MANAMA, Bahrain --
Eight Sailors assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet were promoted to the rank of chief petty officer during a pinning ceremony at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, September 13.
Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jay Chu, Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class Karyn Robinson, Logistics Specialist 1st Class Josianne Thompson, Master-at-Arms 1st Class Jadaniel Washington, Electronics Technician 1st Class Joshua Arce Yeoman 1st Class Emmanuel Butler, Intelligence Specialist 1st Class (IS1) Tyler Aker, and IS1 Levi Gillis were advanced to the rank of chief petty officer.
The ceremony was the capstone event to the Chiefs Initiation, the name given to six weeks of training that prepared the chief selectees for donning the fouled anchors and assuming new responsibility.
Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces, was the guest speaker at the ceremony and congratulated all 68 chief selectees, representing 15 commands, on their selection and offered perspective on their new responsibilities.
“As a chief, you will face adversaries, you will encounter challenges and you will find obstacles in your way,” said Stearney, “but you have the DNA and legacy to carry on. You have earned this day, and you deserve the title of chief petty officer.”
Following the ceremony, Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection) Robinson struggled to find the words to describe the emotions she felt after being accepted into the most exclusive of Navy fraternities.
“There are no words to describe what I’m feeling today,” said Robinson. “It’s a mixture of pride, humility and honor. The only thing I look forward to more than becoming a chief petty officer is paying it forward and helping make my Sailors and my Navy better every day.”
The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.