Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) welcomed 14 chief petty officer selects to the ranks with an additional 14 inbound to the command when the results were announced Aug. 1.
The 28 newest chief petty officers have a unique opportunity within the Navy to serve aboard the newest and most technologically advanced aircraft carrier.
“The chief selects we have from this year’s selection board are the chiefs who are really making up the very first Chiefs Mess of a new class of ship,” said Ford’s Commanding Officer Capt. John F. Meier. “They are going to be the chiefs who take Ford to sea and demonstrate this national asset.”
The atmosphere throughout the command was one of excitement as the selectees found out the news.
“It’s really a great time,” said Meier. “It’s always a great time to make chief, but this instance, the folks who are making it are going to a part of the finest Chiefs Mess in the Navy, but also the first Chiefs Mess of the ship. It’s pretty exciting.”
Ford’s numbers were something of an anomaly for a command in the Navy.
“Our numbers were statistically off the charts,” said Meier. “I want to say close to 40 percent of eligibles made chief this year on Gerald R. Ford. I think what it really speaks to, is the performance of the folks who are here, the desire of hard-charging first class petty officers to come to this ship, to really be the first in class, to take that new technology to sea.”
Members of the Chiefs Mess were excited to welcome the selectees as well.
“For the Chiefs Mess it means a lot,” said Master Chief Electronics Technician Ronald Nagy, Ford’s acting command master chief. “You need to have a lot of youthful energy. They relate very well to the E-6 and below and they are good to see as a model or an, ‘I can aspire to be that,’ kind of example. It’s a good thing for Ford.”
Ford’s newest chief petty officers have entered Phase Two of the CPO 365 training program and are receiving intensive training before their scheduled pinning date Sept. 13 when they will finally get to wear the anchors.
[mappress] Press Release, August 8, 2013