NAVY CHIEF, NAVY PRIDE This is code for do what we say, not what we do. In recent weeks I have become disappointed and even somewhat embarrassed by the United States Navy I have given most of my adult life too. We claim to want to "make" Chiefs, but really we just use these juniors for our own personal amusement. The MCPON has given clear guidance on how "Selects" should be treated with respect, yet we continue to dmoralize and demean them with meaningless tasks. Ignoring training and focusing on ego feeding rituals like phone call introductions and self depricating exercises. The only portion of this entire iniation (called so because that is what it is) is the required block of 5 day training, outside of that, it is a number of weeks of yelling, memorization of useless and trivial even somewhat offensive and demeaning lyrics that hold the theme that the select is not worthy, or entirely incapable of leadership. And let it be known that several of these "selects" (chosen by a board of Master Chiefs!) Have already held Leadership positions, some even in Chief billets during war time assignments.
Some have done far more to prove their worth, even more than some of the "Chiefs" pushing these silly tasks, such as singing a song while serving spaghetti with an over sized spoon. Under the "farce" of fundraising. And then the ritual of PT. We send out our most fit Chiefs to run our selects into the ground while the rest of us sit on the sidelines and disrespect the entire process with taunts and jeers, and sometimes even taking smoke breaks in the middle of long and grueling PT sessions. We do this under the "guise" of teaching them to run a PT sessions with Junior sailors. So when was the last time you saw a Chief run PT? We all know that the First Classes are already doing this. So is this the way we conduct training now? Do we suddenly drop our professionalism when we change hats and results are released, and train our replacements. Painting rocks, building boxes, carrying around dolls, issuing nicknames and monikers. These are Frat house antics that should have no place in a professional military. Like I said, I have become disappointed and embarrassed. The MCPON gave clear guidance to move us into a 21st Century Navy, and yet we have chosen to ignore it.

"Keep the process positive and professionally provocative. Tested, Tried and Accepted is still a precise maxim if we employ innovative methods that balance adversity with encouragement, endurance with acceptance, and conflict with proven paths to resolution. “Dos and Do-Nots” remain in place to eliminate room for interpretation on specific subjects that can run counter to our desired end-state. Respect the dignity and welfare of Selects while pushing them to new limits. They deserve, and should expect, nothing less."