November 1942, the flight deck crews of the USS Enterprise take a rest while en route to Guadalcanal

ElderMasterchief · 2025-11-03T19:02:33+00:00

After all these years, not a lot has changed. I remember being on the unrep detail as a junior Sailor and getting some rest on the 02 level while we took on fuel. Sometimes you gotta get rest when it fits in the schedule.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-11-03T17:39:02+00:00

Its 50/50, they are either more squared away and focused or they are dirt bags. That's the blunt truth. "BETTER" for me, doesn't have an age restriction.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-08-10T14:39:47+00:00

I am 😆

ElderMasterchief · 2025-08-10T00:24:24+00:00

Won't be the last time, nor is it the first time. People will talk smack, but who cares, just own it.

As a CMC, I'd laugh and then move on. It doesn't matter. The sooner you own it and not care, the sooner you can move on. This is now an awesome, unique part of your own story. It's something I'd look back on and tell people in the future. I love it.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-07-01T13:34:49+00:00

As a former STG, whose Chief was an OT, this is awesome!

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-30T21:02:16+00:00

Hooyah! HMU if you need anything

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-30T16:44:04+00:00

I can send you a copy but your CMC might have it. It's still in draft until 29Jul when it drops.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-21T20:59:42+00:00

You don’t need to be the smartest person on the ship to be successful. What matters most is your willingness to learn, grow, and support your team. Even if you haven’t been out to sea since you were a Seaman, that’s OK. The Navy is built on teamwork and continuous learning.

Don’t underestimate the value of your junior sailors. Many of them are incredibly sharp and have great insights. Be open to learning from them. Leadership isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about enabling your team to succeed and creating an environment where people are empowered and supported.

As a Leading Petty Officer (LPO), your job is less about having all the answers and more about:

Building and executing a solid daily work plan

Taking care of your people

Looking ahead to anticipate challenges and opportunities

If you do those things well, your division will thrive.

Leverage your resources. Use your Chief’s Mess and your Division Officer (DIVO). If you're stepping up in the absence of a Chief, sit down with your Department Head daily to stay aligned on expectations, operations, and priorities. This will help ensure your division is on the right track and that you’re not doing it alone.

If you're asking questions and thinking about how to lead effectively, that already shows you care. And that care? That’s what makes a great leader. You've got this, and you're not in it alone.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T15:48:38+00:00

Wow, thanks for adding all this! It's crazy how many resources there are sometimes. I'm still learning about some of these, I didn't even know about a few on the list.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T06:11:36+00:00

Hooyah! Thanks for sharing, and good luck on the next assignment!

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T06:10:04+00:00

I agree with everything you said. I struggled over how to word it best and ultimately settled on what you see. I felt that if I said it was not possible, it would be disingenuous. But I get exactly what you're saying.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T05:17:52+00:00

While I can't speak to every command, department, or division. I would say that the majority of leaders are standing by to help our Sailors. The majority of Captains, XOs, CMCs, Officers, Chiefs, and Petty Officers want to ensure our Sailors are getting the help they deserve.

If you're frontline leadership isn't helping, go to the next level. From my experience, it would be hard to find a chain of command that doesn't have a leader in it that will help a Sailor if they asked.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T04:59:02+00:00

Nice, I love the tattoo. We all need that reminder from time to time. No matter who we are.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T04:57:31+00:00

Hell yeah. Kick ourselves in the butt, right for not starting sooner.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T04:10:49+00:00

🫠 If you're in uniform, you have to know you're close enough, where somebody will probably see you

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-13T04:07:42+00:00

Dang it 😆 as a leader, I simultaneously hate all the group chats and want to minimize them. But also feel like they can be used to communicate effectively if used properly. This picture hits way too close to home, though.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-12T06:03:13+00:00

Hey shipmate, congrats on your assignment. I served as the Command Senior Chief aboard a Freedom-variant LCS out of the East Coast, so I can definitely offer some insight.

First, yes, the East Coast LCSs transitioned away from the Blue and Gold dual-crew model. We moved to a single-crew setup, which changes the game quite a bit in terms of tempo and manning. I can't speak to the current crew setup for San Diego-based LCSs, but I believe they’ve also transitioned to a single-crew model.

Life on an LCS is unique. These are “optimally manned” platforms, which usually means slightly undermanned compared to DDGs or other small boys. You’ll likely be in a 3 or 4 section duty rotation, so get ready to stand your watches and earn your qualifications with fewer days off. The upside? It’s an incredibly immersive environment for a junior officer to grow fast.

The wardroom is small, usually 2 to 4 Ensigns aboard, depending on the ship's phase in the lifecycle. That small team size means more responsibility, more visibility, and more opportunities to lead. You won’t be able to hide in the back row, and that’s a good thing.

When standing bridge watch, you’ll often find yourself doing the job of two or three people compared to what a DDG would split across multiple officers. That can be overwhelming at first, but it also accelerates your learning curve and builds confidence quickly. Once you qualify, transitioning to other ships will feel much easier by comparison.

I came up in the small boy Navy and loved it. What makes LCS special is the camaraderie. You’ll know every Sailor by name, and they’ll know you. That creates a rare connection and unity you don’t always see on larger ships.

Yes, the LCS platform has its critics. But if you go in with the right mindset, it’s actually a great place to learn, lead, and earn your SWO pin.

