The U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Chief Petty Officer Association welcomed national capital area CPOs of all rates to celebrate the Navy chief petty officer birthday at Defense Health Headquarters, April 1.

Retired Navy Medicine Force Master Chief Mark R. Weldon, Navy Medicine's ninth force master chief who oversaw the first deployments of hospital corpsmen to Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001 attacks, presided over the ceremony.

"Encourage your Sailors to be the best they can be by ensuring they are operationally oriented and committed to the needs of the Navy, the mission of the Navy, the future of the Navy," said Weldon.

Retired master chiefs Vincent Chustz and Karen Sayers delivered a history of the Navy Chief's Mess during the ceremony. Both worked closely with former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe Campa, the first hospital corpsman to serve as MCPON, in developing the mission, vision, and guiding principles that chiefs around the globe still abide by today.

"What's most humbling is to know the work we helped facilitate in 2006 still endures to this day," said Sayers.

The rate of CPO was established on April 1, 1893, and provided first-class petty officers the opportunity to further advance their careers as senior enlisted leaders. CPOs are responsible for the training, discipline and recognition of Sailors under their guidance and serve as experts in their designated field.

Navy Medicine's birthday celebration also served as the first-ever national capital area birthday swap meet, when chiefs from all rates were able to swap coins, t-shirts and any other memorabilia they've earned during their careers.

Navy Medicine is a global health care network of 63,000 personnel that provides health care support to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, families and veterans, in high operational tempo environments, at expeditionary medical facilities, medical treatment facilities, hospitals, clinics, hospital ships and research units around the world.

For more news from Navy Medicine, visit http://www.navy.mil/.