JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas –
Fifteen San Antonio Navy Medicine Petty Officers First Class and an Army Sergeant First Class reached the pinnacle of their careers during a unique promotion ceremony held at Joint Base San Antonio Fort Sam Houston Sept. 16.
The Sailors were “pinned” with their Chief Petty Officer anchors and presented their combination cover, representing years of personal initiative and professional training and development.
“Humbled. Thankful,” said Chief Petty Officer Frederick Scott, describing his feelings the moment he was pinned. “I was proud to represent all the people throughout the years who helped me get to this point – both the leadership and the Sailors I’ve worked with.”
Scott, a Hospital Corps “A” School instructor at the Medical Education and Training Campus, or METC, at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, was joined by his two sons, mother, grandparents and sister.
“I was especially happy my family was there to see the process and to see those anchors pinned on me,” he said.
Like Scott, sharing the success with family made Sept. 16 a special and very unique day for Chief Petty Officer Aaron Deguzman.
The Navy Medicine Training Support Center, or NMTSC, medical laboratory instructor at the METC was selected to advance only months after his brother, Ensign Roi Marrion Deguzman, reached his own major milestone in the Navy, earning his commission. Additionally, Aaron’s brother, Mitchel Deguzman, was also pinned as a Chief Petty Officer the same day.
Aaron’s commanding officer, Navy Capt. Brent Kelln, and his senior enlisted leader, Master Chief Petty Officer Anthony Guzman, notified him of his selection Aug. 2.
“After calling my wife, I immediately called my brother Mitchel to see if he also got selected. When I found out he did, I was probably the happiest and proudest brother.”
Aaron and Mitchel joined the Navy together in 2003, went to boot camp together and even reported to their first command, USS Rentz (FFG 46), at the same time. Now they share the special memory of joining the chief petty officer ranks the same day.
“Being pinned to the rank of chief petty officer is already a great deal of accomplishment in itself,” Mitchel said. “Being pinned the same day as your brother makes it even more special. We have shared most of our naval career together, and it is such a wonderful feeling to share another milestone with my brother.”
The U.S. Army also played a unique, family-focused role in the San Antonio CPO pinning ceremony when Sgt. 1st Class Dan Hitchcock was pinned and presented his combination cover. The non-commissioned officer in charge of the Combat Casualty Care Force at the Defense Medical Readiness Training Institute at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston is also the son of retired Master Chief Petty Officer Clark Hitchcock. Dan Hitchcock participated in Navy Medicine San Antonio’s CPO 365 Phase 2 Training, a Navy-wide program of intense leadership, physical fitness, and Navy heritage training for CPO selectees.
“It was a very humbling and eye opening experience,” Aaron Deguzman said. “It also made me appreciate more all the guidance and support that I received from my family, mentors, peers and junior Sailors. That in turn made me realize that I didn’t make it to the top alone and that it’s part of my duties now to give back to all those people who helped me, especially to my junior Sailors.”