USN Chief Initiation Abolished

[thurley42]

I personally NEVER understood the CPO initiation process other than it was just an excuse for the already practically useless "professionals in their rating" to drag out the potentially useless selectees to play games with them!

I am glad it is going away. Maybe now they will be able to recoup that month to month and a half of lost work that occurs during the process.

I only ever worked with 1 E-7 that didnt go through the initiation process and he was the best, most hard working one that I ever had!

Most of the "modern" CPOs that I know where basically paper pushers and ALL were cowering in fear from the E-9s in the command. All they cared about was making sure THEY didn't look bad.

Come to think of it, I believe the reasoning behind the abolishment of the initiation process might be due to potential incurred medical costs due to SPINAL REMOVAL

Do you know what they replaced it with? It's so much more of a waste of time that doesn't just affect the selectees, it affects all First Classes.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

Do you know what they replaced it with? It's so much more of a waste of time that doesn't just affect the selectees, it affects all First Classes.

I heard it was CPO365, some kinda course, yeah right. When you spend two months with the rest of the selectees, do all the crap, trivial or not, and go through hell at the end, you were a CHIEF. I was a Chief for three years during initiation, then invited as a Warrant during the last section, a Chief is always a Chief.

NO OTHER SERVICE CAN CLAIM THE SAME.

 

[DoWhat]

Now we have a 1st Class and a retired CWO (CPO) going at it.
I left the Navy after 10 years as a 2nd Class. I am still a peon.

 

[thurley42]

I heard it was CPO365, some kinda course, yeah right. When you spend two months with the rest of the selectees, do all the crap, trivial or not, and go through hell at the end, you were a CHIEF. I was a Chief for three years during initiation, then invited as a Warrant during the last section, a Chief is always a Chief.

NO OTHER SERVICE CAN CLAIM THE SAME.

I agree. Glad I got out when I did.

 

[Inkd]

I retired in 99 as a Warrant, made Chief in early 90's. I was talking to a CMC earlier today, we're both glad we're gone and retired. Some of the crap you go through seems ridiculous (it is) and on purpose. Most exercises are to build upon the comraderie of the goat locker. Back in the day, Chiefs ran the day to day operations, taught junior officers how to lead and brought up the junior petty officers to take charge and LEAD.

Now, CPOs just take a course, eat a dinner and get a picture taken with their CO.

I remember when I was notified I made Chief. On the second deck, my CMC told me, I didn't believe him. Then my CO told me and my knees buckled...

How many here still have their charge book????

I've got my Charge book, and my vessel.

 

[cheezgrits]

I personally NEVER understood the CPO initiation process other than it was just an excuse for the already practically useless "professionals in their rating" to drag out the potentially useless selectees to play games with them!

I am glad it is going away. Maybe now they will be able to recoup that month to month and a half of lost work that occurs during the process.

I only ever worked with 1 E-7 that didnt go through the initiation process and he was the best, most hard working one that I ever had!

Most of the "modern" CPOs that I know where basically paper pushers and ALL were cowering in fear from the E-9s in the command. All they cared about was making sure THEY didn't look bad.

Come to think of it, I believe the reasoning behind the abolishment of the initiation process might be due to potential incurred medical costs due to SPINAL REMOVAL

Says an obvious multiple passed over E6

 

[SG_Player1974]

Says an obvious multiple passed over E6

Actually...

Says a former sailor that made E-6 in 7 years who saw what it was to be a "Chief Petty Officer" in today's Navy (basically a back stabbing, paper pusher who was out for only themselves) and decided to get out at 10 years to get a real job. Never was up for CPO

After seeing what the US Navy CPO was at the time and where it was heading... I wanted NO part of it! When you see CPOs doing the job of E-6s and even E-5s.... Sorry, but I didn't want that.

Actually, if I were to recommend an initiation process for TODAY'S chief selectees, it would be simple:

Administration 101 for Beginners
Self Preservation 301 for Advanced Users

Maybe even Physical Fitness for the Slovenly. I would say 50% of CPOs in the Navy right now are so obviously out of weight standards it is pathetic!

Oh wait... I'm sorry... They have "waivers." You know... the ones they have had for 6 or 7 years!!

 

[DoWhat]

Actually...

Says a former sailor that made E-6 in 7 years who saw what it was to be a "Chief Petty Officer" in today's Navy (basically a back stabbing, paper pusher who was out for only themselves) and decided to get out at 10 years to get a real job. Never was up for CPO

After seeing what the US Navy CPO was at the time and where it was heading... I wanted NO part of it! When you see CPOs doing the job of E-6s and even E-5s.... Sorry, but I didn't want that.

