JOURNEY INTO THE CHIEF PETTY OFFICER’S MESS

Every year is filled with expectation and hope as the results of the CPO Selection Board results are announced. There is great expectation and hope, of course, among those that have their records considered by the board for selection. They anxiously await the announcement hoping that their name will be found among the long lines of selectees’ names. Working and serving diligently throughout their careers, they hope that they will be among the honored who will make the final journey through the months of August and September preparing to become a member of the most honored and trusted of all fraternities, that of the Chief Petty Officer’s Mess. Meeting their expectations of that journey in which they will learn and prepare are solemn responsibilities that must be met by all seasoned Chief Petty Officers. Failing to meet their expectations is a failure of the highest order.

Each year as July rolls around, I am asked a recurring question as I meet with Sailors. It is "MCPON, what are your guidelines for bringing the New CPOs into the CPO Mess this year?" I thought it would be useful to codify to some extent the process we made profound changes to over the past ten years. Consequently, the CNO/MCPON Senior Enlisted Leadership Panel, composed of the CNO Directed Command Master Chiefs, the Force Master Chiefs, and the Fleet Master Chiefs, have assisted and advised me in developing the following guidelines for the "journey" into every CPO mess in the Navy. The guidelines written here are a compilation of the significant changes over the past ten years that transformed our journey from the single day, often misinterpreted, event of the past to the valued, disciplined and rewarding life changing process we enjoy today. These guidelines are not and cannot be interpreted as a defining set of rules or as a mere cookbook approach to this process. No guidelines can be written that will entirely supplant either good common sense or the deep abiding respect that CPOs hold for Sailors in their charge. Likewise, writing a "cookbook" for the journey would unnecessarily limit the intelligent and innovative approach to this task that have been hallmarks of CPO mess for years. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the Command Master Chief, and the Command Master Chief alone, to ensure the intent and the guidelines for the journey in their command meet all existing requirements and that all activities are constructed from a common sense perspective delivering a value added product to the journey.

My words in these guidelines have been very carefully chosen and should be carefully considered when read. The items listed under "Don’t" are not open for interpretation. The words "may" and "should" may be interpreted as recommendations to be considered and hopefully adopted. The words "shall" and "will" must be considered as mandates that will be adhered to unless requested and approved by higher authority. Any such requests or any questions that arise from or about these guidelines should be directed to the ISIC Command/CNO Directed/Force/Fleet Master Chief. Those commands not reporting to an ISIC should liaison with the Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy.

Command Master Chief responsibilities:

	CMC must brief Selectees and Spouses (separately) on the process and purpose of the journey and what to expect.
	CMC must brief the Commanding Officer on all aspects of the journey and gain concurrence. If possible, the Wardroom should be briefed also.
	CMC and CO should consider sending a letter of congratulations to the selectee’s family. The Sailor didn’t succeed without their help.
	CMC must select the sponsors with more than one year of CPO experience. First year CPOs may be used only in those cases where there are no more senior CPOs from which to select.
	CMC should instruct Selectee on Mess etiquette
	CMC must brief the entire CPO Mess on Guidelines prior to the start of the journey.
	CMC must conduct periodic "how-goes-it" interviews with Selectee/Spouse
	CMC must not participate as a judge on graduation day

	Organized PT
	Combine with other commands and PT as a group
	Put everyone CPO(Sel) and CPOs in the same PT uniform
	PT regularly and consistently beginning at a slow pace and building in intensity as the season progresses
	Encourage/require CPO(Sel) to write professional jodies;
	Rotate the PT leader to allow everyone to lead
	Have the CPO (Sel) construct a "pride" oriented guide on to carry at PT
	(Mandatory) Assign a book from the MCPON’s Navy Heritage Reading List for reading by each CPO(Sel). The list was updated in July 00 and is available on this web site,
	Book shall not to be assigned for the CPO(Sel) to deliver a "book report"
	CMC will design a seminar type of discussion of the elements of the Navy’s Core Values of "honor, courage, and commitment" using the experiences gleaned from the readings to illustrate each of the elements. The seminar should be led by the CMC and the CO should be invited to participate.
	Plan participation in a voluntary Civic Activity (i.e. Habitat for Humanity; Park/Waterway Clean up; Food Collection)
	Have all CPO(Sel) activity cleared by Medical. (Particularly important before beginning the advanced PT sessions)
	Involve spouses during the entire initiation season
	Hold an initial meeting with regular follow-ups.
	Give them a schedule of events annotating events they are invited to attend
	Give them contact phone numbers for key players
	Plan a Dining Out with spouses or a Khaki Ball to celebrate the successful conclusion of the journey.
	Sponsors must be involved right away and must accompany the CPO(Sel) to the Uniform Store
	Have public affairs prepare hometown news releases for every CPO(Sel)
	Develop and implement team building assignments (i.e. fund raisers; PT; talent show)
	Eggs are allowed as a non-consumables
	Brief Mess/Selectees on do’s/don’ts of Charge Book.
	Charge books are to be used for passing on advice and assigning tasks that will aid the CPO(Sel) in the journey.
	Under no circumstances will vulgarity be entered into or damage/defacement be inflicted upon the charge book by any CPO or CPO(Sel).
	Consider the impact on the CPO(Sel)’s work center when tasking the CPO(Sel) outside of the work center.
	Recognize Selectees over 1MC or by ceremony
	Schedule and hold CPO Indoctrination as soon as possible after the list is announced.
	Encourage 100% participation from the mess. Make assignments that will mandate full participation.
	Put lots of energy into developing a memorable pinning ceremony (videos and photos – a MUST)

