Six Sailors assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) joined the respected ranks of chief petty officer (CPO) during a pinning ceremony Sept. 16, held aboard decommissioned battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) in Norfolk.

Prior to the ceremony, the selectees underwent a six-week training cycle called CPO 365 Phase II. During this period, the chief selectees faced training challenges designed to better develop and understand the leadership skills and responsibilities that come with wearing the coveted gold fouled anchors.

"For the first hour or two after the captain announced the selectees, I felt nervous, but excited," said newly-pinned Chief Boatswain's Mate Cody Rufener. "I was shaking, almost like I couldn't control myself. It was definitely exciting."

For Rufener, though the days were often long and the training was rigorous, that excitement was a constant throughout the phase.

"The best thing about Phase II was the excitement I always felt," said Rufener. "If I was frustrated during the day, or got upset about something, it only lasted for a second and I was getting over it. We all go through the process together and I think that's part of how we all get so close -- we all know what the others went through to get here."

An essential part of Kearsarge's Phase II training cycle is to reiterate the importance of naval heritage and bring it to the forefront through in-depth training. To do this, each year, "seasoned" chief petty officers and the Kearsarge selectees take a trip to the ship's namesake, Mount Kearsarge, located in Warner, New Hampshire. That is where the chief petty officer selectees learn the history of the ship's namesake.

During the selectees' four-day trip to Mount Kearsarge, they learned the trees from the mountain were used to construct the very first USS Kearsarge, a sloop-of-war, in 1861. Now serving aboard the fourth ship to bear the name, the Kearsarge Chiefs Mess honors their heritage through relationships with the citizens of Warner.

"Connecting Sailors to the ship's heritage is crucial," said Senior Chief Electronics Technician Jason Mobbs. "It's something that we want to make sure the selectees learn, and bring back to Kearsarge Sailors."

While visiting, the chiefs took tours of town and the mountain and were able to participate in community relations projects.

"The first day in New Hampshire we participated in a guided hike up the mountain, where we took in the breathtaking scene that seemed to go on forever," said Rufener. "While we were on the mountain, we took the time to clear away brush and overgrowth from some of the paths as part of a community relations project. The entire event was amazing."

During the six weeks, the selectees took part in numerous team-building exercises, volunteer services and fundraising, along with various leadership-enhancing training opportunities to better help them prepare for their future as a chief petty officer.

The chief petty officer grade was established April 1, 1893 and carries on a legacy where CPOs are expected to act as naval leaders, technical experts and custodians of naval tradition and heritage.

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