Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson visited Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South, Navy Personnel Command (NPC) and Navy Recruiting Command one final time August 2 before his upcoming retirement.

The CNO, along with the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Russell Smith, met with senior leaders and staff from the MyNavy HR team to thank them for their efforts supplying quality recruits and expertly assisting Sailors in their careers during his tenure as CNO.

“It’s great to be here in the heart and soul of the gold line of effort in the design to maintain maritime superiority,” Richardson said. “That line of effort talks about how important our people are and what we are going to do to make sure we move our human resources business into the 21st century.”

After meeting with Rear Adm. Jeff Hughes, NPC commander, Richardson toured the MNCC Contact Center, whose staff showed Richardson and Smith how they resolve Sailor inquiries and provide centralized operational support to Sailors throughout the fleet.

Later in the day, there was an all-hands call at the Pat Thompson Conference Center with Millington-based Sailors.

“It was a great experience to see people from the Washington, D.C., area come down to Millington to meet Sailors,” said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Patrick Leopold. “It shows that they care, and it’s like having an open-door policy where they listen to us and give us feedback about what’s happening in the fleet."

The Chief of Naval Operations is wrapping up a four-year tour as the Navy’s senior officer in which he transformed manpower, readiness, and fostered a culture of inclusivity.

“As I get ready to retire myself and finish up four years as CNO, I didn’t want to leave without coming here to Millington to tell you how grateful I am and the Navy is for the work you do here,” said Richardson.

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