Sixty-eight Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) were promoted through the Meritorious Advancement Program (MAP) during an all-hands call, March 6. The advancements resulted in four new petty officers first class, 25 petty officers second class, 33 petty officers third class and six promotions to the rank of E-3 and E-2.

The program allows commanding officers to advance eligible Sailors to the next paygrade effective immediately in recognition of their hard work and dedication. This ceremony is the first of two advancement periods for 2019 that will take place as a result of the updated Navy-wide policy change.

“[MAP] is a program that allows us to advance Sailors, more often now, that have superior performance and leadership skills,” said Master Chief Navy Counselor Shannon Champagne, Ike’s command career counselor. “It lets the commanding officer advance personnel that he feels are deserving of the next paygrade and now, with more quotas and two advancement seasons, Sailors have more chance to get advanced.”

Ike’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Kyle Higgins, emphasized the investment into Sailors’ futures through these advancement opportunities.

“MAP is how we, as an operational command, are able to promote the right people to leadership positions at the right time in their career,” said Higgins. “We reward them for their performance. I’m very performance-centric, so this program works perfectly for me.”

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Alyssa Spencer, one of the newly advanced Sailors, said she appreciated the recognition from her chain of command and she is ready for the next rank.

“I feel that my leadership saw my potential and how I was able to help morale and my junior Sailors so much,” said Spencer. “I guess they saw that I had the qualities that were needed for the next rank and they put me up because of it. I’m shocked but I appreciate it so much.”

The newly promoted Sailors will be in positions of immediate increased authority and responsibility. Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman John Huckleberry said his Sailor is ready for the challenge.

“HM2 Spencer is a versatile and reliable Sailor,” said Huckleberry. “If there’s something that needs to get done, I go to her. She takes her team, and she guides them the way they need to be going.  She’s been performing beyond the tasks of a second class for a long time now, so I know that she’s ready and has been ready to be a petty officer second class for a long time. “

Yeoman 3rd Class Gabriela Ramos, now a petty officer second class, attributed her success to her focus on being a better Sailor.

“Always working your best and being nice whenever you get the chance, I think that helped me get where I am now,” said Ramos. “Now that I’m a second class, I have to push myself harder now, I know that with achievement sometimes people tend to slack a little. I’m going to get as much as I can out of my command.”

Champagne offered his advice of what the ideal MAP candidate should be doing personally and professionally if they are looking to be advanced in the future.

“The ideal MAP Sailor, in my personal opinion, is a Sailor that has continued to have outstanding performance,” said Champagne. “They’re very knowledgeable of their rating, they’re doing collaterals, community service and they’re being an overall team player. Not only are they working on themselves, but they’re also trying to make everyone else’s lives better too.”

Higgins congratulated and advised the Sailors on his expectations for how they should proceed forward from this point as new leaders.

“I want these Sailors to understand their leadership position,” said Higgins. “We always do these leadership seminars and classes, but I want them to really understand what it means to be a leader. My advice to all who advanced is to keep performing. You can never rest on where we are; it’s always where we’re going. That’s part of the journey in our ‘Greater Each Day’ motto.”

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