Migration
GALLERYNothing petty about these chiefs
Stars and Stripes
September 17, 2014
Chief Petty Officer David West, from Mt. Vernon, Wash., receives his cover during a pinning ceremony for newly selected chiefs in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. Twenty-four Sailors aboard Nimitz were pinned to the rank of chief petty officer. (Siobhana R. McEwen/U.S. Navy)
Chief Petty Officer David West, from Mt. Vernon, Wash., receives his cover during a pinning ceremony for newly selected chiefs in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. Twenty-four Sailors aboard Nimitz were pinned to the rank of chief petty officer. (Siobhana R. McEwen/U.S. Navy)
Chief Petty Officer selectees sing "Anchors Aweigh" as they march to their pinning ceremony on the flight deck aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bataan on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. Bataan is the flagship for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. With the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, it is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (Mark Andrew Hays/U.S. Navy)
Vice Adm. John Miller, commander of U.S. 5th Feet, speaks at a chief pinning ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain on Tuesday, Sept 16, 2014. On both sides of him, 55 chief selects stand in ranks waiting to be pinned to the rank of chief petty officer. (Hendrick Simoes/Stars and Stripes)
Chief petty officer selectees march to the front of a chief pinning ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. Fourteen service members, including one Air Force master sergeant assigned to Camp Lemonnier. received their anchors after six weeks of chief petty officer induction. (Julia A. Casper/U.S. Navy)
Chief petty officer selectees march while singing cadence during a chief pinning ceremony at Naval Air Facility Atsugi on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. Twelve chief petty officers from NAF Atsugi and its tenant commands received their anchors and combination covers during the ceremony. (Kegan E. Kay/U.S. Navy)
Fifty-five newly pinned chief petty officers sing "Anchors Aweigh" in front of family, friends, and other servicemembers at Naval Support Activity Bahrain on Tuesday, Sept 16,2014. (Hendrick Simoes/Stars and Stripes)
Chief Petty Officer Zachary Radcliff, center, is pinned to the rank of chief petty officer by his family and Senior Chief Vincent Martin during the chief petty officer pinning ceremony in the courtyard of U.S. Naval Hospital Rota on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. Nineteen sailors and one airman took part in the ceremony. (Grant Wamack/U.S. Navy)
Chief Petty Officer Kristopher Griffin is pinned by his family at a chief pinning ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain on Tuesday, Sept 16,2014. He was one of 55 chiefs pinned at NSA Bahrain. (Hendrick Simoes/Stars and Stripes)
Chief Petty Officer Jarret McKinney, right, requests permission to enter the chiefs' mess from Command Master Chief Richard O'Rawe during a chief's pinning ceremony at Navy Region Singapore on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. (Jay C. Pugh/U.S. Navy)
Chief Petty Officer Eric Wemmer, from Rainier, Ore., is piped into the chiefs' mess during a pinning ceremony on board Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Halsey on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. The Halsey is currently participating in Valiant Shield, which is a U.S.-only exercise integrating Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps assets. (Bradley J. Gee/U.S. Navy)
Those selected this year to become chief petty officers were pinned Tuesday at official ceremonies held on land and at sea worldwide.
Family, friends and fellow servicemembers attended.
It was the 121st class of chief petty officers to join the chiefs’ mess after about six weeks of rigorous training that mentally and physically test the selectees.
“It’s surreal. Honestly, it’s the greatest day of our lives,” Chief Petty Officer Jose Alonso told Stars and Stripes soon after he was pinned with his anchor at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The anchor collar device is a trademark of the chief petty officer’s uniform.
Holders of the chief’s rank, established in 1893, are charged with leading sailors and maintaining good order and discipline in the Navy. According to the CPO creed, the rank carries with it “responsibilities and privileges that do not appear in print” and have no official standing.
Chiefs are known for being a fountain of wisdom about the Navy: “Ask the chief,” is a common expression sailors use when faced with a tough challenge.
“It’s totally beyond words on what it really feels like, but it’s actually happening. It’s nothing I could have really truly anticipated,” said Chief Petty Officer Vincent Lindwall, who was also pinned at NSA Bahrain. “I’m going to do my best to make sure I live up to this anchor,” he added.