Results from the fiscal year 2016 Command Master Chief (CMDCM) and Command Senior Chief (CMDCS) Selection Boards were released Feb. 24.

Four chief petty officers from Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) were selected to become the Navy's newest Command Master Chief (CMDCM) and Command Senior Chiefs (CMDCS).

Master Chief Navy Counselor Gene Garland, Senior Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Robert Barber, Senior Chief Hull Maintenance Technician James Timmerman, and Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) Robert Venegas were informed of their selections Feb. 24 and will begin their new roles in the CMDCM and CMDCS program.

Garland is one of the 75 master chiefs selected out of the 98 eligible applicants Navywide to become command master chief and Barber, Timmerman, and Venegas were three of the 107 senior chiefs selected for the Command Senior Chief Program.

The roles CMDCM's and CMDCS's play at commands are essential in the development of Sailors and leading the alignment efforts of the Chiefs Mess. They ensure active communication throughout the command and report directly to the commanding officer.

Garland, Ford's senior career counselor, said he wanted to become a command master chief to fulfill a calling in his life.

"I've always felt that my calling in life was to teach," said Garland.

By becoming a command master chief, Garland said he has answered his calling and now can be a more effective teacher to Sailors and teach them how to be successful.

He also credits his selection to the CMDCM Program to working at a command that creates an atmosphere where Sailors want to stay and succeed.

"It's all about command climate," said Garland.

Venegas, leading chief petty officer for Air Department Fuels Division, also credits the command for his success and for his Sailors' success.

"The commanding officer has set the best example on finding a way to "yes" and having the mentality of getting things done," said Venegas. "He was able to show that example to all his officers, chiefs, and crew that there are ways to get things done. Finding a way to "yes" is one of the biggest tools I've used."

Barber, division leading chief petty officer for Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department Avionics and Armament Division (IM3) and a recent Ford check-in, was notified of his selection by PCU Ford Commanding Officer Capt. John F. Meier Tuesday.

"I was really shocked and didn't expect to be picked up my first time," said Barber.

Barber credits the Chiefs Mess for his path in becoming a CMDCS.

"Once I made chief I had a master chief tell me as a new chief you have to start thinking about your path and thinking about what it is you want to achieve as a chief," said Barber. "That's when I started giving real thoughts and I really started looking at what things make me happy at work."

Barber said that taking care of Sailors is what pushes him and gives him the greatest satisfaction.

"As long as I took care of the Sailors they took care of the mission, they took care of the equipment, they took care of the aircraft," said Barber.

Timmerman, leading chief petty officer of Engineering Department Repair Division, credits his junior Sailors and his family for helping him achieve his goal of becoming a command senior chief.

Timmerman said whenever you get promoted you start thanking all your junior Sailors because a lot of time you can learn from them as well.

"You thank them (junior Sailors) first and foremost for all their hard work," said Timmerman.

All three will shortly transition into their new role and into a new rate. Prior to July 2015, command senior chiefs had an option of reverting back to their job rating after completing a command senior chief billet. Now command senior chiefs will forgo their rating badge and replace it with a star as part of the new command senior chief rating.

"I love it," says Timmerman. "Now that they have developed the Command Senior Chief Program it allows you to be more rating focused and it allows you to learn a lot at smaller commands before you get into larger commands.

"So it's a lot of good OJT (on-job training) at a smaller personnel level and I think that's fantastic," said Timmerman.

The next steps for the selected is being assigned new command billets and attend a 3-week Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat Capstone Course in Newport, Rhode Island. After completion of the school and possible further training, they will check into their new commands as the Navy's newest command master chief and command senior chiefs.