Patience with progress
Patience Is a Virtue, Not a Requirement
Another Chief Petty Officer Indoctrination Season has been completed, along with some freshly minted CPO anchors upon the shoulders of new Chiefs.
Six weeks of lessons, chaos, adaptation, missed opportunities, decisions made, and accountability held for actions—or the lack thereof.
Three new Chiefs and three new brothers have been added to the Mess at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast Detachment Mayport. They have been tried, tested, and blessed to be accepted by the Mess.
With time, I hope they will come to see that they were not the only ones learning, working longer hours, or sacrificing time with family and friends.
Every CPO Season, I try to look upon the lessons that are passed down and take that time to reflect on how I can improve to become a better Chief, but also on how our organization can improve as well.
Every year, I move to be better myself and to make those around me better.
“Do unto others as you would unto you.” — Luke 6:31
Negativity and selfishness can spread like a cancer.
Funny thing is, positivity and compassion can also spread like a cancer as well—it’s just slower.
What is the difference?
Negativity is the easy way out. You can complain, backstab, undercut, and steal from others.
Being positive when times are dark, extending a hand to your fellow man, or maybe taking on some of another person’s burdens is harder. Doing good or being positive sometimes goes against the culture we’ve created.
It’s harder to be good.
But if we all take part, the world will be a better place.
Ultimately, my goal is always to leave every duty station better than I found it. Through self-reflection and dedication to one another, we ensure a legacy of leadership that strengthens the Chief’s Mess and the entire organization.
That concept of patience is especially resonant now as I navigate the cross-rate process as an E7.
It is another period of learning, chaos, and adaptation, where the ultimate goal of starting ETES in Jacksonville remains in sight, even as I practice patience with the uncertainty of my career’s path.
I’m also exercising patience with the business side of ETES.
The uncertainty of my future location means I can’t yet file for an LLC in Jacksonville, nor should I establish residency there just for the sake of filing one.
But still, I am pushing forward.
I am moving in different directions and expanding the vision for ETES without letting this period of patience become a period of stagnation.
Patience isn’t just about waiting for the right moment.
It’s about actively refining your vision, building foundational strength, and ensuring you are fully prepared to seize an opportunity when it arrives.
This active approach keeps the dream alive. It ensures the idea continues to evolve into a concrete reality rather than fading away as just a fleeting idea or a pipe dream.
In many ways, exercising patience serves as another test of both my own leadership and the future of ETES.
It reminds me that the journey won’t always be easy.
Just like the trials of Chief Season, the struggles and tribulations we face along the way will ultimately help build the foundational strength needed to ensure the success of ETES and the long-term support of the families who will one day be a part of it.
Patience is a virtue, but progress is still a requirement.
Cleaner Resources. Healthier Ecosystems. Stronger Future.