Have any Marines, Soldiers or Airmen participated in Navy Chief Petty Officer Initiation?

2017-07-27T13:15:11-04:00

The Navy CPO results should be released very soon. Looks like we will have an Air Force Master Sergeant (Select) participating with our mess this year. Last year I remember two Gunnys from Kaneohe Bay participating with the K-Bay messes. Just wondering if anyone on here not in the Navy or Coast Guard has participated in CPO initiation as a selectee?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2017 1:23 PM

2017-07-27T13:23:03-04:00

No, but it would be quite a high honor, to someday be invited to do so.

Response by MSgt Marshall Schiller made Jul 27 at 2017 2:37 PM

2017-07-27T14:37:51-04:00

Never had the honor, but I have written words, sentences, paragraphs, discourses and treatises in a few "misplaced" charge books during my career!

Response by SCPO Timothy Ellis made Jul 27 at 2017 2:41 PM

2017-07-27T14:41:03-04:00

I was initiated in Staten Island at SECTOR New York. It was one of the high points of my life. I would not have participated 10 years earlier because of the things I saw. My initiation was for ME and my brother Chiefs. All the "stunts" and tasks had an inner meaning and helped us become part of the Mess and how to look out for our people, including our officers. I still use my Chiefness as my rule and guide when dealing with subordinates and superiors out in the world. My brother who was a O-4 in the USAR attended. He flew over from Europe. The Army had banned initiations just prior to mine. At the end, he stood up and gave a short speech thanking the Mess for allowing his attendnace ( he got soaked by fines especially being former enlisted) and stated if the Army had an initiation program like USCG and NAVY Chiefs, they would still have initiations.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2017 5:46 PM

2017-07-27T17:46:26-04:00

We have had had several in Gulf Port, Joint Engineering school. They have had Army and Air force, Also some Marines do it, The Gunny's that are in Battalions as Cadres, and these are Grunts and Recon Types most of them.

During the invasion and the start of Phase IV, we were Attached with RCT 5, and I wasover at HQ helping Them out with some engineering stuff, and the Sgtmaj, called me over at the TOC, and showed me his Master Chief Anchors, he earned in Okinawa years before as a Gunny. He would later become the SMMC of Marine Corps in 2007, and suggested to all gunny's back then if given the choice do it. We had a Gunny at NAS JAX, that did it back in 2009, because of that.

Response by CPO John Hopkins made Jul 28 at 2017 8:29 AM

2017-07-28T08:29:37-04:00

I attended Initiation events held at ASU/SWA in Bahrain back in 1998, where an Army Sergeant First Class went through CPO Initiation. And he handled it with grace and appreciation, wishing that the Army handled this transition as well as the Navy did.

Response by CPO Glenn Moss made Jul 28 at 2017 9:52 AM

2017-07-28T09:52:59-04:00

Ummm....noooooo...

Having "guests" for certain ceremonies, sure. I could conceivably see such a guest at a Dining In or Dining Out.

I could even see such guests as part of the training Chiefs go through as selectees.

But during the Chief's Initiation itself? No. That's all about the culmination of the purpose of establishing a culture of trust and unity between ALL CHIEFS, whether they're Chiefs, Senior Chiefs, or Master Chiefs. Because behind closed doors, they speak and work together as equals on all matters. Outsiders have no place in this.

Response by SCPO Edward DeAngelis made Jul 29 at 2017 10:18 AM

2017-07-29T10:18:13-04:00

I was initated,...at CPO CLUB LITTLE amphibious Base.va Beach va.1979.....proudest day of my NAVY Career.....

Response by GySgt Paul Glynn made Apr 13 at 2018 1:20 PM

2018-04-13T13:20:25-04:00

Yes I am an Honorary Chief as a GySgt back in 1991 while I was in Stuttgart Germany

Response by GySgt Paul Glynn made Apr 13 at 2018 1:21 PM

2018-04-13T13:21:40-04:00

Yes I went thru Chief Initiation while stationed in Stuttgart Germany in 1991. It was unforgettable..

Response by SFC Quinn Chastant made Apr 13 at 2018 4:32 PM

2018-04-13T16:32:16-04:00

as a selectee, no, as a participant for the events leading up to appointment, yes. The Selectees at a base near me had to support a September 11th, Memorial as part of their process. They asked for and received my services as a Bagpiper for the event. They were also a bit surprised to learn I am a Retiree from a small Fire Department north of Manhattan, and that I would do the event gratis in memory of one of my former co-workers who perished with 342 other NYC Firefighters that day. I've done so twice, once in modified Army Uniform and once in modified Fire Department Uniform for Selectees from the Unit.

Response by CPO John Clark made Nov 14 at 2018 10:06 AM

2018-11-14T10:06:06-05:00

in Key West there was a standard tradition after promotion to E-7 in any service you were initiated at the Chief's Mess!!

Response by CPO John Clark made Nov 15 at 2018 11:35 AM

2018-11-15T11:35:17-05:00

I was a joint command, JRCC. As a Non Commission Officer you should be involved/stationed in a joint command during your career. Just as officers have their mess so should us. On the enterprise we always had air force pilots. E-7 and above are a special breed of leadership.

Response by SCPO Timothy Ellis made Nov 16 at 2018 5:24 PM

2018-11-16T17:24:25-05:00

I invited my brother to my initiation in 2000. He was a Major in the Army. He really enjoyed it, the Chiefs smashed him and in remarks he stated that if the Army ran their initiations and such as the Coast Guard ran theirs, the Army would still have initiations.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2019 1:23 AM

2019-10-05T01:23:35-04:00

I recently was given the priviledge of going through the season as a select. Great experience and great respect for my brothers and sisters. I also attended the USN senior enlisted academy.