Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Laura Myers | 190401-N-IY469-028 – NMCP CPOs celebrate the 126th birthday of the Navy’s chief...... read more read more
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth’s (NMCP) chief petty officers (CPO) celebrated the 126th birthday of the CPO during a cake cutting ceremony, Apr. 1.
In attendance were NMCP’s leadership and CPOs past and present. ““It's been a strong 126 years of making our Navy run, as its backbone,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Sonny O’Campo, the master of ceremony.
“Part of the success is chiefs strive to be visible, confidently humble deck plate leaders that are more authentic, competent and courageous in leading our Navy's team forward every day. Today we are the strongest Navy in the world by any measure. We have the most ships, the best equipment and most importantly the finest Sailors,” added O’Campo. “126 years ago when the first Sailor was classified as chief petty officer, the Navy's role in the world was obscure. We owe everything to those who have worn anchors since 1893 who are pivotal in the forging of our Navy in the worlds most well-trained and premiere combat-ready force.”
During the ceremony, Capt. Christopher Culp, NMCP’s commanding officer, read a birthday message from the Chief of the Medical Corps and expressed his sincere gratitude for the NMCP chiefs mess.
“Thank you guys for what your mess contributes to the mission in this treasured old place,” Culp said. “I couldn't be more fortunate than to have this particular chiefs mess to support my time here as the CO. You guys are fabulous, thank you for that.”
Master Chief Hospital Corpsman John Mooers, a representative of NMCP’s senior enlisted, offered his perspective to the chiefs mess of what it means to be a chief petty officer in the medical field and at NMCP.
“It is the most difficult, challenging, frustrating and ultimately rewarding career in the Navy to be a chief petty officer,” Mooers said. “More than ever we are challenged to go beyond the word of written assignment; to be social worker and babysitter, trainer, mentor, older brother and in some cases grandfather, but what do we do? We do what we have to do and here in this cradle of Navy medicine, here it is perhaps the most difficult place to chief. In the fleet, a chief may deal with one maybe two officers, 25 to 30 Sailors in their division. In FMF they have a higher ratio of senior enlisted to Sailors out there. IT shops, one chief for 25 people. But here, our chiefs somehow manage to get the mission done despite having to look after, mentor and train, on average, about 75 to 100 Sailors each.”
Before the cake cutting commenced, Chief Hospital Corpsman Kenneth Hornfeldt read the birthday message from Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith.
“So, in the beginning there was no birthday, no mess, no initiation process, there was only Sailors, salty with experience and a deep conviction to bridge the gap between the vision their officers had and the Sailors who executed the mission,” Hornfeldt read. “Recognizing the seam, chief petty officers were created to provide the kind of pragmatic leadership and guidance that enlisted Sailors could understand and relate to, enabling our Navy to move forward as the operating environment began to evolve beyond the simple age of sail and traditional Sailor skills.”
The ceremony ended with the cutting of the cake, a time-honored tradition when the most senior Sailor and most junior Sailor present, and in some cases the oldest and youngest, cut the cake. Command Master Chief Beth Nilson, the saltiest CPO present, and Chief Hospital Corpsman Julian Aryee, the youngest CPO present, cut the first slice of cake.
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2019 09:22 |
| Story ID: | 316565 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 318 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NMCP Chief’s Mess Celebrates CPO 126th Birthday, by PO1 Laura Myers, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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