"CPO Standards"

[Monty]

Contributed by: Mike McCaffrey, Admiral (retired USN)

Never forget this, a Chief can become an Officer, but an Officer can never become a Chief. Chiefs have their standards!

Recollections of a Whitehat.

"One thing we weren't aware of at the time, but became evident as life wore on, was that we learned true leadership from the finest examples any lad was ever given, Chief Petty Officers. They were crusty old bastards who had done it all and had been forged into men who had been time tested over more years than a lot of us had time on the planet. The ones I remember wore hydraulic oil stained hats with scratched and dinged-up insignia, faded shirts, some with a Bull Durham tag dangling out of their right-hand pocket or a pipe and tobacco reloads in a worn leather pouch in their hip pockets, and a Zippo that had been everywhere. Some of them came with tattoos on their forearms that would force them to keep their cuffs buttoned at a Methodist picnic.

Most of them were as tough as a boarding house steak. A quality required to survive the life they lived. They were, and always will be, a breed apart from all other residents of Mother Earth. They took eighteen year old idiots and hammered the stupid bastards into sailors.

You knew instinctively it had to be hell on earth to have been born a Chief's kid. God should have given all sons born to Chiefs a return option.

A Chief didn't have to command respect. He got it because there was nothing else you could give them. They were God's designated hitters on earth.

We had Chiefs with fully loaded Submarine Combat Patrol Pins, and combat air crew wings in my day...hard-core bastards who remembered lost mates, and still cursed the cause of their loss...and they were expert at choosing descriptive adjectives and nouns, none of which their mothers would have endorsed.

At the rare times you saw a Chief topside in dress canvas, you saw rows of hard-earned, worn and faded ribbons over his pocket. "Hey Chief, what's that one and that one?" "Oh hell kid, I can't remember. There was a war on. They gave them to us to keep track of the campaigns." "We didn't get a lot of news out where we were. To be honest, we just took their word for it. Hell son, you couldn't pronounce most of the names of the places we went. They're all depth charge survival geedunk." "Listen kid, ribbons don't make you a Sailor." We knew who the heroes were, and in the final analysis that's all that matters.

Many nights, we sat in the after mess deck wrapping ourselves around cups of coffee and listening to their stories. They were light-hearted stories about warm beer shared with their running mates in corrugated metal sheds at resupply depots where the only furniture was a few packing crates and a couple of Coleman lamps. Standing in line at a Honolulu cathouse or spending three hours soaking in a tub in Freemantle, smoking cigars, and getting loaded. It was our history. And we dreamed of being just like them because they were our heroes. When they accepted you as their shipmate, it was the highest honor you would ever receive in your life. At least it was clearly that for me. They were not men given to the prerogatives of their position.

You would find them with their sleeves rolled up, shoulder-to-shoulder with you in a stores loading party. "Hey Chief, no need for you to be out here tossin' crates in the rain, we can get all this crap aboard."

"Son, the term 'All hands' means all hands."

"Yeah Chief, but you're no damn kid anymore, you old coot."

"Horsefly, when I'm eighty-five parked in the stove up old bastards' home, I'll still be able to kick your worthless butt from here to fifty feet past the screw guards along with six of your closest friends." And he probably wasn't bull****ting.

They trained us. Not only us, but hundreds more just like us. If it wasn't for Chief Petty Officers, there wouldn't be any U.S. Navy. There wasn't any fairy godmother who lived in a hollow tree in the enchanted forest who could wave her magic wand and create a Chief Petty Officer.

They were born as hot-sacking seamen, and matured like good whiskey in steel hulls over many years. Nothing a nineteen year-old jay-bird could cook up was original to these old saltwater owls. They had seen E-3 jerks come and go for so many years; they could read you like a book. "Son, I know what you are thinking. Just one word of advice. DON'T. It won't be worth it."

"Aye, Chief."

