CNO Remarks at FY25 CPO Pinning Ceremony

Good afternoon, everyone! It’s a great Navy Day. 

Acting Secretary Mancinelli, flags, general officers, senior enlisted leader distinguished guests, active and reserve Sailors, our civilian teammates, and most importantly the family and friends of our Navy chief selects, and our Navy chief selects. It is truly an honor to be with you here today at the Navy Memorial. I can think of no better place to have this event than right here. And I know you wish you were outside, so imagine you’re outside right now sitting at the home of the world’s largest granite sea. It’s the home of the stories of our Sailors. It’s the home of the National Chiefs Mess.  

Let me start by saying thank you very much to the Navy Band and Ceremonial Guard for adding so much to our celebration. And let’s give them a round of applause so they can hear it. And thank you to all of our Sailors, Civilians, and joint teammates here today. Thank you for answering our Nation’s call to service and for being part of the world’s preeminent fighting force. 

I’d also like to extend my thanks to all of the families, the friends, and the mentors both who are here today - those who are watching virtually - and those you represent for your own service and for your sacrifice. We can not do what we do every day without you. It’s really because of your love, your support, and your encouragement that we can be here to welcome America’s newest Navy chiefs into America’s Warfighting Navy.  

Thank you for having such an outsized impact on the lives of your Sailors.  How about a round of applause for all of our families and support networks out in the crowd today!

Well, today really is a great Navy day! And in a few moments we will bear witness to a time-honored tradition one that is steeped in over 130 years of naval history as our selectees pin on their anchors, don their covers and begin their journey as deckplate leaders: Navy chiefs. 

This afternoon’s ceremony - the Pinning of our chief petty officers signifies a critical milestone in the lives of these Sailors - one that represents years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance and one that only a handful in our Navy will ever achieve. It is truly a day they will remember for the rest of their lives. 

The responsibilities and expectations of a Navy chief are unlike that of any other leader in our armed forces. They emulate our Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment. They’re caretakers of Navy history and tradition and they’re leaders of character, culture, and competency molded by their years of experience out in the Fleet. 

As our Navy’s senior enlisted leaders, chiefs are charged with the great responsibility of training, mentoring, and developing our future Warfighters. And while teaching a young seaman may be different from mentoring an ensign or advising a captain, or even an admiral, the expectation remains the same: chiefs must be able to do it all.

And let me tell you that there is no greater impact on a Sailor than the mentorship and guidance provided by their chief. To this day, I still think about my first chiefs: Chief Jones, Chief Satriano and Chief Salvatore. 

Chief Jones was my very first chief at my very first command: Navy Reserve Readiness Command Region 13. Chief Jones ensured Ensign Franchetti got off on the right foot. 

Chief Satriano and Chief Salvatore were my chiefs on my first ship. I was brand new to the Fleet and was just assigned my very first division of 70 Sailors - a journalism major responsible for engineers. It was overwhelming at first, but my chiefs took me under their wing and they taught me everything I needed to know: 

They taught me that the worst day at sea is still better than any day ashore. 

They taught me that the crusted leathery coating on the inside of a chief’s mug added flavor. 

They taught me that a chief sees everything, but admires nothing.

And they taught me that the leadership skills I’d learn out on the deckplates was far better than any of the leadership books in my stateroom. 

Thirtynine years later, the best lessons on leadership have come from my chiefs:

They taught me that every Sailor has value and can achieve exceptional performance if given the tools and the time to succeed. 

They reinforced the importance of listening to and getting to know our Sailors and taking a personal interest in their lives and what they had to say. And  they taught me the value of teamwork, especially in the face of adversity and that there is nothing we can’t do if we work together with a common vision, where everyone understands the importance of their role and how they can connect their dot to the mission.

My chiefs invested in me  and I strive every day to be the leader that they wanted me to be. Their mentorship - and the mentorship from all the senior enlisted leaders I’ve served with along the way help me become the officer and leader I am today. And I know I would not be standing here as the 33rd CNO without my chiefs and the broader chiefs mess that I’ve had the pleasure to serve with these last 39 years. 

So as I start to wrap up, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to pass on to you our Navy’s newest chiefs a few of my own thoughts on leadership and what I consider most important about being a “leader of consequence” in this decisive decade.

Over the past 39 years, I’ve distilled my thoughts into six key principles, and their principles which guide me and keep me focused on what matters most.

The first principle: integrity matters. It is the foundation of trust both up and down our chain of command so we can build connectedness and cohesion within our teams. chiefs must be authentic and their actions must be consistent with the team’s values and priorities. 

Navy chiefs take full responsibility for their actions and stand up for what is right. Their character must be beyond reproach.  

The second principle: people matter. We can have great technology, great platforms, and the best equipment in the world- and we do - but without our amazing people to operate it, we can’t go anywhere or do anything. Sailors need to know their purpose, they need to know their value, and they need to know and understand how to do their job.  

Navy chiefs help our Sailors connect their dot to our mission. 

The third principle: warfighting excellence matters. This is where we make our money in the Navy, and I want to be clear: we are not just Sailors, we are all warfighters, and we must view everything we do through a warfighting lens. Chiefs must be the master of their rating and remain sharp on their procedures and their tactics. Only then can they train and develop our future warfighters. 

Navy Chiefs are mission focused and accountable for outcomes. They give their Sailors the tools, the time, and the training necessary to ensure that we are ready to deter any potential adversary and that we are ready to fight and win decisively in war, if called to do so.

The fourth principle, as I  mentioned earlier, teamwork matters. The whole is truly greater than the sum of the parts and together, we have the power to unleash the full potential of our Sailors and our teams.

Navy chiefs foster environments which promote the transparency, empowerment, and inclusion that enable our teams to succeed despite many challenges. 

The fifth principle: safety matters. What we do in the Navy every day is dangerous. Whether you are out to sea or stationed ashore, accidents happen and the enemy always gets a vote. As leaders, we always need to be on the lookout no matter how routine or repetitive something may seem. 

Navy chiefs make safety a part of their everyday lives and they are always “antennas up” ready to break the error chain.  

And finally the sixth principle: attitude makes a difference. approaching each day with a winning mindset. “Stuff” happens to everyone, on deployment, at work, at home - no one can avoid it. And when “stuff” does happen, It’s how you react that matters , and your sailors will be paying attention to how you react. 

Navy chiefs embrace everything they do with positivity and a winning mindset, their authenticity will set the tone. 

So before we jump into the pinning ceremony, and I know that you’re all eager to get up here and put those anchors on, let me just leave you with one final thought.

When you leave today, nobody will know how long you’ve been a chief. They will just see that you are the chief. So when you get back to your places of work and back to your commands, embrace the weight of the anchors you have on your collars. Lean into the responsibility that you’ve been entrusted with and be the Chief!

Thank you for your service and for your continued dedication to our Nation, and thank you to your families for their support, service, and sacrifice. Every single one of you makes a difference every day, and you play a critical role in America’s Warfighting Navy.

I could not be more proud to serve alongside you, and I can’t wait to see what this group of Navy chiefs - our newest group of deckplate leaders - will do. 

Congratulations and BRAVO ZULU Navy Chiefs!