Naval Station Rota welcomed 23 Sailors and an Air Force technical sergeant to the chief petty officer (CPO) ranks during a pinning ceremony held at the Fleet Recreation Center, Sept. 15.

The Rota chiefs are among the approximately 4,400 Navy-wide Sailors who were selected to join the khaki-clad ranks of enlisted leaders. The new chiefs that were included in the ceremony were assigned to Naval Station Rota, U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, USS Carney (DDG 64), Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 8, EODMU Det. Europe, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella, Italy Site Rota, the 725th Air Mobility Squadron, Region Legal Service Office, Commander, Task Force 68, and Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Africa.

Capt. Michael MacNicholl, commander, U.S. Naval Activities Spain, presided over the ceremony and discussed how important chief petty officers are to commanding officers throughout the Navy.

"With this new promotion, comes more responsibility and more will be demanded of you," said MacNicholl. "You are the technical expert, the authority and the role model. You will train and shape both junior Sailors and young officers. Your skipper will count on you. Your skipper will trust you and believe in you. Your skipper knows that you are the backbone of the Navy."

Naval Station Rota's new CPOs are:

Chief Master-at-Arms Johnny Archer
Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Michael Brown
Chief Steelworker Jarrod Cagle
Chief Master-at-Arms Francis Carmon
Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Jonathan Chapman
Chief Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Electrical) Joshua Cochran
Chief Logistics Specialist Gene Dizon
Chief Operations Specialist Coy Dykes
Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Casey Gore
Chief Hospital Corpsman Benjamin Graves
Chief Builder Scott Hampton
Master Sgt. Nicholas Joosten
Chief Hospital Corpsman Jason Maris
Chief Navy Diver Timothy Martinez
Chief Operations Specialist Michael McMurry
Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) Kendrick Menor
Chief Logistics Specialist Walter Murillo
Chief Equipment Operator Steven Peeler
Chief Logistics Specialist Gustavo RoldanCastillo
Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Daniel Steinchen
Chief Operations Specialist Jermaine Weathers
Chief Legalman Justin Williams
Chief Master-at-Arms Leroy Williams
Chief Yeoman Diego Villa

After the new CPOs were pinned, Naval Station Rota's Command Master Chief Michelle Brooks read the CPO Creed to emphasize the importance of the role of the chief to those in attendance, and to drive home the added responsibility and higher expectations that come with the rank and position of CPO.

"Your entire way of life has now changed," said Brooks. "More will be expected of you. More will be demanded of you. Not because you're an E-7, but because now you're a chief petty officer. You have not merely been promoted one pay grade; you have joined an exclusive fraternity."

The CPO training process is a long-standing tradition, unique to the Navy, but service members from other military branches can request to participate. If they successfully complete the training, they are recognized as a genuine chief petty officer. The pinning ceremony culminates after six-plus weeks of intense training, transformation and testing known as CPO 365 Phase II. Afterward, participants are accepted into the U.S. Navy Chief's Mess, a new position of leadership and responsibility.

Naval Station Rota enables and supports operations of U.S. and allied forces and provides quality services in support of the fleet, fighter, and family for Commander, Navy Installations Command in Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia.

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For more news from Naval Station Rota, Spain, visit www.navy.mil/.