Chiefs aren't the kind of guys you thank. Monkeys at the zoo don't spend a lot of time thanking the guy who makes them do tricks for peanuts.

Appreciation of what they did, and who they were, comes with long distance retrospect. No young lad takes time to recognize the worth of his leadership. That comes later when you have experienced poor leadership or let's say, when you have the maturity to recognize what leaders should be, you find that Chiefs are the standard by which you measure all others.

They had no Academy rings to get scratched up. They butchered the King's English. They had become educated at the other end of an anchor chain from Copenhagen to Singapore . They had given their entire lives to the U.S. Navy. In the progression of the nobility of employment, Chief Petty Officer heads the list. So, when we ultimately get our final duty station assignments and we get to wherever the big Chief of Naval Operations in the sky assigns us, if we are lucky, Marines will be guarding the streets, and there will be an old Chief in an oil-stained hat and a cigar stub clenched in his teeth standing at the brow to assign us our bunks and tell us where to stow our gear... and we will all be young again, and the damn coffee will float a rock.

Life fixes it so that by the time a stupid kid grows old enough and smart enough to recognize who he should have thanked along the way, he no longer can. If I could, I would thank my old Chiefs. If you only knew what you succeeded in pounding in this thick skull, you would be amazed. So, thanks you old casehardened unsalvageable son-of-a-*****es. Save me a rack in the berthing compartment."

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.

[DragonRider]

To the Admiral,your Chief or Chief's seem to have taught you well................I never had the honor of serving for our country, I do believe I missed something wonderful. Thanks to you an everyone else who served so we may do what we do!!:thumbsup:

[wes0778]

Sounds like someone I know that just moved back to Loooeeezanner a couple of years ago......:cool10:

[Venturous Randy]

To the Admiral,your Chief or Chief's seem to have taught you well................I never had the honor of serving for our country, I do believe I missed something wonderful. Thanks to you an everyone else who served so we may do what we do!!:thumbsup:

 

For many of us that did serve, the longer ago that it is, the more wonderful it was.

RandyA

[etcswjoe]

I definetly resemble the crusty and old part. Thanks for posting.

 

Seems like a whole lifetime ago.

[steamer]

I definetly resemble the crusty and old part. Thanks for posting.

 

Seems like a whole lifetime ago.

I miss the goat locker:crying:

[BoomerCPO]

I miss the goat locker:crying:

 

Me too. Had the best times of my Naval career in the Goat Locker.

Boomer....who sez hitting the beach with those Goats made for great memories too....despite the $$$ paid to Bail Bondsmen.....

[etcswjoe]

I asked a slug last year what time it was and he told me 07:00 so then I asked him how long he had been in the Navy and he said 10 years I just don't know what they are teaching these kids nowadays.

[jilldwr]

My Father was a Chief Warrant officer in the Cdn navy, boy did I watch my P's and Q's growing up! He was at sea alot and I can still hear my mother say "Wait till your Father gets Home!" Kept me on the straight and narrow!

[steamer]

I asked a slug last year what time it was and he told me 07:00 so then I asked him how long he had been in the Navy and he said 10 years I just don't know what they are teaching these kids nowadays.

 

Have you seen those new uniform? Whats up with that?

[alwrmcusn]

Hmmmmm.....I knew I wuz salty, but now I feel like I just stepped off the gangplank in Barcelona again!,

[Monty]

I kinda like the new uniforms. Beats the heck outta dungarees. I wonder how they take 'em off and use 'em as flotation devices, though.

[hillrider]

I'm told, I looked at lot better in bell bottoms, and a white hat.

 

I wish Hipshot could have understood the last line.

[BoomerCPO]

I asked a slug last year what time it was and he told me 07:00 so then I asked him how long he had been in the Navy and he said 10 years I just don't know what they are teaching these kids nowadays.

 

Joe....I still use military time despite having retired in 1993....It confuses the heck outta de civilians.....

Boomer....who wonders how many Navy Vets can still determine the time according to the ship's bells.....

