Carthage Native earns coveted title of Navy Chief Petty Officer

by Navy Office of Community Outreach

(MILLINGTON, Tenn.) – Navy Chief Boatswain’s Mate Katrina Williams from Carthage, North Carolina, was recently promoted to chief petty officer, an accomplishment that only one in five eligible sailors achieve each year.

Chief Williams, a 2002 Union Pines High School graduate, is currently serving aboard USS Bonhomme Richard.

“Being selected as a chief petty officer is a dream come true,” said Williams. “I watched my chief’s mess when I was a third class petty officer and they truly embodied the spirit of 'Ask the Chief' and I knew then and there that I wanted to be a chief.”

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 officer 1^st class, and successfully navigate through two qualifying factors: a job-based exam and a selection review board. A sailor’s record can only 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.

“You do not get selected for chief by what you do alone,” said Williams. “It is what your junior sailors do on a daily basis, so taking care of them and mentoring them is what helped me get selected for chief.”

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.

“I would not have made it this far or this long in the Navy without the support of my family and friends,” said Williams. “Knowing that I would be gone for months at a time and being stationed states or countries away from them was very hard. Also, every sailor I have worked with, whether it be junior or senior, has guided me to towards this path and I would not be here with out them.”