Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman Melissa Guevara from Miami recently was promoted to chief petty officer, an accomplishment that only one in five eligible sailors achieve each year.
Chief Guevara currently is serving with Navy Environmental Preventative Medicine Unit Two.
“Chief Petty Officer is the person that people look up to,” Guevara said. “It is the epitome of the word ‘leader.’ Chiefs are part of the elite; they take their sailors under their wing and mold them into strong and professional leaders.”
Achieving the title of “Navy Chief” is a major honor and milestone. According to Navy Personnel Command, there are only 8.5 percent of sailors currently serving at the chief petty officer rank.
To be selected for this promotion, sailors must be a Petty Cfficer First class, and successfully navigate through two qualifying factors: a job-based exam and a selection review board. A sailor’s record only can proceed to the review board after they score high enough on the exam. Once the exam is passed, their records are reviewed by a panel of senior navy leaders who meet for six weeks to determine if the individuals meet the standards for selection as a chief petty officer. A sailor’s performance is evaluated for at least five years, and each sailor attributes different experiences for their selection.
“I would not be where I am without my family,” Guevara said. “They continue to cheer me on through good and bad times.”
During the ceremony, the honored sailors invite friends and family members to pin on the two gold anchors that adorn the newly appointed chiefs’ uniforms, while the sailor’s sponsor places the combination cover on their heads.
“My mother taught me from a young age to work hard for the things you want,” Guevara said. “Without her and my father, I would have never enlisted, so to them, I say, ‘Thank you, Mama and Papa.’”
