Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick D. West visited Sailors within Naval Region Northwest, Nov. 1-4.
During the visit, West held all-hands calls on Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) and aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) to answer questions from Sailors about career opportunities and policies.
“Our Sailors, our Navy is doing an outstanding job,” said West . “I came in the Navy in 1981…and our Sailors are gaining a lot of things that honestly we didn’t have the opportunity to get when I was a young Sailor. It’s pretty impressive.”
Sailors were given an open forum to ask questions on various topics like perform-to-serve, enlisted retention board, and uniform regulations.
“Having the MCPON visit here was great, to have a face-to-face meeting and answering many of questions about the Navy and our careers really showed that he cared,” said Personnel Specialist Seaman (SW) Laurence Boyer , assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 stationed on NASWI.
West said for the all-hands call to be successful he was not going to stand up and talk, instead he wanted the Sailors to ask their questions about their issues and concerns.
“I think the MCPON visit to various commands here is good for the morale of the Sailors, to have the MCPON meet with Sailors, answering their questions about their career and just making sure that we are all taken care of,” said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Marivic Abad , assigned to operations department on NBK.
West also toured Fleet Readiness Center Northwest, NBK-Bangor and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and met with the chief petty officer mess in NRNW.
[mappress] Source: navy, November 08, 2011;