There were four Sailors assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command Bremerton who were conspicuously out of uniform standard.

That noticeable clothing oversight was soon officially and ceremoniously rectified at the command’s CPO Pinning ceremony, September 29, 2023.

NMRTC Bremerton formally welcomed – and watched the pinning of the fouled anchor – to each of the four active duty enlisted staff members selected for U.S. Navy chief petty officer for Fiscal Year 2024: Chief Hospital Corpsman Weldekiros Aregawi, Chief Hospital Corpsman Cristi Bussard, Chief Hospital Corpsman Joseph Nededog and Chief Hospital Corpsman Don Wilwayco.

It had been a whirlwind six weeks for the quartet which started August 21 when they were all surprised with the news they had advanced in rate by Command Master Chief Brandon May and Capt. Mark Lund, executive officer, on behalf of Capt. Patrick Fitzpatrick, NHB director and NMRTC Bremerton commanding officer.

From her duties as master of ceremonies for the CPO Pinning ceremony, Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Shawanna Murphy noted to those in attendance, “you are not just present for the advancement of first class petty officers to the next higher paygrade, but also to share in the most significant transition that they will ever make in their naval careers.”

Murphy explained that the goal of the chief’s initiation included inspiring, instilling trust and motivating them while simultaneously teaching leadership, establishing esprit de corps, promoting unity and building teamwork.

“Selectees were challenged with physical training, learning a new depth of naval heritage, engaging in meaningful discussion on Navy core values and various leadership and teamwork training efforts,” said Murphy. “As the initiation completed, we can ensure a deeper understanding of our traditions, our heritage and our values, not only in the chiefs we are about to pin today, but in the entire Chief’s Mess.”

For Capt. Fitzpatrick, it was his third time presiding over such a ceremony.

“This journey culminated in ‘final night,’ where the chief selects were pushed to their limits. The mess has found them worthy, and we are here today to make it official, with the pinning of anchors on their collar. They will forever be known by their new name, ‘chief,’” said Fitzpatrick delivering his opening remarks and also sharing an excerpt from his meeting with the four several days earlier.

“The world will look differently to you from this day forward. You’ll feel the weight of your responsibility and ponder the consequences of your actions more. You can never be ready for this. But you will have the support of the mess, the wardroom and the Navy team. I am proud of you, and I share in your joy on this special day, excited for your future and pleased to know that the Navy is in good hands with leaders like you,” Fitzpatrick said.

In his role as senior enlisted advisor, Command Master Chief May addressed the four and shared to them, along with friends, family and co-workers on the importance of the ceremony.

“This ceremony culminates the weeks of training, assignment s and hard work of those standing before you now. While it is true that all branches of the United States armed forces have two classes of rank with enlisted and commissioned, only the United States Navy has the distinction of having an additional class of service, the bureau appointed chief petty officer. This is what makes the title of chief even more distinctive. No other military branch has a rank quite like that of the chief. Although pay grades E7 through E9 are officially equivalent to those of other services, the Navy is unique in that it confers so much more authority and responsibility on the chief than just one paygrade would normally dictate while also demanding performance and results that go far beyond just attending the rank of E7. Even the uniform has changed,” remarked May.

Murphy then addressed Capt. Fitzpatrick in his role as NMRTC Bremerton commanding officer to request adding four new members to the command’s chief mess.

Permission was granted.

Family, friends and mentors then pinned the anchors on the four, and with that simple, yet symbolic act, changed their first name forever.

Weldekiros Aregawi, Cristi Bussard, Joseph Nededog and Don Wilwayco will now be known as ‘chief.’

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/454777/am-navy-medicine-and-chief-hospital-corpsman-weldekiros-aregawi-nmrtc-bremerton

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/454779/am-navy-medicine-and-chief-hospital-corpsman-cristi-bussard-nmrtc-bremerton

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/454776/am-navy-medicine-and-chief-hospital-corpsman-joseph-paul-domingo-nededog-nmrtc-bremerton

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/454778/am-navy-medicine-and-chief-hospital-corpsman-don-p-wilwayco-nmrtc-bremerton