began serving with Naval Special Warfare Group 3, again out of Coronado.
The events of September 11, 2001, ensured that Uribe’s skills would be called upon as a reservist. In 2002, he was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer and subsequently mobilized in support of operations with SEAL Team 17, where Uribe was appointed Command Senior Chief responsible for 450 other Sailors.
In 2006, Uribe transferred to serve with Explosive Ordnance Team 2 (EOT 2) in Seal Beach, and in 2007 was briefly appointed Command Master Chief of Navy Operational Support Center Long Beach for an interstitial period. He again returned to Explosive Ordnance Team 2 and was thereafter recruited for duty with Command and Control Division 31, where again he served as Command Master Chief.
In 2010, Uribe assumed a leadership role at the newly formed Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 11 in Seal Beach, where Uribe expended efforts to shape and sharpen the newly constituted unit in time for its 2012 deployment to the Middle East. It was during this mobilization that Uribe was selected for the Navy’s formal Command Master Chief program.
Upon returning from deployment, Uribe accepted orders to Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 1 until his transfer to Cargo Afloat Rig Team 3, which was commanded by Holtan at the time of Uribe’s retirement.
Holtan spoke warmly of Uribe before presenting him with signed certificates of appreciation from former President Barack Obama and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven S. Giordano.
Uribe’s wife, Athena Uribe, was then escorted to the platform with the Uribes’ five children Celine, Sara, Joshua, Robert and Nicholas, where the family received thanks for all their years of support via letters of appreciation from Capt. Michael D. Johns, commanding officer of Navy Operational Support Center Los Angeles.
A traditional flag-folding ceremony was then observed using a flag flown over the USS Constitution, the world’s oldest serving warship. An interpretation of Howard Schnauber’s “My Name is Old Glory” was read by Senior Chief Petty Officer George Szuh during the ceremony.
A handcrafted shadow box containing symbols of accomplishment from throughout Uribe’s 30-year career was then presented to the retiree on behalf of the unit, including a U.S. flag flown in the Arabian Sea during Uribe’s last deployment.
Uribe then took to the podium to express thanks to those in attendance and astonishment at the career now behind him.
“My grandparents suggested I go into the Navy to learn a trade. To get out there and see the world for a few years. So that's what I did,” Uribe said. “I never would have thought I'd end up here.”
A reading of “The Watch” was then given by Master Chief Petty Officer Ernie Sierra, complete will bells tolling as Uribe stood preparing to pass between the side boys into civilian life.
Telles again took the podium to deliver a benediction, and Uribe symbolically requested permission from Holtan to go ashore. Permission was granted, a hand salute was rendered by the side boys, and Uribe was piped ashore – a Master Chief Petty Officer, retired.
Master Chief Petty Officer is the highest rank available to enlisted members of the United States Navy and is the maximum enlisted paygrade of E-9. Less than one percent of the Navy's personnel make it to the rank of Master Chief, and those who do are considered to be among the best and the brightest in their respective specialties.
Uribe will continue working in his civilian career for the city of Long Beach, where he serves the port, airport and emergency services departments with their communications electronics infrastructure needs.
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.29.2017 22:13 |
| Story ID: | 256872 |
| Location: | SEAL BEACH NAVAL WEAPONS STATION, CA, US |
| Hometown: | EAST LOS ANGELES, CA, US |
| Hometown: | LONG BEACH, CA, US |
| Hometown: | MONTEBELLO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | SEAL BEACH, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 726 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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