Whidbey Island Holds Promotion Ceremony for 47 Sailors

USS WHIDBEY ISLAND, At Sea (NNS) -- The crew of amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) promoted 47 Sailors to the next pay grade during a frocking ceremony on the ship's flight deck Dec. 9.

The newly-promoted Sailors make up 36 percent of the crew of 300, which is 20 percent higher than the Navy-wide advancement average this cycle.

"You just don't get these kinds of results with a crew that's not motivated," said Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Kevin Goodrich. "Their attitude is infectious, and their desire to improve is without question, whether it's fixing equipment, or studying for advancement and earning qualifications."

Of the 46 Sailors promoted, 28 were promoted to the rank of petty officer third class, 15 to petty officer second class, and four to petty officer first class.

"Being promoted to first class means I'll have a lot more responsibility, and it's my job now to help lead junior Sailors in the right direction," said Engineman 1st Class Tyreia Rojas, from Madison Heights, Mich. "The best advice I would give to junior Sailors trying to advance is to study, and get as much hands on training as you can when something is broken. That way you know how to fix it, and you know how it works."

Goodrich also said the ceremony was the culmination of a two-year cycle for the Whidbey Island crew, beginning with the most recent extended shipyard rehabilitation period.

"When a ship's in the yards, Sailors are often required to work outside their rates, focusing more on maintenance issues and getting the ship ready," said Goodrich. "It's a challenging and demanding environment, that often doesn't leave them much time to focus on personal and professional development."

For everyone promoted it means a bigger paycheck and more responsibility, but for those entering the ranks of petty officers for the first time, it's a significant career milestone.

"Making petty officer means I'll have to become a bit more independent," said Machinery Repairman 3rd Class Sierra Lozeau, from Leominster, Mass. "It means that it was my time, and I have just opened the door to plenty of more opportunities for myself. I have been helped by a few people, but when it comes down to it, I earned this myself and that's a great feeling."

Goodrich said the extended deployment gave the crew an opportunity to spend more time working within their respective areas of expertise. This resulted in a greater knowledge of their jobs, and more time to focus on professional advancement goals.

"This is the realization of the goals we set for the command two years ago," said Goodrich. "I feel very fortunate and pleased I was here to see one of the last pieces of the puzzle come into play for this crew."

Several of the ship's first class petty officers began organizing group study sessions for basic military requirements months prior to the September advancement cycle in order to prepare those who would take the exams.

"It is always a rewarding experience to see such a large number of individuals advance within your command," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW) Patrick Floyd, president of the ship's First Class Petty Officer Association. "It is a testament to the hard work that each and every Sailor put into their advancement during this extremely long and challenging deployment. It was an even more impressive sight to see how many not only advanced, but earned their ESWS (enlisted surface warfare specialist) pin as well."

Whidbey Island is deployed as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts is the U.S. 5th fleet area of responsibility.

For more news from USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), visit www.navy.mil/local/lsd41/.