Actually, if I were to recommend an initiation process for TODAY'S chief selectees, it would be simple:

Administration 101 for Beginners
Self Preservation 301 for Advanced Users

Maybe even Physical Fitness for the Slovenly. I would say 50% of CPOs in the Navy right now are so obviously out of weight standards it is pathetic!

Oh wait... I'm sorry... They have "waivers." You know... the ones they have had for 6 or 7 years!!

 

[cheezgrits]

Actually...

Says a former sailor that made E-6 in 7 years who saw what it was to be a "Chief Petty Officer" in today's Navy (basically a back stabbing, paper pusher who was out for only themselves) and decided to get out at 10 years to get a real job. Never was up for CPO

After seeing what the US Navy CPO was at the time and where it was heading... I wanted NO part of it! When you see CPOs doing the job of E-6s and even E-5s.... Sorry, but I didn't want that.

Actually, if I were to recommend an initiation process for TODAY'S chief selectees, it would be simple:

Administration 101 for Beginners
Self Preservation 301 for Advanced Users

Maybe even Physical Fitness for the Slovenly. I would say 50% of CPOs in the Navy right now are so obviously out of weight standards it is pathetic!

Oh wait... I'm sorry... They have "waivers." You know... the ones they have had for 6 or 7 years!!

Wow. Sorry you have such a bitter recollection of your service. Apparently you either had poor leaders or were one of those who just couldn't be led. Glad you got a "real job" (would be interested in what that is) and thank you for your 10 years of service to our Nation.

 

[Merlin99]

Says an obvious multiple passed over E6

I knew this was coming.

 

[Inkd]

Actually...

Says a former sailor that made E-6 in 7 years who saw what it was to be a "Chief Petty Officer" in today's Navy (basically a back stabbing, paper pusher who was out for only themselves) and decided to get out at 10 years to get a real job. Never was up for CPO

After seeing what the US Navy CPO was at the time and where it was heading... I wanted NO part of it! When you see CPOs doing the job of E-6s and even E-5s.... Sorry, but I didn't want that.

Actually, if I were to recommend an initiation process for TODAY'S chief selectees, it would be simple:

Administration 101 for Beginners
Self Preservation 301 for Advanced Users

Maybe even Physical Fitness for the Slovenly. I would say 50% of CPOs in the Navy right now are so obviously out of weight standards it is pathetic!

Oh wait... I'm sorry... They have "waivers." You know... the ones they have had for 6 or 7 years!!

Sounds like you made the right decision in getting out.

I know for some people it is hard to see the future and say, "that's not going to be me, I'm going to change that", even if it is an uphill battle and you lose a few so called friends.

It can be incredibly difficult to look back at your past leaders and say "what they did was F'd up and when I'm in that position, I'm never going to do that". It is tough and not everyone is up to the challenge.

So I'm glad you got out, I wouldn't have wanted to serve with anyone who wasn't up to a challenge.

I'm glad you were able to find a real job. Congratulations....

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

Actually...

Says a former sailor that made E-6 in 7 years who saw what it was to be a "Chief Petty Officer" in today's Navy (basically a back stabbing, paper pusher who was out for only themselves) and decided to get out at 10 years to get a real job. Never was up for CPO

After seeing what the US Navy CPO was at the time and where it was heading... I wanted NO part of it! When you see CPOs doing the job of E-6s and even E-5s.... Sorry, but I didn't want that.

Actually, if I were to recommend an initiation process for TODAY'S chief selectees, it would be simple:

Administration 101 for Beginners
Self Preservation 301 for Advanced Users

Maybe even Physical Fitness for the Slovenly. I would say 50% of CPOs in the Navy right now are so obviously out of weight standards it is pathetic!

Oh wait... I'm sorry... They have "waivers." You know... the ones they have had for 6 or 7 years!!

I retired in '99 so I can't really qualify your comments as true or false to today's Navy. If true, I'm sad.

I was drafted and spent 3 years in the Army, got out for 5 years and then went back in. Had to go through boot camp again (that really sucked at 28)!

But one knows how the game is played, what is required to advance and hopefully, how to lead. I loved just about every minute of my career. I only retired when the officer detailer tried to send me as an Asian linguist to Rota.

CPO initiation was tradition, some good parts, some bad but nothing worthless. Contrary to what was posted earlier, all our work was in addition to our regular duties. We had a tight knit group of selectees and that was the objective. Once we had proven ourselves, our tight group became part of the much larger group in the goat locker. Made many friends and contacts not only in the active duty community but also the retired CPO community.

