The selectee list posted, the anchors are on order, and now the real work starts. Chief pinning season is the six weeks between the CPO selection board results and the day a first class puts on khakis for good, and it is unlike anything else in a Sailor’s career. It is not a formality. It is the initiation into the Chief’s Mess.
If you just selected, or you are watching a shipmate go through it, here is what actually happens during Phase Two, why it matters, and how to show up ready.
CPO pinning season, formally Phase Two of CPO 365, is the training and heritage period between the chief selection announcement and the pinning ceremony, traditionally held in mid-September. During it, selectees learn the history, standards, and expectations of the Chief’s Mess through daily training led by the sitting Chiefs, culminating in the pinning ceremony where they don anchors and the fouled-anchor collar device.
What is CPO 365 and where does pinning season fit?
CPO 365 is the Navy’s year-round leadership development continuum for first class petty officers and chief selectees, and it runs in two phases. Phase One is the full year of development every eligible first class goes through. Phase Two is the intensive six-week period after the selection board results, reserved for the Sailors who were actually selected.
Think of it this way: Phase One prepares you to compete for the anchors. Phase Two prepares you to wear them. The exam and your evals got you selected. Phase Two is where the Mess decides you are ready to join.
What actually happens during chief initiation?
Selectees go through daily training led by the command’s sitting Chiefs, built around Navy and CPO heritage, leadership scenarios, and the standards expected of a deckplate leader. It runs alongside your normal job, not instead of it, so the season tests time management as hard as it tests knowledge.
The core elements you can expect:
- Heritage and history. The story of the Chief’s Mess, why the anchors mean what they mean, and the legacy you are stepping into.
- Leadership under load. Group problem-solving and scenarios that stress judgment, teamwork, and composure while you are tired and busy.
- Physical and mental standards. Early mornings, group PT, and a pace designed to build cohesion inside the selectee group.
- Charge book. A personal record selectees carry, filled with guidance, quotes, and mentorship notes gathered from Chiefs across the command. It becomes a career keepsake.
One thing initiation is not: hazing. The modern CPO initiation is a professional development season governed by Navy policy. The intensity is real, but it is structured, supervised, and aimed at building leaders, not breaking people.
What is the charge book and why does it matter?
The charge book is a bound journal a selectee builds during the season, collecting leadership wisdom, unit history, and personal notes from the Chiefs who mentor them. Chiefs across the command write in it, challenge the selectee to reflect, and leave guidance the new Chief carries for the rest of their career.
It matters because it is the tangible record of the transition. Years later, a Chief can open the charge book and read exactly what the Mess expected of them the week they earned their anchors. Treat it as the professional artifact it is, not a checklist to fill.
When is the pinning ceremony and what happens?
The pinning ceremony is traditionally held in mid-September, the day the selectee officially becomes a Chief Petty Officer. Family, shipmates, and the Chief’s Mess gather, and someone meaningful (often a spouse, parent, or mentor) pins the gold fouled-anchor collar devices and places the combination cover.
A few practical notes for the day:
- Advancement effective dates come out by increment from the Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center. Your pinning date and your official advancement date are related but not always identical, so confirm both.
- The uniform shift is expensive. Khakis, the combination cover, and the anchor devices add up fast. Start pricing the full sea bag change early in the season, not the week of the ceremony.
- Your evaluation cycle does not pause. The performance you put up during Phase Two still counts, and the reputation you build follows you into the Mess.
How should a selectee show up ready?
Show up as a Chief before you wear the anchors. The Sailors who move through the season well are the ones who were already carrying themselves at that standard, and who treat the training as real leadership development rather than a hurdle. The Chief’s Mess is watching how you handle stress, how you support the other selectees, and whether you lead when no one is grading you.
Handle these in week one:
- Verify your record. Make sure your service record and awards are clean and current now, not when your increment hits.
- Protect your day job. Initiation runs on top of your watch bill and division. Get ahead of your qualifications and taskings so nothing slips.
- Lean into the group. The selectee cohort succeeds together. The Chief who helps a struggling shipmate through the season is the one the Mess remembers.
The transition is the point. You are not being tested to see if you can survive six weeks. You are being trained to lead the Sailors who will one day compete for their own anchors, using the same eval and record habits that got you here.
Keep building your record
Whether you just pinned or you are building toward your first board, the record work never stops:
- Navy Eval Bullets: board-ready Block 43 writing by rate and paygrade
- Navy Advancement Results: past cycles and selection context for your rating
- Award Write-Ups: document the accomplishments the Mess and the boards read
FAQ
How long is chief initiation season?
Phase Two of CPO 365 traditionally runs about six weeks, from the release of the selection board results to the pinning ceremony in mid-September. Exact start and end dates are set by each command within Navy guidance.
What is the difference between CPO 365 Phase One and Phase Two?
Phase One is the year-round leadership development every eligible first class petty officer goes through. Phase Two is the intensive six-week season reserved for selectees after the board, focused on heritage, leadership, and preparing them to join the Chief’s Mess.
What is a CPO charge book?
A charge book is a personal journal a chief selectee builds during initiation, collecting history, leadership guidance, and mentorship notes from Chiefs across the command. It becomes a lasting professional keepsake of the transition to Chief.
Is Navy chief initiation hazing?
No. Modern CPO initiation is a professional leadership development season governed by Navy policy, supervised by the command’s Chiefs. It is demanding by design, but structured around building deckplate leaders, not hazing.
When do new Chiefs get pinned?
The pinning ceremony is traditionally held in mid-September, at the end of the six-week initiation season. The official advancement effective date is published separately by increment and may differ slightly from the ceremony date.
Last updated: September 2026. Advancement policy and CPO 365 guidance change. Always verify current guidance in the governing instructions and with your command before making career decisions.
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