LDO TRANSITION CREED

YOU HAVE THIS DAY EXPERIENCED THAT, WHICH COMES TO MANY OF US WHO SERVED AS A CHIEF PETTY OFFICER IN OUR NAVY. I SAY “OUR NAVY” BECAUSE YOUR DEPARTURE FROM THE FRATERNITY OF THE CHIEF IN NO WAY TERMINATES OUR RELATIONSHIP, OUR REGARDS, OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE SERVICE, AND OUR FELLOW CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS.

THE RESPECT THAT YOU EARNED AS “THE CHIEF” WAS BASED IN THE SAME ATTRIBUTES THAT YOU WILL CARRY INTO YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLE AS A NAVAL OFFICER. HAVE NO REGRETS. WE VIEW YOUR COMMISSIONING ORDERS NOT AS AN END TO AN ERA, BUT AS ORDERS TO A NEW CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENT. REMEMBER WELL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE AN ACCEPTED MEMBER OF THE MOST EXCLUSIVE OF ALL MARITIME FRATERNITIES – THAT OF A “UNITED STATES NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER.”