When a group of individuals bound by trust, tradition, heritage and unselfish service celebrates over a century of that service they must do two things. First and foremost they must celebrate. Then they must also look inward in order to look ahead.
First, celebrate. All who know you wish a Happy Birthday to each and every Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy, wherever you are serving today. The title of Chief Petty Officer will remain eternally connected to that day in 1893. The Chief Petty Officer rank will also carry the happy burden of all those intervening years. It is up to those currently wearing the Anchor to maintain and grow the CPO community ahead of where the Navy needs you. You are leaders after all. It is also incumbent on those who wore the Anchor to stand by to provide the ready store of knowledge and experience for those in uniform.
Secondly examine. Are you better as Chiefs, individually and as a community today than you were a year, two or five years ago? Have you lost or gained ground as a leadership group? Are you setting the standard or complying with one set for you? Is your experience and leadership put to work and respected or do people work around you? Are you well served by those senior enlisted above you? Have you identified the problems the Navy has now and may have later? Are you working as a group to get ahead of those problems? Is each and every Chief living the tradition, heritage and principles that define the CPO?
The Chiefs Community has many traditions, and a substantial heritage. For example, Chiefs traditionally do not stand still and let the Navy pass them by, Chiefs lead. That leadership is not bound by the confines of the ship, sub, squadron, staff or team, but is bound only by what makes the Navy a better fighting force. Tradition is a fine thing, but the Navy needs CPO leadership, tempered and guided by that tradition not restrained by it.
Happy Birthday!!
