Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Smith | 250428-N-SS900-1004 NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA (April 28, 2025) Senior Chief Fire Control...... read more read more
Subscribe
NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA (May 6, 2025) – Two Sailors from Commander, Submarine Squadron (CSS) 11 were recently selected for prestigious career advancements, marking a significant milestone in their naval careers.
Senior Chief Fire Control Technician Christopher Cook was selected for the Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) program, while Chief Yeoman (Submarine) Donavon Madison earned a spot in the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program. Both Sailors' selections highlight their exceptional technical expertise, leadership, and commitment to their craft, setting them on a path to greater responsibilities in the Navy.
Cook, from Smyrna, Tennessee, joined the Navy on August 21, 2008. When he joined, he did not set out for a career in the submarine force. Originally aiming to become a corpsman, his plans changed when he was informed the corpsman field was overmanned.
“I was presented with the options of the aviation electronic computer field or submarine electronic computer field,” said Cook. “Since I had never been on a submarine before, I decided to give it a shot.”
In the years that followed, Cook found great leaders and mentors throughout the submarine community, Sailors focused on molding and shaping the next generation of submariners and fire control technicians.
“My first chief, Frederick Ackwith, truly allowed us to learn and flourish as technicians,” recalled Cook. “When we were truly stumped, he would step in and show us what right looked like and set an excellent example for us to emulate.”
This experience, along with years of hard work, eventually led him to pursue the CWO program.
“I felt a great sense of gratitude when I found out I was selected for CWO,” said Cook. “For the last decade, I have viewed the CWO community as the pinnacle of technical expertise, and to be accepted into such a prestigious community is such an honor.”
Cook's journey into the CWO ranks builds on a strong foundation of service. With over a decade of experience, including running divisions and departments, Cook is prepared to transition into his new role as a Sub-ordnance Chief Warrant Officer.
“I am incredibly grateful for the trust placed in me by the CWO community to spearhead these obstacles,” Cook shared.
Madison, from Evansville, Indiana, joined the Navy on July 14, 2013, right out of high school. His initial decision to join the Navy was, as he admits, a spur-of-the-moment decision.
"I honestly joined the Navy on a whim," Madison shared. "I had no intention of going to college growing up, and I couldn’t see myself working at McDonald's for the rest of my life."
Madison's path to the LDO program was driven by his desire for greater career opportunities within the submarine force.
"Growing up as a baby submarine yeoman, you realize that your ability to explore the world and have different jobs within the submarine force is very limited,” Madison explained.
With those limited options on his mind, Madison started looking at different avenues he could explore. He found more challenges and opportunities within the LDO program
“LDO was the community that interested me the most, as I enjoy my current job, and it has the most similarities to it,” said Madison.
Madison feels honored by his selection, though he admits he is still in a little bit of disbelief.
"It honestly still hasn’t sunk in yet," said Madison. "Every few days, I catch myself reviewing the NAVADMIN to see if I was actually selected or if I had just dreamt about being selected."
As he embarks on his new journey, Madison is looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead.
"I am most excited about the unlimited opportunities that await me in the future. I will be able to visit and explore a lot more of the world,” said Madison. "The impact I hope to make is to show that anything is possible, and that persistence is key."
Both Cook and Madison are proud of their Navy careers and are eager to make a lasting impact in their new roles. With years of experience behind them, both Sailors are driven by a deep sense of commitment to the Navy's mission and a passion for leadership, which has not gone unnoticed by CSS-11 staff.
“Senior Chief Cook and Chief Madison exemplify the technical skill and leadership that make the members of our submarine force and its submarines Apex Predators,” said Capt. Will Wiley, commander, Submarine Squadron 11. “Their selection reflects their dedication to pursuing excellence on a daily basis and their impact on the Sailors around them. I am excited for our submarine force that we can reward and retain talented Sailors like ours as they continue their service in these outstanding programs."
CSS-11 is headquartered at Naval Base Point Loma, California, and reports to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. CSS-11 provides training, material and personnel readiness support for the medium auxiliary floating dry dock ARCO (ARDM 5), Undersea Rescue Command (URC), and four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
For more information, contact SPSC_CSS11_PAO@navy.mil, call +1 (619) 553-1278, or visit our command website at https://www.csp.navy.mil/css11/.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 14:40 |
| Story ID: | 497179 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | SMYRNA, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 201 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Leadership and Legacy: Two Squadron 11 Sailors Selected for Prestigious Navy Programs, by PO1 Aaron Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
