Putting on Khakis

Yesterday was a GREAT DAY for us. After 6 weeks of enduring complete and utter stress, Jason was taken away from us for his last night of "conditioning" to become a CHIEF PETTY OFFICER. But it was so worth it. He left our house for the last time wearing his Dress White CrackerJacks and we met him at the USS Wisconsin and finally got to see him in that Khaki Uniform. But he wasn't a Chief yet. We were all escorted by his sponsor up to the USS Wisconsin and to our seats. After a little bit of a wait, Jason and the other Selectees marched in singing Anchors Aweigh. Then the Captain of the USS CARL VINSON came in and told us this great story of his first experience with a Chief as a midshipman at the Naval Academy at the age of 19. He said after observing the Chief for a few days he learned 3 things, "Everybody does what the Chief says, NOBODY tells the Chief what to do, and the CHIEF is NEVER wrong."

Then the Selectees were brought up 3 at a time to be pinned. Jason was in the second group. Peter and I were escorted up to the front and we pinned Jason's anchors on his collar, then his sponsor Senior Chief Gene Jackson covered him. I was so anxious, happy, and nervous I didn't even think about posing for a picture until afterwards. But I am hoping that the photographer was able to get a better picture of that. After I got back to my seat, I couldn't hold back the tears, or wipe off the smile. It was so wonderful to see Jason up there in that Uniform, he has worked so hard to get this far. The boys were pretty excited too. One by one the new Chiefs were piped into the Chief's Mess. "ARRIVING CHIEF PETTY OFFICER EHLENBERGER" and then the Bosn's pipe was blown.
They then formed back up and waited for the rest of the Selectees to be pinned. I looked over at one point and saw Jason smiling so big, so I had to snap a pic of that. This day starts a whole new Journey in Jason's Career and I am so proud that I got to be there to see it happen and to be a part of it.

The Chief's Wife,
Sabrina Ehlenberger