The Navy announced the selection of its newest command master chiefs and command senior chiefs were announced today,, Feb. 24 just under almost a month after the board met on Jan. 26 in Millington, Tennesee, to consider 205 total candidates across the two paygrades.
Seventy-five new command master chiefs ’s were were named by the board out of a from a field of 98 eligible candidates, 61 . Sixty-one of them in the active component and 14 in the Navy Reserve’s selected reserve and full-time support communities.
In the command senior chief ranks, there were 107 total selectees from a field of 148 candidates, 102 active-duty sailors and got the nod to sit in the command seat while four were selected from the reserve. The list has only 106 names, however, because one sailor's selection is on hold pending review, officials saidsay, but officials didn't state the reasons.
The Navy’s release didn’t break down the eligible candidates by component, but the numbers show that the selection rate to CMC was 76.5 percent. To CSC, but the overall rate was 71.6 percent.
Officials say the high selection rate is a reflection of a very good command screening process and that all those in front of the board were highly competitive.
This year’s board was the first to select sailors directly into the new command senior chief rating. Previously, from the time the first CSC board convened in 2006 until last year, since the first CSC board was held in 2006 until last year, all CSCs retained their source ratings while filling command billets.
In July, after a three-year discussion, the Navy formally created the command senior chief rating and allowed any existing CSCs to convert into the CMDCS rating if they requested it and got their CO's approval.
All of the Navy's previously selected command senior chiefs have been allowed to convert into the CMDCS rating or return to their source rating.
This upcoming master chief selection board will consider advancement eligible command senior chiefs for command master chief for the first time for CMDCM for the first time as well.
All of the new selectees must first complete 24 months of their current tour at their present command before being assigned a command billet.
They also must attend the Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy, if they’ve not previously attended, and In addition, they must complete the command master chief/chief of the boat course in Newport, R.I., before reporting to their first CMC or CSC job.
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
