NORFOLK, Va. –
Chief petty officers serve as the stewards of the Navy’s tradition, heritage, and pride, continuously setting the tone throughout the Reserve Force. Deckplate leadership is engrained into every man or woman who has the privilege to lead as a Chief, and sticks with them long after they’ve donned their anchors for the last time. This especially rings true at Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command (CNRFC).
“The uniform may not be worn anymore, but the anchor remains,” said Joshua Langton, CNRFC’s 2022 Junior Civilian of the Year.
Joshua Langton is a senior chief aviation electronics technician from Salt Lake City, Utah who served 23 years of active duty service. He is now a Navy Reserve Sailor as well as a Ready Relevant Learning Rating Analyst at CNRFC’s N75 code, incorporating research-based learning initiatives for Reserve Sailors' training requirements.
“The Navy as a whole is fundamentally changing the way they deliver training to our Sailors, and my department ensures that our Reserve Sailors' needs are met in that regard,” said Langton.
Every day, Langston enforces Chief of Navy Reserve (CNR), Vice Admiral John Mustin's, 2022 Fighting Instructions. Langton’s mission specifically aligns with the “train the force” line of effort, which equates to a focus on preparing Navy Reserve Sailors for their mobilization assignments, ensuring all Reserve Sailors are trained, ready to activate and fight and win on day one of a potential conflict or mission.
“After my active duty career was over, I was afforded the opportunity to see how the Navy Reserve completed the picture of the Navy’s overall mission,” said Langton. “My eyes were opened to the overall impact the Navy Reserve has, and I was excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the mission.”
Langton emphasizes that his time as a chief petty officer has been instrumental to his success in his civilian career.
“Many times in our careers, we can get into the mindset of trying to accomplish it all by ourselves, but the [Chief's] Mess really taught me that our true strength comes when we work together,” said Langton. “This skill translated very well into my civilian career, as the vast majority of my team are retired Chiefs. In that regard, we all currently utilize each other, even though we are no longer in uniform.”
Deckplate leadership embraces presence and the keen ability to mold Sailors and to lead them to success.
“Deckplate leadership is not just about showing face. It is more about knowing and understanding Sailors’ motivations, and then finding a way to weave that into the unit’s mission," said Langton.
CNRFC’s 2022 Senior Civilian of the Year is Kimberly Moreno, a native of Moscow, Pennsylvania.
“I really appreciate the fact my leadership thought I was deserving enough to be submitted for Civilian of the Year,” said Moreno. “I am really grateful that I was selected as Civilian of the Year, but the people I work with are definitely as deserving.”
Dodging student loan debt and seeking positive change in her life, Moreno joined the Navy and went on to serve 22 years of active duty service, retiring as a senior chief petty officer personnel specialist, or PS.
Moreno is a GS-12, currently working as a Policy Branch Head at CNRFC. She delivers strategic depth and operational capability to the Navy Reserve Force, reinforcing CNR’s “design the force” line of effort.
After dedicating her more than 20-year career to Naval service, she ultimately made the decision to stick around and work within the Navy Reserve as a civilian.
“When I retired, I was pregnant with my son Eoghan. I spent almost a year at home with him and enjoyed every minute of it, but I also missed working, so I decide to go back to work,” said Moreno. “I am so thankful I had the opportunity to serve and continue to serve in a different capacity now. I’ve had so many meaningful experiences in my career.”
Moreno embraces her time spent in the Chief’s Mess and can attribute her civil service achievements to the relationships she built there that are helping her far past her time in the "goat locker".
“I learned that, to be a good Chief, you need to be present and available to your Sailors, peers, and leadership,” said Moreno. “An important part of deckplate leadership is being reliable. It builds your credibility. I think it is just as important in my civilian career. I hope that I still display that quality to the Sailors and my other co-workers.”
Kimberly Moreno and Joshua Langton are two great examples of the true product of a Chief Petty Officer. Deckplate leaders are visible figureheads who set the tone, lead by example, know the mission, know their Sailors, and develop them beyond their own expectations as a team and as individuals.
The Reserve Force and the Navy as a whole need individuals like Joshua Langton and Kimberly Moreno to display deckplate leadership, and to fully attain and maintain the warfighting credibility and relevance required for today and in the future. #ReadyNow