I wish to express my sincere prayers and offer my condolences to the family and friends of US Navy Senior Chief (Ret) William V. Covell (Backbone of the Navy). Thank you for your service and sacrifice Senior Chief and for your honorable and dedicated ...."CAN DO"...service to our Country and to the Greatest Navy on Earth ! You are a brave man and a True American Hero. We will not forget the sacrifice you made to protect our freedom and way of life....... E Pluribus Unum............One Cause One Mission............... RESPECT.........Standing For Those Who Stood For US ............ Fair Winds And Following Seas ...................... Standing in Spirit In Pembroke MA .........BRAVO ZULU SENIOR CHIEF COVELL... In the Navy, they live by three words. Honor, Courage and Commitment. Looking at the heritage of the Chief Petty Officers, their service, sacrifice and leadership: in peace, wars and in times of national crisis. Two tiny little anchors each crowned with a single star, of bright and shiny gold few know of their significance or the treasures that they hold. A great CPO doesn't earn those anchors once -- they earn them every day .One thing I wasn't aware of at the time, but became evident as life wore on, was that I learned true leadership from the finest examples any young lad was ever given. Chief Petty Officers, they were crusty bastards who had done it all and had been forged into men . They took eighteen-year-old idiots and hammered the stupid bastards into sailors. You knew instinctively it had to be hell on earth to have been born a Chief's kid. God should have given all sons born to Chiefs a return option. A Chief didn't have to command respect. He got it because there was nothing else you could give them. They were God's designated hitters on earth. Chiefs are the standard by which you measure all others. . You are a Senior Chief now and you will always be a Senior Chief ! ......You are the best of the best of the best. Thank you Senior Chief Covell.

"SCPO"

Demonstrating a capacity for bold and decisive action, those elevated to the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officers join a class of proven leaders. Technically proficient, tenacious in their approach to problem-solving, and always ready to master whatever challenges come their way, Senior Chief Petty Officers are respected and admired by their superiors and those in their command. As accomplished leaders, they play a vital role in advancing the mission of the U.S. Navy to promote America's military power through unsurpassed maritime strength. Renowned for their proven performance, they are a vital asset to every Navy Command. Senior Chief Petty Officers, whose tireless commitment, superior skill, and uncommon courage advances the mission of the U.S. Navy throughout the world.

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