As the nation prepares for a time of certain change, the Navy faces its own unknown future. The 4 November announcement that Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe Campa would retire and leave office on 13 December was unexpected. While we all wait to see what changes the historic presidential election will bring, the Fleet is left to wonder why MCPON Campa is leaving his post early, who his relief will be, and what changes are to come.
MCPON Campa's decision to retire, and do so after less than three years in office and one year short of high year tenure (master chief petty officers are allowed, but limited to, 30 years total active duty service), is curious. The Chief Petty Officer's Mess was shocked, and I dare say saddened, by the news. There are important questions to be asked, and answered, any time a prominent leader departs unexpectedly. The MCPON and the Chief of Naval Operations should address those questions.
In announcing the retirement, CNO Admiral Gary Roughead wrote that Campa was "a Sailor's MCPON." That statement is true in the broadest sense of the word Sailor. Joe Campa's impact on the Fleet cannot be overstated. He brought changes to the Navy that will benefit enlisted and officer Sailors for years to come. He excelled at the chiefs' mission; setting the tone for the command, setting high standards, and demanding results.
Chiefs can be resistant to change, and refocusing such a large and diverse group is a challenge. Joe Campa brought positive change with common-sense initiatives that drove to the heart of what chiefs have done for generations—lead from the deckplates. Above all else, he succeeded in resetting the Mess. He delivered concise, smart leadership in the Navy Chief Petty Officer Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles (MVGP). He set the standard and held chiefs to that standard. By incorporating the MVGP into selection board precepts and creating an evaluation based on those principles, Campa made a clear statement about what he expected from his chiefs.
What MCPON Campa did for the Chief's Mess he also did for junior Sailors. He set clear goals and expectations for our first class petty officers, and by extension for more junior Sailors. Enlisted Sailors know exactly what is expected of them, the keys to succeeding regardless of rating, and what is required of them when they become chiefs.
Joe Campa's greatest legacy will be refocusing the chief petty officers at a time when our Navy and our nation needed us. But for all Sailors, the words Campa spoke on his selection as the 11th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy are truer now than ever before: "The greatest thing about the Navy is that it gives everyone who enlists to serve our country a chance" and "[b]ecause of the chance the Navy gives us all to succeed, we're only limited by our individual willingness to work hard and our own desires."
It will take a truly outstanding master chief to inherit Campa's anchors. The timing of MCPON Campa's announcement and scheduled last day in office suggests that his relief was named in advance, and Fleet Command Master Chief Rick West is the most logical candidate. Whoever it is, the next MCPON has a significant challenge ahead in maintaining and building on the momentum that Campa created. Following through on the initiatives already in place and instituting new directives to fully realize the MVGP will be the measure of the next MCPON's success.
Never before has the Chiefs' Mess been more motivated and more supportive of its most senior member. The next MCPON will inherit, and maintain, that motivation and support through decisions that continue the focus on deckplate leadership.
Thanks to MCPON Joe Campa, the Navy's enlisted force is more focused than ever, and better prepared to lead our Navy in uncertain and perilous times.
Welcome aboard to the 12th MCPON. Keep the momentum Joe built, demand results for all ranks, and help move us forward in these turbulent times.
As Admiral Roughead wrote, "Our Navy owes MCPON Campa a great debt of gratitude for what he has accomplished on behalf of our Sailors."
Thanks, Joe. Fair Winds and Following Seas, shipmate.