Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Steven S. Giordano visited Recruit Training Command (RTC) and participated in an all enlisted recruit graduation ceremony as the reviewing officer, Aug. 11.

"This experience, and memorable moment, was an absolute honor," said Master Chief Shawn Isbell, RTC command master chief.

At the ceremony, Giordano served as the reviewing officer for the recruit graduation, where 560 recruits graduated at Midway Ceremonial drill hall with more than 2,000 family and friends in attendance. As he addressed the new Sailors and guests, he stated how more is expected of enlisted Sailors than ever before.

Master Chief Isbell reflected on Giordano's words, saying, "As more is being expected of enlisted Sailors today, this graduation is an example of the faith and confidence that is placed on all enlisted Sailors from E-1 thru E-9."

Prior to the ceremony, Giordano toured Battle Stations 21, the Navy's largest simulator. It is a replica 210-foot-long, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, called USS Trayer (BST-21). Battle Stations 21 is the capstone event before recruits graduate Boot Camp after eight weeks of training. It is a 12-hour test of a recruit's skills in 17 shipboard evolutions, including fighting fires and flooding, simulated missile attacks, mass casualties, and ship survivability scenarios.

Following the ceremony, Giordano attended a reception, where he got the chance to cut cake and personally congratulate every award winner.

"I'd like to think those master chief petty officers who had this opportunity to sit up there were looking out and reflecting on their times in the Navy," said Giordano. "That they were looking back at all their years and admiring what these newest Sailors have, which is an opportunity to look forward and perhaps, one day, one of these Sailors may be on that dais where these master chiefs are today."

RTC is responsible for conducting the initial Navy orientation and training of new recruits. Our mission is to supply the fleet with top-quality basically trained Sailors ready for follow on training. Our Navy enlisted force is a professional force, represented here for the first time by all senior enlisted leaders.

"As a former command master chief at RTC this is a highlight of my career seeing newly graduated Sailors having the opportunity and inspiration to see the pinnacle of where their careers could go by having the MCPON as their reviewing officer at an all enlisted graduation", said Master Chief Matt Laing, Naval Service Training Command, command master chief. "With dedication, hard work, and sacrifices to their country and the United States Navy they could someday be the MCPON too."

Boot camp is approximately eight weeks, and all enlistees into the United States Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms familiarization, firefighting and shipboard damage control, lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. Since the closure of RTCs in Orlando and San Diego in 1994, RTC Great Lakes is, today, the Navy's only basic training location, and is known as "The Quarterdeck of the Navy." About 30,000 to 40,000 recruits graduate annually from RTC and begin their Navy careers. The command has been in operation at Great Lakes since 1911.

Giordano enlisted in the Navy in June 1989. Following completion of basic training at Recruit Training Command Orlando, Florida, he reported to Naval Technical Training Center Pensacola, Florida, completing cryptologic technician technical training. His early assignments include a tour at Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1 Agana, Guam, a deployment to Naval Security Group Detachment Bahrain in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and numerous deployments aboard ships and submarines in the Pacific and European areas of responsibility.

His command master chief tours include the guided-missile frigate USS McClusky (FFG 41) and Navy Information Operations Command, Colorado. He also served as the force master chief for Navy Information Dominance Forces and fleet master chief for U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa.


For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.bootcamp.navy.mil/.

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.