November is Navy advancement month, a time when the results of the petty officer advancement exams are released and Sailors E-3 through E-5 are eligible to promote.

In preparation for the announcement of the results, all personnel eligible for advancement at Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Bahrain attended the command-wide petty officer indoctrination, a training course designed to introduce the students to the expectations and responsibilities of their new rank.

It is mandatory for all personnel who attain the rank of petty officer, and is an essential component of advancement within the United States Navy.

Petty officer indoctrination is a multi-day course covering a wide variety to topics from fraternization and financial management to diversity and continuous improvement. The training is led by members of the senior leadership, who share their knowledge and experience with the newer generation of Sailors.

The instructors for the most recent session of petty officer indoctrination were Chief Logistics Specialist Vincent Aldrich and Jessica Doucette, assisted by Chief Logistics Specialist Reneren Garcia and Logistic Specialist 1st Class Nicola Brown.

"The petty officer indoctrination course teaches a wide range of topics which helps to prepare Sailors for future leadership roles," said Master Chief Logistics Specialist John Murphy senior enlisted leader at NAVSUP FLC Bahrain. "It also gives chiefs and first class petty officers the opportunity to share knowledge and the vast amount of experience they've learned throughout the years with junior Sailors."

During petty officer indoctrination, Sailors work together discussing the topics outlined in each lesson and how it can be applied to their own careers. The points covered in training come directly from naval regulations and are tied in with the Navy core values of honor, courage and commitment.

The goal is to provide Sailors with the means to become more effective leaders and to assist them with bearing their extra burden of responsibility they will be assuming upon their promotion. At the end of the training, Sailors are equipped with the tools and knowledge to become the Navy's next generation of leaders.

Many commands choose to hold petty officer indoctrination later in the year, after the results of the advancement exam have been released. NAVSUP FLC Bahrain chooses to do it differently, offering the course before the results come out to everyone who took the exam.

The command's goal is to eliminate time that a Sailor would otherwise have to spend waiting to fulfill the requirement necessary for formal advancement. A Sailor cannot officially assume the title or wear the uniform of their new rank until they completed petty officer indoctrination, so the command offers it early to ensure that all of its Sailors are advanced as quickly as possible.

"This program benefits the Sailors," said Doucette. "When our Sailors get frocked they are now ready to take on more responsibilities and pass on what they have learned to their junior Sailors which increases a command's constant flow of readiness and promotion."

Five Sailors at NAVSUP FLC Bahrain were advanced to the next highest grade of petty officer on Nov. 5. All had already completed petty officer indoctrination, and later that day they were all honored at a special capping ceremony in front of the whole command and allowed to wear the uniform displaying their new rank.

"I was overcome with gratitude when the command was able to frock me the same day the results were received thanks to the hard work and dedication of the petty officer indoctrination instructors," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Rachel Krutsch on her experience with petty officer indoctrination and the promotion process.

For more news from Naval Supply Systems Command, visit www.navy.mil/.