[steamer]

Joe....I still use military time despite having retired in 1993....It confuses the heck outta de civilians.....

 

Boomer....who wonders how many Navy Vets can still determine the time according to the ship's bells.....

 

Add 1 bell every half hour, starting with one bell at 0030, until you get to 8 bells. then start over. 8 bells in a 4 hour period. each 4 hours is one watch rotation. Oh, and it is not 1200 hours. it is just 1200. Never say the word "hours"

[BOO]

Boomer....who wonders how many Navy Vets can still determine the time according to the ship's bells.....

 

Hell a lot of them didn't know what they meant when they were in the Navy.

BOO:big-grin-emoticon:

[BoomerCPO]

 

Boomer

[BoomerCPO]

Add 1 bell every half hour, starting with one bell at 0030, until you get to 8 bells. then start over. 8 bells in a 4 hour period. each 4 hours is one watch rotation. Oh, and it is not 1200 hours. it is just 1200. Never say the word "hours"

 

Ka Ching....We have a Winner!!

Boomer....who can still use a Bosun's pipe if he has enuff beers in him....

[steamer]

Ka Ching....We have a Winner!!

 

Boomer....who can still use a Bosun's pipe if he has enuff beers in him....

It was a crusty old Chief that told me what they were all about. But only after I asked him why they kept ringing those anoying bells. You can imagine how that went over. Got a history of the navy that day.

[BoomerCPO]

It was a crusty old Chief that told me what they were all about. But only after I asked him why they kept ringing those anoying bells. You can imagine how that went over. Got a history of the navy that day.

 

:rotf:

 

Boomer....who sez he can well imagine the response of dat Chief....

[etcswjoe]

During the course of this day you have been caused to humbly accept challenge and face adversity. This you have accomplished with rare good grace. Pointless as some of these challenges may have seemed, there were valid, time-honored reasons behind each pointed barb. It was necessary to meet these hurdles with blind faith in the fellowship of Chief Petty Officers. The goal was to instill in you that trust is inherent with the donning of the uniform of a Chief. It was our intent to impress upon you that challenge is good; a great and necessary reality which cannot mar you - which, in fact, strengthens you. In your future as a Chief Petty Officer., you will be forced to endure adversity far beyond that imposed upon you today. You must face each challenge and adversity with the same dignity and good grace you demonstrated today. By experience, by performance, and by testing, you have been this day advanced to Chief Petty Officer. In the United States Navy - and only in the United States Navy - the rank of E7 carries with it unique responsibilities and privileges you are now bound to observe and expected to fulfill. Your entire way of life is now changed. More will be expected of you; more will be demanded of you. Not because you are a E7 but because you are now a Chief Petty Officer. You have not merely been promoted one paygrade, you have joined an exclusive fellowship and, as in all fellowships, you have a special responsibility to your comrades, even as they have a special responsibility to you. This is why we in the United States Navy may maintain with pride our feelings of accomplishment once we have attained the position of Chief Petty Officer. Your new responsibilities and privileges do not appear in print. They have no official standing; they cannot be referred to by name, number, nor file. They have existed for over 100 years, Chiefs before you have freely accepted responsibility beyond the call of printed assignment. Their actions and their performance demanded the respect of their seniors as well as their juniors. It is now required that you be the fountain of wisdom, the ambassador of good will, the authority in personal relations as well as in technical applications. "Ask the Chief" is a household phrase in and out of the Navy. You are now the Chief. The exalted position you have now achieved - and the word exalted is used advisedly - exists because of the attitude and performance of the Chiefs before you. It shall exist only as long as you and your fellow Chiefs maintain these standards. It was our intention that you never forget this day. It was our intention to test you, to try you, and to accept you. Your performance has assured us that you will wear "the hat" with the same pride as your comrades in arms before you. We take a deep and sincere pleasure in clasping your hand, and accepting you as a Chief Petty officer in the United States Navy..