I'm not sure how all CPO initiations were conducted, mine was memorable and in no way demeaning permanently. (Yeah, I got my ego knocked down a few times.) But once one put on the khakis one is the Chief, for all the tradition, the responsibilities, and the leadership that is expected. One had a group of fellow Chiefs to help (and scold) one through good times and bad. I'm sad to see this proud tradition fade away.

 

[NTNG]

Us old goats < made Chief in '86 > can look back at our time as active Chiefs fondly. The younger sailors who are selected for Chief this year, will still be proud of wearing "the hat". They may have missed out on something that we cherish, but they will still wear the anchors, and be called Chief. I'm lucky that I still get to work with Sailors and Marines, and I see the pride and the desire to excel. Bottom line: This is THIER time, they will be joining OUR mess. We need to welcome them, despite our dislike in the changes made in the process...

 

[czygvtwkr]

or they can remember the initiation process and how their being jerked-around was a miserable state of affairs.

I know a couple that this part didn't take.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

Us old goats < made Chief in '86 > can look back at our time as active Chiefs fondly. The younger sailors who are selected for Chief this year, will still be proud of wearing "the hat". They may have missed out on something that we cherish, but they will still wear the anchors, and be called Chief. I'm lucky that I still get to work with Sailors and Marines, and I see the pride and the desire to excel. Bottom line: This is THIER time, they will be joining OUR mess. We need to welcome them, despite our dislike in the changes made in the process...

Agree!

I'm just despondent that another great tradition has bit the dust.

 

[Railroad]

I got out shortly after being advanced to E-6. In the 8.5 years I was in the Navy, I can only think of 2 Chiefs who really were useless backstabbers. For the most part, CPOs were effective leaders because they earned my respect and taght me a lot of important things (like how to think fast under pressure, for instance). And the Warrants I knew then (and the retired Warrants I know now) earned my respect by the same means. The CPO initiations that went on while I was in (1978 - 1987) pretty well convinced me that I didn't want to make E-7. Likewise the Shellback initiation. I'm a Bluenose, and that initiation was bad enough.

The fact that the initiations are being discontinued is still saddening, though, to me anyway. Tradition is an important element of our nation's armed services, and there are lessons to be learned from tradition and the way the command structure was constructed so many years ago. When you begin to eat away at the things which have made our services strong, you begin an insidious trend that can lead to a dysfunctional organization, a situation that could needlessly cost lives.

 

[DoWhat]

I got out shortly after being advanced to E-6. In the 8.5 years I was in the Navy, I can only think of 2 Chiefs who really were useless backstabbers. For the most part, CPOs were effective leaders because they earned my respect and taght me a lot of important things (like how to think fast under pressure, for instance). And the Warrants I knew then (and the retired Warrants I know now) earned my respect by the same means. The CPO initiations that went on while I was in (1978 - 1987) pretty well convinced me that I didn't want to make E-7. Likewise the Shellback initiation. I'm a Bluenose, and that initiation was bad enough.

The fact that the initiations are being discontinued is still saddening, though, to me anyway. Tradition is an important element of our nation's armed services, and there are lessons to be learned from tradition and the way the command structure was constructed so many years ago. When you begin to eat away at the things which have made our services strong, you begin an insidious trend that can lead to a dysfunctional organization, a situation that could needlessly cost lives.

Very good post.
And Thank You for your service, Young Man.

 

[edinsomd]

I knew this was coming.

Me too, exactly the type I'm thinking of. When I was at my most competitive (multi-platform aircrew, instructor duty, collage courses, community service, all the "right" awards, the LPO jobs) the Navy was down-sizing and only the top 1% were being selected, and none from my NEC. I knew what becoming a 1%er would entail, and opted to both a) remain married, and b) take the 15 year early retirement option. Best choice I ever made.

Anyway, sorry to see another Navy tradition sh!tcanned by the gutless PC crowd.

 

[Railroad]

Very good post.
And Thank You for your service, Young Man.

Same back at ya, Bro!

 

[Bean Machine]

I retired in 99 as a Warrant, made Chief in early 90's. I was talking to a CMC earlier today, we're both glad we're gone and retired. Some of the crap you go through seems ridiculous (it is) and on purpose. Most exercises are to build upon the comraderie of the goat locker. Back in the day, Chiefs ran the day to day operations, taught junior officers how to lead and brought up the junior petty officers to take charge and LEAD.

Now, CPOs just take a course, eat a dinner and get a picture taken with their CO.

I remember when I was notified I made Chief. On the second deck, my CMC told me, I didn't believe him. Then my CO told me and my knees buckled...

How many here still have their charge book????

I do!