	No inappropriate or sexually or explicit jokes or skits (i.e. cross dressing)
	No verbal abuse
	No physical abuse
	No videos of training or the graduation events.
	No lone rangers (everything is group participation)
	No activities not tied to the values inherent in CPO Creed
	No forced feeding - No feeding at all. Easy rule of thumb, "Nothing in the mouth and nothing down the gullet."
	No vulgarity may be entered into or damage/defacement be inflicted upon the charge book.
	Don’t use any prop that may cause injury
	No drinking during any part of the training exercises or before or during the graduation events.
	No officer participation is allowed during transition process until pinning ceremony. (only exception is when CO/XO/Flag are invited by CMC to observe)
	Do not allow other services to participate as observers or as CPO(Sel) unless approved by the CNO directed CMC/Force/Fleet Master Chief/MCPON as appropriate.

	Don’t allow repercussions for non-participation
	Don’t keep Selectees up all night on the 15th – secure at Taps

	Kick off meeting
	Direct Line guidance (i.e. Theme, etc)

	Committee/Membership
	Locations
	Review last year’s lessons learned
	Review sponsor/selectee packages

JUNE:

Follow up reports from each committee

	Sponsor training begins
	Set dates/instructions for CPO Indoctrination
	Finalize/print selectee/sponsor packages w/CO briefing

	Selectee training process schedule finalized
	Notify NEX of uniform requirements
	Follow up reports from committee
	Spouses letters written
	First spouses meeting
	Medical clearances
	Assign heritage reading
	All CPO meeting – objectives/goals
	Assign sponsors

	Continue weekly training
	Continue weekly PRT
	Review committee progress
	Pinning ceremony review
	Conduct fund raisers
	Community/CPO Project

	Continue weekly training
	Continue PRT
	Final committee report outs
	Conduct final graduation events
	Conduct pinning ceremony
	Write up lessons learned
	CPO / Khaki Ball

The changes to our process of bringing new members into the CPO Mess have been a long but very successful process. Today’s process delivers to the mess not only an energized new member but also one that is a full up round ready to succeed in leading Sailors from the first day in the mess. The guidelines above are only that, "guidelines." Every command and every Command Master Chief must temper what is listed above with the great wisdom and sense of serving Sailors and the Navy that their accumulated years of experience has given to them.

In closing, let me point out one very important element of the journey that came to me last year only after serving 25 years in the mess. As I was watching the 1999 CPO selectees hoist sail aboard the USS CONSTITUTION, it struck me that there is another reason that we conduct a "journey into the CPO Mess" each year. I think it’s a reason that is equal in importance to the preparation we provide to our newest members. Each year as we gather to conduct the training during the season and to hear the CPO Creed read at the pinning ceremony every CPO in our Navy takes a journey back to "ground truth." That’s what the CPO Creed is. It’s "ground truth" . . . the reason we exist as a CPO Mess. In considering this, I think it’s probable that we would not be the mess we are today if we didn’t take time out each year and make the journey back to renew ourselves and our messes. With this in mind, I’d like every command to take the time to consider how they intend to accomplish this equally important part of the journey each year. Actively plan the events and the assignments to ensure this task is met with the zeal equal to that of preparing the CPO(Sel)s to enter the mess.

The Navy as an organization and I personally have the greatest trust and confidence in each CPO’s ability and judgement to make this journey memorable and valuable. Each of you "make the Navy run!" "Let the Journey to the CPO Mess begin!"