MILLINGTON, Tenn. - A 1999 Saint Albert High School graduate and Council Bluffs, Iowa, native gets promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer.
Master Chief Petty Officer Anthony Koch is a mass communication specialist assigned to Navy Public Affairs Support Element East in Norfolk, Virginia.
A mass communication specialist is responsible for highlighting the accomplishments of Sailors through photojournalism, video and broadcast using various media outlets and platforms.
Koch credits success in the Navy to the lessons learned growing up in Council Bluffs.
“The lesson I have learned from my hometown is to be proud of where you came from,” Koch said. "The Navy is so diverse that sometimes I am the first person someone has ever met from Iowa. I am always excited to tell them about it.”
America is a maritime nation, and the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Koch plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Koch is most proud of the many successes throughout his 20-year career, but being selected for Master Chief is at the top.
“To be selected out of a very competitive group of other highly qualified candidates, to now being one of only seven “MC” Master Chiefs in the Navy, is truly humbling,” said Koch. “Being selected validates the sacrifices I have made for my family and friends over the years. I can't tell you how many birthdays, holidays or weddings I have missed, but I can tell you is that the support from home and from others I have met along the way have made this all possible. I would not be here if not for them.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Koch and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The meaning of serving in the Navy has changed for me over the course of my career,” Koch said. “Initially, serving in the Navy meant a job with benefits wrapped with educational and travel opportunities. Serving now means paying forward those opportunities and experiences to the next generation of Sailors, contributing to successes in both their professional and personal lives.”
A mass communication specialist is responsible for highlighting the accomplishments of Sailors through photojournalism, video and broadcast using various media outlets and platforms.
Koch credits success in the Navy to the lessons learned growing up in Council Bluffs.
“The lesson I have learned from my hometown is to be proud of where you came from,” Koch said. "The Navy is so diverse that sometimes I am the first person someone has ever met from Iowa. I am always excited to tell them about it.”
America is a maritime nation, and the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Koch plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Koch is most proud of the many successes throughout his 20-year career, but being selected for Master Chief is at the top.
“To be selected out of a very competitive group of other highly qualified candidates, to now being one of only seven “MC” Master Chiefs in the Navy, is truly humbling,” said Koch. “Being selected validates the sacrifices I have made for my family and friends over the years. I can't tell you how many birthdays, holidays or weddings I have missed, but I can tell you is that the support from home and from others I have met along the way have made this all possible. I would not be here if not for them.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Koch and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“The meaning of serving in the Navy has changed for me over the course of my career,” Koch said. “Initially, serving in the Navy meant a job with benefits wrapped with educational and travel opportunities. Serving now means paying forward those opportunities and experiences to the next generation of Sailors, contributing to successes in both their professional and personal lives.”