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NORFOLK, Va. – The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conducted its chief petty officer pinning ceremony, Sept. 27, at The Slover Library in Norfolk, Va. Seventeen selectees from the FY-25 chief selection results received their anchors and cover at the event.
USS Kearsarge Commanding Officer Capt. Sean Knight addressed the newest members of his Chiefs' Mess, their families and guests at the start of the ceremony saying the new chiefs are now “forged in steel.”
“It’s not just a rank, it’s a title earned by those who have gone before you and set the standard of what a chief petty officer is,” said Knight. “It’s a sacred charge only the chief petty officer can uphold.”
This ceremony, rich in naval tradition, is the pinnacle of a grueling six-week period known as ‘chief season,’ designed to challenge the selectees physically and mentally. This training regimen focused physical fitness, team building, pride and heritage, and networking.
Command Master Chief Charles Horgan charged the newly pinned chiefs to remember the legacy they leave behind and the task ahead.
“My charge to you is to continue to develop your legacy,” said Horgan. “We do not do this for money, privilege, or personal gain but because our nation relies on us to answer the call and be a ready fighting force to project sea and air power anywhere in the world.”
During the season each select is assigned a mentor to help guide them on their path to acceptance in the U.S. Navy’s Chief Petty Officers’ Mess. Selectees not only received training and mentorship from the Mess, but were given opportunities to sharpen their ability to train their future Sailors and junior officers.
Chief Fire Controlman Nick Tayman, assigned to USS Kearsarge, served as a sponsor this year during chief season.
“It was a blast,” said Tayman. “Seeing how your select begins their journey, to where they end up at the end is absolutely amazing. The impact you make as a sponsor is something you hope will last the rest of your selects career and lifetime.”
The culminating event during season, known as ‘Final Night,’ tests everything the selects have learned over the previous weeks, and serves as the pivotal transformative event to determine who earns the title of chief.
“Humility is the hallmark of any chief in the Navy,” said Master Chief Hull Technician Ralph Casillas, USS Kearsarge, maintenance and material management coordinator (3MC). “Knowing what you know, and more importantly being humble enough to ask for help when you don’t know is what we drive into the selects during season. If you aren’t willing to learn you are robbing yourself of personal and professional growth.”
Although this is a uniquely Navy tradition, other military services E-7 enlisted members may request to go through season, and join the hallowed halls of the Navy’s Chiefs’ Mess. The requesting process includes an extensive review by a board of Navy chiefs who review the official military record of the service member, before making a final decision. This year, Kearsarge’s own U.S. Marine Corps GySgt. Eduardo Santos had that distinction.
“It feels phenomenal. It feels like I have a part of that responsibility to my Marines and Sailors, but most importantly I feel so proud to have gone through it and receive my anchors,” said Santos.
Friends and family were able to join their newly pinned chiefs in person and online for the ceremony. Sharing in this major career milestone, the ceremony concluded with the newest Kearsarge chiefs joining the rest of the Chiefs’ Mess.
The ship’s mission is to embark, deploy, land and support a Marine landing force. Currently the USS Kearsarge is undergoing an extensive overhaul and maintenance period to extend the ship’s life cycle for years to come.
| Date Taken: | 09.27.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.27.2024 14:46 |
| Story ID: | 481976 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 89 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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