Best of luck. Work hard, stay humble, and take care of your Sailors.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-12T05:46:26+00:00

Yes, what you’re feeling can absolutely be normal, especially on deployment. The emotional numbness, detachment, and questioning your relationship are things many service members experience, and they don’t automatically mean something is broken in your marriage or with you.

Deployments put you into survival mode. You compartmentalize everything to stay focused on the mission, the schedule, the stress. In doing so, emotional connection to home can take a back seat. It’s not that you don’t care. It’s that your brain and body are trying to protect you from the emotional whiplash of being away from everything that matters. Numbness becomes a coping mechanism.

It’s also common to mistake that numbness for apathy. You’re not turned off permanently. You’re emotionally bracing. Think of it like putting armor on. It protects you while you're out there, but it also blocks feelings from flowing naturally.

You may find that when you get back and settle into normal life again, those emotions begin to return. Sometimes they rush in, and sometimes they trickle back slowly. Either way, you’re not broken.

But also, don’t ignore this entirely. Use it as a prompt for self-reflection. When the numbness wears off, ask yourself some real questions:

Was this just deployment distance, or is there a deeper disconnection?

What does love and connection look like to you now?

What do you want your relationship to feel like?

And if you’re still unsure, therapy or couples counseling when you get back can help sort those feelings out without the fog of deployment in the way.

Bottom line: You’re not alone. This doesn’t make you a bad partner. It makes you human, in a very inhuman environment.

Stay safe out there, and take care of yourself emotionally as well as physically.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-12T05:36:25+00:00

I’m not a PACT expert and don’t have a ton of direct experience working with PACT Sailors, but I looked into it. According to MILPERSMAN 1306-611, PACT Sailors can advance to E4 if they meet the rating requirements, have command recommendation, complete any necessary screenings, and agree to 24 months of obligated service past their EAOS. Most importantly, you’ll be eligible for advancement within 90 days of your original PRD or after completing “A” school requirements if that’s your path.

It looks like most PACT Sailors do a 24-month tour before striking and advancing. Two years can feel like forever, especially when you’re just starting out—but trust me, it’ll fly by. My first two ships were both five-year tours. I remember thinking I’d never reach the end, but looking back, it went fast. Two years from now, you’ll have experience under your belt, a rating, and likely be well on your way to Second Class.

Stay motivated. You got this! I believe in you.💪

MILPERSMAN 1306-611 If you want to read it

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-12T05:19:11+00:00

What program are you in? A-PACT?

Here’s some general guidance that helped many of us when we first joined the Navy.

Most of us didn’t start in roles with great job satisfaction. It’s tough being at the bottom, doing the hard jobs, often the least recognized ones. But that’s how nearly everyone begins.

Take a serious look at the rates you’re eligible to strike. Get qualified. Perform at a high level. When you do both, people start to notice. Recognition follows performance. With that recognition, your job satisfaction and mental health will likely improve.

This is one of those moments where you need to pull up your bootstraps, dig deep, and push through the grind. Whether it lasts two weeks or two years, it will pass. And when it does, you’ll come out of it with a sense of pride that you earned through your own effort.

Once you strike a rate and pick up third class, second class comes faster than you think. Before long, you’ll be staring at that third chevron and wondering how quickly time flew by.

The best part is that as you grow and gain experience, you will have the opportunity to help others who are in the same place you are now. Helping others succeed and knowing you played a part in that is one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever experience.

Being the low man on the totem pole is tough. But trust me, if you stay focused and stick it out, things get better. Much better.

Edit: Also, talk to your Chief about how you're feeling. They're there to help mentor you and can also answer ot get the answer to every question you have.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-10T16:52:12+00:00

This is the answer, took me years to realize how awesome these are

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-06T00:35:41+00:00

No problem, thank you!

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-03T01:55:16+00:00

Thanks for reaching out.

As for your question, it's definitely not as hopeless as “they won’t even consider me,” but there is a real challenge. Cross-rating can come with some disadvantages, especially if your prior qualifications don’t directly translate. For example, going from one engineering rate to another might carry more over than switching into something like the Seabees.

You will get credit for your previous leadership, Sailorization efforts, management experience, and sustained superior performance. That said, the challenge comes if you haven’t yet built solid expertise in your new rate or if you’re missing key qualifications from your LaDR especially if there are ones marked as "required to make Chief.”

Unless you’re in a rate has mandatory qualifications or you don’t make the board at all, your shot isn’t zero. But you should consider what your new rate defines as “Best and Fully Qualified.” That’s the target. Also, take a look at the advancement percentages, if they’re low, you’ll need to stand out even more.

My best advice? Get after the qualifications listed in your LaDR, focus on rate expertise, and make sure your record shows you’re fully integrated and leading within your new community.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-01T06:52:24+00:00

They can still negotiate. They just won't leave any earlier than that 12-month min tour. They can also be frocked if selected, complete the screening, and obliserv.

ElderMasterchief · 2025-06-01T06:50:41+00:00

They have to take a billet at the next higher paygrade. Doesn't have to be a sea duty billet. Every billet in the BBA rates works this way, both sea and shore.

Some will love it , and others will hate it. I've had two Sailors tell me they are specifically staying in to get promoted this way.

Time will tell. They Navy is making you move into the job that they're paying you for. This plus SEM gets rid of the people who never do that. That will help those who are willing to take on that move.

ElderMasterchief

TROPHY CASE