One of the hardest concepts for me to describe is the “how” being a U. S. Navy Chief Petty Officer transformed me. We have a saying, “Once a Chief, Always a Chief.”
While browsing my LinkedIn feed, I saw a link blog post with a curious title.
The history of the Navy Chief (short for Chief Petty Officer) is rich. I don’t have enough time to cover all the bases, but it’s unrivaled by any other position in the U.S. armed forces.
The Link: Servant Leadership & Chiefs
The author, Tony Palmer, noted content from the letter that former MCPON (Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy) Mike Stevens wrote in 2014 which explains how I was transformed.
In his December 2014 “Letter to the Mess” MCPON Mike Stevens defined the chief petty officer rate by stating, “A Chief Petty Officer is a quiet, humble, servant leader. We have the responsibility to establish and maintain the conditions that provide all of our people the opportunity to be successful and accomplish whatever mission we have been given. And we do this while treating one another with dignity and respect.” Stevens went on to quote the British writer and lay theologian, C. S. Lewis. “Being humble is thinking less of yourself and thinking more about others.” His final sentence reflects the essence of his vision for a humble leader, “Being mindful that the more senior you become, the more people you serve.”
Tony Palmer (emphasis above is mine)
For me, Mike nailed the “how”. I saw servant leadership modeled by Chiefs.
As a result, I became the person I saw modeled. In the Agile product and service development space, we talk about servant leadership. I lived it before joining the Agile community.
My day, our day, as Veterans in the United States, is November 11th.
It is the day, each year, where we are encouraged to share stories around our service. I take pride in the years I wore the cloth of my country. There is a humbling affect that comes with serving in uniform.
As my career started, I wonder if I would earn more than a handful of medals and ribbons. Would I be recognized for individual accomplishment? More important, would our command be recognized as a high performing team?
Now that I look back, I chuckle a bit. I joined the Navy as the first Gulf War ended and so I received the National Defense Medal after I completed bootcamp. One down, more to go.
For a good while, I was authorized to wear just that one, lonely ribbon on my service uniform and dress uniform. That was until I earn my “dolphins”.
Earning my Enlisted Submarine Warfare designation meant I was now a tribe member. Only a small number of men and women are capable of joining the Submarine Force. Few still, complete the qualifications to earn their warfare pin.
Enlisted Submarine Warfare Designator
The End Of The Beginning
I recall transferring from the active duty component to the reserve component of the Navy. I felt a bit ashamed that I was not deemed worthy enough for a Navy Achievement Medal. It felt like an insult and it stung like a face slap.
For years, I wore my dolphins and few ribbons with a grudging respect for teammates who were recognized as top performers. They had the chest hardware to prove they went above and beyond, or at least, were recognized for sustained, outstanding performance. Me, not so much.
What I did earn, while in the Coast Guard Reserve, were a fair number of team commendations. Those ribbons mattered more than an individual medal could ever matter because we came together to get the job done. Before transferring back to the Navy Reserve, I earned my first personal ribbon.
The ribbon, along with the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, meant I was finally seen as a difference maker. I was more than supporting cast on the team, I was making an impact with the team. The funny thing is, I wasn’t allowed to wear the ribbon on my Navy uniform!
Go figure!
Powered By Jet Fuel
My first unit back in the Navy Reserve was one of several theater special operations commands or TSOCs. Applying what I learned in the Coast Guard and private sector, I joined my unit and looked for ways to be impactful. Thankfully, I had served in submarines and that proved to be a big advantage for my credibility.
As I discovered, raw talent only gets you so far as a TSOC staff member. It take endurance, resilience, and the willingness to set personal priorities aside to thrive in the special operations environment. For me, it was a fertile environment, filled with opportunity to succeed.
Then it happened, I earned my first achievement medal. It was, and still is, the medal I am most proud to wear. The story behind that medal is about humanitarian response and disaster recovery. My reason to serve, wasn’t about going to war, it was about doing good when I could.
Following that achievement medal came commendation medal and more team recognition. Finally, I was being recognized for what I brought to the table. The more important point, for me, was it validated the work I had done and in the joint environment.
Once, Twice Deployed To Afghanistan
As an enlisted leader, my deployments to Afghanistan cemented my time in uniform. Earning awards and ribbons at the end of deployment, those awards are defining for service members. They mark significant moments in service.
The way I see them, they are milestones or mile markers, for my military career. They remind me of where I came from and where I got to. As well, the medals, pins, and ribbons are backed by stories to be shared.
In the military, it seems easier to connect experiences and share the meaning behind them. Now that I’m retired, those moments are harder to come by. For some brief time, what was done in uniform had significance that was larger than me.
If you see or know a Veteran this November 11th, thank them for their service. I know I will be.
