Guam Service Members Celebrate 118th Birthday of Chiefs

By By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Corey Hensley

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Chief petty officers from various commands stationed on Guam gathered to celebrate the 118th birthday of the chief on U.S. Naval Base Guam March 28-April 1.

The events kicked off Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Week with observing morning colors in front of the Naval Base Guam Head Quarters. The week's festivities included a community service project at Ordot–Chalan Pago Elementary School and a 5K fundraiser. The events concluded with a cake cutting ceremony at Molly McGee's Irish Pub April 1, the official date of the 118th birthday of CPOs in the Navy.

Joint Region Marianas Command Master Chief Paul Kingsbury said the purpose of CPO Week was to give chiefs the chance to engage one another and demonstrate that their role in the Navy has always been one of importance.

"Think of all the people and all the leadership that a Sailor is going to be exposed to," Kingsbury said. "The chief petty officer is one that will connect the most. They are standard bearers and keepers of heritage and tradition."

For a long time before the existence of chiefs, superiority among petty officers on a ship would be decided by the commanding officer (CO). These appointed positions were mostly temporary but the CO had the option to recommend these "chief" petty officers to a more permanent charge. The official pay grade of CPO was not established until April 1, 1893.

Kingsbury said chiefs need to be the technical experts of their rate while also training and developing others, including junior officers.

"One of our traditional duties is training the newly appointed division officer as well," Kingsbury said. "All chiefs should be able to talk to all Sailors about fundamental Navy programs and general life guidance."

Many first class petty officers were shifted to the chief level when the rank was created. As a result, there was no "first" CPO. For many years after COs would still occasionally promote petty officers to acting positions to fill needed jobs on their ships.

On June 1, 1958, the pay grades of E 8 and E 9 were created, giving birth to senior chiefs and master chiefs. In August of that same year, service wide examinations were held to decide what chiefs were the best qualified to take on these new "super chief" positions. The first set of promotions happened Nov. 16, 1958.