Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Phillip D. James Jr. | Chief Navy Counselor Aaron Jardina (right) places a Chief's combination cover on the...... read more read more
COVINGTON, Ky. – Chief Information Systems Technician (Submarines) Kevin Martindale, a graduate of Princeton High School in Cincinnati, was advanced to the rank of chief petty officer (CPO) in the United States Navy.
Martindale is currently serving at Navy Recruiting District (NRD) Ohio as the assistant systems administrator working out of Navy Officer Recruiting Station (NORS) Cincinnati. His wife, April, an NRD Ohio ombudsman, and his sons, Lincoln and Connor, pinned his anchors on him at the Chief Petty Officer Pinning Ceremony held at the Radisson Cincinnati Waterfront.
Martindale received a phone call from both NRD Ohio Commanding Officer Cmdr. Eric Shafer and NRD Ohio Command Master Chief Kathi Carmack Aug. 6, 2014, congratulating him on his selection to CPO.
Martindale said, “When I found out I made chief, I was in shock for hours. It wasn’t something that really sank in until we were days into our training. It is just such an honor.”
Martindale recommended that those seeking to advance to chief to count everything, because everything you do helps, even the small things you do for others matters. He called everyone from his last division to thank them because he knew that he did not get there by himself.
Now that he is a chief, Martindale expects that the biggest change he will see is an increased ability to help his Sailors succeed. He now has peers and mentors in the Chief’s Mess that he can rely on to assist him.
Martindale said, “The sense of brotherhood experienced with the other chiefs during this process is indescribable. It’s something you can only experience for yourself, and can’t be put into words. I will say however, that the fact that I am a part of this organization, that I have people to call when I need help, that I have the Chief’s Mess to lean on, is a blessing from God.”
According Carmack, NRD Ohio had nine Sailors selected to advance to chief petty officer, which put the command in the top three of the 26 Recruiting Districts in terms of CPO advancement.
Carmack said, “When one of my Sailors gets selected for chief, it’s an overwhelming feeling. It’s almost as if I am getting promoted again. Being selected to chief petty officer is one of the most significant milestones not only in a career but also in a Sailor’s life, because so few actually achieve the rank of chief petty officer.”
Carmack stated that the most memorable part of the training that goes into effect once a Sailor is selected is the pinning ceremony.
“That is when everything comes together. That is when the new chief gets to smile. They’re tired, and they’ve been tested, tried and accepted. Their families get to see the hard work they’ve put into it and the Chiefs Mess gets to see the rewards from their training,” Carmack said. “The chief is the nucleus and the backbone of the Navy. Chiefs train enlisted Sailors and junior officers, so the guidance that we provide touches everyone in the Navy.”
According to Shafer, he relies heavily on chiefs to run Recruiting Stations, Divisions and Departments. They serve key roles as technical experts and deckplate leaders making them essential to the Navy.
Shafer said, “Chiefs mold and mentor our young Sailors and transform the vision of senior leadership into action. They have been doing this for well over a century and our service could not do without our CPO Mess.”
Shafer stated that he was proud to see his Sailors advancing to chief. One of his most important goals is to advance every eligible Sailor in recognition of their hard work.
Shafer said, “Advancing a Sailor to chief petty officer and seeing him or her transform into a leader is truly one of the best parts of being a commanding officer. I feel privileged to welcome these remarkable individuals into the khaki community.”
Advancement to chief petty officer is a major milestone in a Sailor's career. It marks the Sailor as a leader and not only bestows upon them the pay grade of E-7, but also bestows upon them responsibilities and privileges that are unique to a United States Navy chief.
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.24.2014 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 143127 |
| Location: | COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | CINCINNATI, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 197 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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