On April 1st, our entire Mess will pause to celebrate 118 years of the United States Navy Chief Petty Officer, and we're not just celebrating another year of chiefs serving the Navy, we're celebrating everything it means to wear the fouled anchors we all cherish.
Those anchors are the symbol of a culture and a way of life, representing character, loyalty, a strong commitment to leadership, our core values, and Navy ethos. Our anchors carry with them a responsibility to live up to the tradition of selfless service, while remembering our proud heritage that we've spent 118 years building as we look toward our future.
Thank you Chiefs! Through your leadership of our Sailors, you continue to keep our heritage alive and our Navy strong — and as you know our Navy is the best it has ever been. Continue to make a positive impact on your command, your Sailors, yourself and our Mess.
Remember those who have gone before us and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation.
Happy birthday Shipmates! I truly appreciate your leadership and the hard work you do every day.
Anchor Up and Hooyah Navy Chiefs!"
4 comments:
BZ Navy Chief Petty Officers !!
Chief Petty Officer Creed
During the course of this day you have been caused to suffer indignities, to experience humiliation. This you have accomplished with rare good grace and, therefore, I now believe it fitting to explain to you why this was done. There was no intent, and no desire, to demean you nor to insult you. Pointless as it may have seemed to you, there was a time-honored and valid reason behind every single deed, every single barb. By experience, by performance and by testing, you have been this day advanced to Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy-and only in the United States Navy does E-7 carry unique responsibilities no other armed force throughout the world carries, nor which grants privileges to it's enlisted personnel comparable to the privileges and responsibilities you are now bound to observe and are expected to fulfill.
Your entire way of life has now been changed. More will be expected of you; more will be demanded of you. Not because you are an E-7, but because you are now a Chief Petty Officer. You have not merely been promoted one pay grade. You have joined an exclusive fraternity - and, as in all fraternities, you have a responsibility to your brothers - even as they have a responsibility to you. Always bear in mind that no other armed force has rate or rank equivalent to that of the United States Navy. Granted, that all armed forces have two classes of service: enlisted and commissioned; however, the United States Navy has the distinction of having four, i.e. Enlisted, Bureau appointed CPO, Bureau appointed Warrant and Commissioned. This is why you can maintain with pride your feeling of superiority once you have attained the position of E-7 on the United States Navy.
These privileges, these responsibilities do not appear in print. They have no official standing. They cannot be referred to by name, number or file. They exist because for over 200 years the Chiefs before you have freely accepted responsibility beyond call of printed assignment and have, by their actions and performance, commanded the respect of their seniors as well as their juniors. It is now required that you be a fountain of wisdom, the ambassador of good will, the authority in personnel relations as well as technical application. "Ask the Chief" is a household phrase, both in and out of the Navy.
You are now the "CHIEF"! So this, then, is why you were caused to experience these things. You were subjected to humiliation to prove to you that humility is good, a great, a necessary attribute which cannot mar you - in fact, it strengthens you - and, in your future as a Chief Petty Officer, you will be caused to suffer indignities, to experience humiliation far beyond those imposed upon you today. Bear them with the dignity, and with the same good grace, which you bore them today! It is our intention to prove these facts to you. It is our intention that you will never forget this day. It is our intention to test you, to try you, and to accept you. Your performance today has assured us that you will wear your hat with aplomb, as did your brothers in arms before you. We take a deep, sincere pleasure in clasping your hand, and accepting you as a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy.
I think that is the "OLD" creed.
The current version is...
During the course of this day you have been caused to humbly accept challenge and face adversity. This you have accomplished with rare good grace. Pointless as some of these challenges may have seemed, there were valid, time-honored reasons behind each pointed barb. It was necessary to meet these hurdles with blind faith in the fellowship of Chief Petty Officers. The goal was to instill in you that trust is inherent with the donning of the uniform of a Chief.
It was our intent to impress upon you that challenge is good; a great and necessary reality which cannot mar you - which, in fact, strengthens you. In your future as a Chief Petty Officer, you will be forced to endure adversity far beyond that imposed upon you today. You must face each challenge and adversity with the same dignity and good grace you demonstrated today. By experience, by performance, and by testing, you have been this day advanced to Chief Petty Officer.
In the United States Navy - and only in the United States Navy - the rank of E7 carries with it unique responsibilities and privileges you are now bound to observe and expected to fulfill. Your entire way of life is now changed. More will be expected of you; more will be demanded of you. Not because you are a E7 but because you are now a Chief Petty Officer. You have not merely been promoted one paygrade, you have joined an exclusive fellowship and, as in all fellowships, you have a special responsibility to your comrades, even as they have a special responsibility to you.
This is why we in the United States Navy may maintain with pride our feelings of accomplishment once we have attained the position of Chief Petty Officer. Your new responsibilities and privileges do not appear in print. They have no official standing; they cannot be referred to by name, number, nor file. They have existed for over 100 years, Chiefs before you have freely accepted responsibility beyond the call of printed assignment. Their actions and their performance demanded the respect of their seniors as well as their juniors.
It is now required that you be the fountain of wisdom, the ambassador of good will, the authority in personal relations as well as in technical applications. "Ask the Chief" is a household phrase in and out of the Navy. You are now the Chief. The exalted position you have now achieved - and the word exalted is used advisedly - exists because of the attitude and performance of the Chiefs before you. It shall exist only as long as you and your fellow Chiefs maintain these standards. It was our intention that you never forget this day.
It was our intention to test you, to try you, and to accept you. Your performance has assured us that you will wear "the hat" with the same pride as your comrades in arms before you. We take a deep and sincere pleasure in clasping your hand, and accepting you as a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy.
Just like today's Navy the new CPO creed is kinder, gentler, we're sorry, it's ok and expected that you will make mistakes and not be held completely accountable. Let me hold your hand - oops! That should be let me mentor you. IMHO this explains why today's CPO is nothing like yesterdays CPO.
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