Seventeen chief petty officer selectees pinned on their anchors during an emotional underway ceremony attended by Commander, Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Thomas S. Rowden aboard amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), Sept. 16.

The ceremony occurred in the midst of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group's final phase of pre-deployment work-ups off the coast of Southern California.

"The heart and soul of our United States Navy is our Chiefs Mess," began Rowden, during his opening remarks at the pinning ceremony. "You've excelled to get here today, but much is expected of you as you enter the Chiefs Mess. I expect you to be the expert in your field. I expect you to lead from the front. I expect you to be intrusive in your leadership, and I expect you to lead with compassion."

Makin Island Commanding Officer Capt. Mark Melson lauded the CPO selectees, their families and their friends for their achievements and thanked them for their sacrifices.

"For these 17 deckplate leaders who have reached one of the Navy's most prestigious and time-honored accomplishments," said Melson, "this is a bittersweet ceremony. The families and friends who have supported them during their long and arduous journeys to the Chiefs Mess can't be here today to celebrate with them."

Makin Island, the flagship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, is underway conducting certification exercise.

"In a few short weeks," Melson continued, "Makin Island and this next generation of chiefs will sail head-first into a combat deployment. And so it's fitting that we hold this ceremony -- one of the Navy's strongest traditions -- here today, underway, as we wrap up the final stages of our pre-deployment training and prepare to go over the horizon to do our nation's bidding."

Six weeks prior to the ceremony, the Makin Island Chiefs Mess kicked off CPO 365 Phase II Aug. 2, by announcing the names of the 17 petty officers selected for advancement. The event marked the beginning of a rigorous program designed to prepare the selectees to assume the duties and responsibilities of U.S. Navy chief petty officers.

CPO 365 Phase II began with a week of leadership training, followed by five weeks of physical fitness training, leadership challenges, mentorship and fundraising activities -- key steps in a curriculum aimed at leading the selectees to a final goal of becoming polished and well-prepared chiefs.

"A chief petty officer is an approachable leader who is dedicated towards mastering his or her profession," said Makin Island Command Master Chief Larry Lynch. "Our focus during the six weeks of CPO 365 Phase II is to equip future leaders for the challenges they will face, while setting a credible example for Sailors to emulate."

The selectees participated in multiple community service projects throughout the training cycle, including all San Diego regional CPO events held aboard the USS Midway Museum.

"It is important for the chief selectees to understand the role that Sailors play in our community," said Senior Chief Operations Specialist Brian Ellis. "These opportunities provide the stability and structure for a healthy relationship between the Navy and the community."

The training introduced the selectees to a new perspective on how the Chiefs Mess operates. It emphasized the importance of teamwork and a commitment to personal and professional improvement.

"We incorporate several team-building scenarios in an effort to change the way the chief selectees approach a challenge," said Chief Legalman Shanna Todd. "It is important for them to understand that they can rely on the entire mess."

As the selectees navigated the challenges of becoming chief petty officers, they drew on their years of naval experience and applied new methods of leadership to unlock potential many of them didn't know they had.

"The Makin Island Chiefs Mess has done an excellent job preparing us to join them in becoming part of this exclusive fraternity," said newly-pinned Chief Hospital Corpsman Cortez Brown, from Chicago. "This time definitely challenges you as a person and a Sailor. It doesn't change who you are, because that's why we were selected. It just makes us stronger."

He went on to say, "It has been an overwhelming and humbling experience to work with the rest of the selectees. They all come from different backgrounds, different rates, and they bring a wealth of experience with them. It's abundantly clear why they were selected to become chiefs, and it will be an honor to be pinned alongside them."

Rowden summed up the culmination of the previous six weeks and what lies ahead for the new chiefs.

"Today is a profound, profound day," he said. "I know you will wear that uniform proudly, and I know that you will continue to make us all proud of the great service that you have provided for our Navy and our nation."

"To each of our chief selectees, congratulations on a significant achievement and a significant milestone in you careers," Rowden concluded. "I look forward to welcoming you in the mess, and I look forward to seeing the great things you're going to do."

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