Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe R. Campa Jr. wrapped up a tour of several U.S. military bases in Europe on Friday by speaking with sailors in Naples, Italy.

He held two sessions with junior and senior enlisted personnel highlighting current issues that concern sailors.

Even though Stars and Stripes had cleared covering the event with the Naval Support Activity Naples public affairs office, officials with Navy Region Europe asked the newspaper to leave, saying its attendance hadn’t been cleared by Campa’s office. No other reason was given.

The Navy’s internal public relations specialists, however, were allowed inside the meeting.

Sailors who attended the meeting said Campa spoke about topics such as assignment incentive pay, educational opportunities and serving as individual augmentees. But the common theme, according to several sailors, was the importance of leadership opportunities for petty officers.

“He talked about how things like our seashore rotation and educational opportunities will advance sailors to serve in leadership positions,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Jerry Dupree, assigned to the Naval Support Activity in Naples.

“I thought the visit was beneficial. He answered a lot of questions about where the Navy was heading,” said Dupree, who has 18 years of service.

While Petty Officer 1st Class William Farmer agreed that the visit was beneficial, he said he was already familiar with most of the issues discussed.

“The visit was informative, but for me, nothing new,” Farmer said, adding that the discussion surrounding assignment incentive pay — where sailors are compensated for taking an overseas assignment for shore duty — was something everyone seemed to be concerned about.

This visit was the last of a six-location trip for Campa. Prior to Naples he visited Souda Bay, Greece; Sigonella, Sicily; Rota, Spain; and Ramstein and Landstuhl in Germany.