[steamer]

I remember that day as if it were yesterday. And will never forget. God willing.

Of course theres a few things about that day I won't talk about. At least, not here.

[gunboat]

thanks for posting this monty. i was lucky to start off my short navy stay under the wing of a master chief engineman, sam easley. he had at one time been the m/c of the navy. he told me once that he hated office duty. he was assigned to man the crew of the presidental gig. he had one story of having to man the gig as some high up congress members and their wifes got to use it on weekend, to go fishing. one of the congress members wife ask the master chief to bait her hook. well the master chief told this lady in some colorful words. that he didn't bait his own wife hook & she better learn how. needless to say the master chief was transfered back to the fleet the next day. which he said was all right with him. i later transfered to a patrol gunboat & spent a little time in southeast asia. i lost touch with the master chief for almost 40 years. when we had our first ships reunion in norfolk,va a few years ago. the master chief was still the same as i remembered him. the first thing he said to me with his hands on his waist was " cumpston do you remember one of the last things you said to me before you went off on that d--- gunboat?" now he said this in front of the other chiefs and ships crew. everyone started laughting and asking what i had said. the master chief said you were going to "woop my ass". i said yes master chief i did say that, but let's tell them the rest of the story. sam had spent a couple of tours in 'nam and he had been in some of the nightmares of war. he know how it could change you and some times you don't come back in sprit or body. he was just trying to keep me safe and not go thru some of the stuff he had. i can never repay the master chief for taking me under his wing.

reguards

don c.

[BoomerCPO]

During the course of this day you have been caused to humbly accept challenge and face adversity. This you have accomplished with rare good grace. Pointless as some of these challenges may have seemed, there were valid, time-honored reasons behind each pointed barb. It was necessary to meet these hurdles with blind faith in the fellowship of Chief Petty Officers. The goal was to instill in you that trust is inherent with the donning of the uniform of a Chief. It was our intent to impress upon you that challenge is good; a great and necessary reality which cannot mar you - which, in fact, strengthens you. In your future as a Chief Petty Officer., you will be forced to endure adversity far beyond that imposed upon you today. You must face each challenge and adversity with the same dignity and good grace you demonstrated today. By experience, by performance, and by testing, you have been this day advanced to Chief Petty Officer. In the United States Navy - and only in the United States Navy - the rank of E7 carries with it unique responsibilities and privileges you are now bound to observe and expected to fulfill. Your entire way of life is now changed. More will be expected of you; more will be demanded of you. Not because you are a E7 but because you are now a Chief Petty Officer. You have not merely been promoted one paygrade, you have joined an exclusive fellowship and, as in all fellowships, you have a special responsibility to your comrades, even as they have a special responsibility to you. This is why we in the United States Navy may maintain with pride our feelings of accomplishment once we have attained the position of Chief Petty Officer. Your new responsibilities and privileges do not appear in print. They have no official standing; they cannot be referred to by name, number, nor file. They have existed for over 100 years, Chiefs before you have freely accepted responsibility beyond the call of printed assignment. Their actions and their performance demanded the respect of their seniors as well as their juniors. It is now required that you be the fountain of wisdom, the ambassador of good will, the authority in personal relations as well as in technical applications. "Ask the Chief" is a household phrase in and out of the Navy. You are now the Chief. The exalted position you have now achieved - and the word exalted is used advisedly - exists because of the attitude and performance of the Chiefs before you. It shall exist only as long as you and your fellow Chiefs maintain these standards. It was our intention that you never forget this day. It was our intention to test you, to try you, and to accept you. Your performance has assured us that you will wear "the hat" with the same pride as your comrades in arms before you. We take a deep and sincere pleasure in clasping your hand, and accepting you as a Chief Petty officer in the United States Navy..

 

The CPO Creed.....Truly words to live by!!

Boomer.....who was "Initiated" in Fort Lauderdale,Fla. back when the CPO Initiations tested everything you had to survive it.....