Copyright © 2025
by Ralph F. Couey
Every year in late summer, the Navy releases a list of names. For thousands of First Class petty officers, the release has been awaited with a mixture of excited anticipation but also fear and dread. For years, sometimes a decade or more, these career-minded sailors have accomplished and endured, all experiences pointed towards that moment.
The Navy is alone among the services in the promotion of personnel from pay grade E-6 to E-7. Because of the special status accorded Chief Petty Officers, everything changes. First and foremost is the uniform. The newly minted Chief now dons a khaki uniform along with that coveted hat. It is similar to the uniform worn by officers, except that on the collar lapels, the traditional "fouled anchor" is worn, which is the symbol of that new rank. But other things change as well. Aboard ship, they move into quarters specifically set up for Chiefs. They also join an exclusive group, known as the "Chief's Mess," which refers to both where they eat and where the collected wisdom of decades of Navy service can be found.
The Navy Chief is the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, experience, strength, and authority. To the enlisted crew, the Chief is the most critical person in their lives. A young sailor's growth, maturation, and expertise lie in the hands of that Chief. That learning also conveys to officers. Many a raw ensign has been (respectfully) schooled by that wizened Chief, and all admit that they're better officers because of that.
I recall that time, back in 1988, when I saw my name on the list. I had only been in the service since 1980, so to have risen that far, that fast, was unprecedented. It also made me nervous. I was fully aware that most candidates had around 10 to 15 years in before being selected. I talked to my detailer and asked if it wouldn't be better for me to do a tour at sea as a Leading Petty Officer, the First Class who works just below the Chief. I was told that if I turned down this promotion, it would never be offered again. We had four children, and we needed the hefty pay raise, so I accepted the promotion.
The intervening time was filled with numerous activities, hampered by the fact that I was on independent duty, not on a Navy station or ship, and thus out of the communications loop. But I did show up for the initiation. Tradition dictates that I can't share the activities of that very long night, except to tell you that I know how an earthworm and fish oil cocktail tastes. But finally, just before dawn, I passed the final tests and was sent to get cleaned up and dressed.
The pinning ceremony was impressive. An old Master Chief told us, "Starting today, you will be known as a Chief Petty Officer. You will still be called "Chief" long after you leave the Navy. Because once you pin these anchors on, they stay with you forever. For they are also pinned to your heart." Then, the moment arrived. Cheryl pinned those shiny new anchors to my collars. I stood there in a moment of pride and accomplishment, not only for me but for her as well. She earned them just as much as I did.
For that and a hundred other reasons, this period is an emotional time for me. To watch these men and women go through the tests and trials, and to arrive at that supreme moment, is for me to relive it as well, experience those emotions, and, for a time, feel again that pride for what was then the greatest accomplishment of my life.
Now, some people think that leadership simply means issuing orders and meting out punishments. But as any senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in any branch of the military will tell you, the job goes way beyond that simplistic view. First and foremost is the mission. What the goal is, and what needs to happen to achieve the goal. Crew members must be assigned to the tasks required. This is not a "dart board' approach, but rather knowing your people. Qualifications, yes. But also their individual strengths, weaknesses, and temperament. Assigning the wrong task to the wrong person can be problematic.
You have to know your people. Someone who is in the grips of a personal off-the-ship issue might never talk to anyone. However, those distracted behaviors manifest in subtle ways. The leader has to remain ever vigilant and prepared to intervene.
The military loads NCOs with a lot of administration. This is all vital and necessary to the running of the great military bureaucracy. However, a leader knows how important it is not to be held prisoner by the office. The proper place for the NCO is out on deck, spending time with the crew, observing their work habits and the progress of the assigned projects, and being aware of their interactions with one another. Much of this is intuitive, recalling what it was like to be them. Unfortunately, intuition can't be taught, but must already be an inherent part of a leader's makeup.
The most important part of the relationship between leaders and subordinates is trust.
Trust can't be commanded. It can only be earned. For the junior and mid-grade folks, the NCO is the authority figure. But there also has to be the sense that they have someone in their corner; that they can come to the NCO with an issue in confidence and expect a fair shake. Every NCO, of course, must have the ability to bring down the wrath of God Himself upon the head of someone who richly deserves it. There will always be that line that Shall Never Be Crossed, and they have to know clearly what and where that line is. Young people always function better when operating within a clear set of boundaries.
That goes hand-in-hand with respect. It has been my experience that respect for juniors is reflected back to leadership. Treat them as if you know that they know their job and you know...just know...that they'll get it done. Conveying that respect and confidence empowers people. And they will respond.
The Navy taught me the basics of leadership. But the real education came through the crucible of experience. For any of us, life is an academy. As much as we learn from both good and bad experiences, we also gain insight from both good and bad leaders. We will all make mistakes. That's inevitable for humans. Don't run from mistakes. Instead, confront them, analyze them, and understand them. Take those lessons and apply them, and they will inform you for the rest of your life. Confronting our own faults and errors takes a certain kind of courage, the drive to be better, and keeping the promise we made to ourselves and our people that we will be the leader they will want to follow.
Courage.
That is the supreme element of leadership.
