Damage control props and equipment, provided by Bucks County Community College Public Safety Training Center, located in Doylestown, Pa., were used to expose 66 Active and Reserve chief petty officer selectees to fire hose and damage control training.
Five boat teams positioned themselves along the Delaware River to start working as a cohesive unit during one of several training evolutions scheduled with the 15th Annual “Big J” Chief Petty Officer Heritage Academy (CPOHA) held Aug. 23-25.
“We wanted to give a brief experience of firefighting and shipboard damage control mentoring to the Selects because most have never been on a ship,” said retired Chief Hospital Corpsman John Townsend.
Townsend, a Fire Suppression Instructor for the college, is also the Fire Marshall for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and a former Safety Manager for Naval History and Heritage Command.
“The training included hose line management,” said Townsend. “Some excelled and some made the effort to a manageable level to manage the flood. A few teams had to change their course of action to accomplish the goal, while the process worked well with other teams. For many, this was the first time to perform these functions.”
To link fire hose training and damage control scenarios to Navy heritage, five specific Navy incidents were assigned to each boat team to research and report back to the Chiefs’ Mess. The USS Stark (FFG-31), USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), USS Iowa (BB-61), USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), and USS McCain (DDG-56) were used as examples to reiterate the importance of damage control in the efforts of those crews to keep the ship alive.
“The training is meant to embed knowledge and understanding that your rate does not matter when it comes to saving the ship,” said Townsend. “Everyone will look to you as the Chief.
Some of the reasons we chose these ships were because CPOs were actually involved and knew about the incident first-hand, or had knowledge related to the incident. This training symbolizes things needed to keep the ship alive.”
Learning to accomplish a task as a team is a major achievement for the CPO mentors teaching this lesson. Paying attention to detail, effective use of communication skills, as well as knowing when to delegate tasks, helped to keep all involved safe from harm and danger.
“This training was excellent,” said Chief (Select) Boatswain's Mate David Harrison, Commander, Surface Group, unit career counselor, Great Lakes. “Boat Team 2, Spruance Raiders, were the only team that finished.”
Harrison reflected upon the last time he was in a damage control trainer. When he saw the water spewing from the pipe, he knew he had to stop it and felt accomplished when the team was able to make that happen.
“We had to communicate, work as a team, and agree to divide and conquer the necessary tasks to stop the water, “said Harrison. “The training was excellent!”
The 15th Annual “Big J” CPOHA Event is a five-day opportunity for chief selects to work onboard the USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62), along with experienced CPOs. The ““Big J”” CPO Heritage Academy encampment on the Battleship New Jersey began in 2009 as a half-day event. In 2010 it turned into a 2-day Encampment and has served as a heritage, mentorship, and leadership event every Chief season since.
The purpose of the ““Big J”” is to present an opportunity for CPO Selects to experience life on the Battleship and to present a multitude of history and heritage learning opportunities. Most importantly, the encampment is designed to facilitate one-on-one mentorship engagements with a diverse group of Chiefs throughout the United States.
The ““Big J”” CPO Heritage Academy aims to align and provide avenues to learn and cement the fundamental purpose of being a Chief, along with the expectations of the Navy, as outlined in ‘Laying the Keel Update’, from the defense.gov website. The intent is to help create confident, yet humble leaders relentlessly dedicated to the continuous improvement of their teams and themselves, and drive excellence in leading our Navy team forward across the operational and warfighting competencies.
Our job and training plans are intended to remain diligently focused on sharpening our skills, learning our job, and keeping ourselves and the Sailors’ mission-ready, physically ready, medically ready, administratively ready, but most of all — mentally ready — to stand up and meet the challenge when the nation calls.
Rear Adm. Richard S. Lofgren serves as the Acting Chief of Navy Reserve and Acting Commander, Navy Reserve Force. In this role, he provides strategic leadership and oversight for Navy Reserve personnel and operations worldwide, supporting the readiness and integration of Reserve forces across the fleet. A Surface Warfare Officer, Rear Adm. Lofgren brings extensive operational and command experience across maritime expeditionary, coastal riverine, and surface warfare missions, including service in senior leadership roles supporting U.S. naval operations in multiple geographic combatant commands. His career reflects a sustained commitment to operational excellence, leadership development, and the effective employment of Navy Reserve forces in support of national security objectives.
Rear Adm. Luke Frost is a Surface Warfare Officer with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across the fleet. He has served in senior command roles at sea and ashore, including command of major surface combatants and amphibious forces operating throughout the Central Command and Indo-Pacific areas of responsibility. As a Flag Officer, Rear Adm. Frost served as Director, Reserve Warfare (OPNAV N0959) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, where he provided oversight and strategic guidance for Reserve force integration and readiness. His career reflects a deep commitment to warfighting excellence, joint operations, and the effective employment of naval forces in support of U.S. national security objectives.
Rear Admiral John Saccomando is a Naval Aviator with extensive operational, command, and strategic leadership experience across both active and reserve components. He has served in multiple senior command and flag assignments supporting naval aviation, expeditionary operations, and installation readiness, including leadership roles within U.S. Fleet Forces and Naval Air Forces Atlantic. A combat-experienced aviator, Rear Adm. Saccomando brings deep expertise in joint operations, force integration, and operational readiness, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing naval capabilities and supporting U.S. national security objectives worldwide.
Rear Adm. Greg Emery is a Navy Reserve flag officer with extensive leadership experience across naval oceanography, intelligence, and information warfare. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he has served in a wide range of operational, command, and staff assignments supporting global naval and joint operations, including senior leadership roles within Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Rear Adm. Emery brings deep expertise in intelligence integration, operational support, and information warfare, reflecting a sustained commitment to advancing decision advantage and mission readiness across the fleet.
Force Master Chief Nicole C. Rios serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Navy Reserve, advising on the readiness, welfare, and professional development of approximately 59,000 Reserve Component Sailors supporting Navy, Marine Corps, and joint operations worldwide. A seasoned Command Master Chief, she brings extensive experience across aviation, expeditionary, and information warfare communities, with senior enlisted leadership assignments at the unit, regional, and force levels. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to Sailor advocacy, operational readiness, and the effective integration of Navy Reserve forces in support of national defense objectives.
Command Master Chief Lyons brings extensive operational and shore-based leadership experience across aviation, logistics, manpower, and readiness organizations within the Navy Reserve enterprise. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2016, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at Navy Operational Support Center Pearl Harbor, Navy Personnel Command, Maritime Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command. An Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is recognized for sustained excellence in leadership and readiness, earning multiple personal, joint, and unit awards throughout his career.
Command Master Chief Louvier enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1997 and brings extensive aviation maintenance and readiness leadership experience across multiple Fleet Logistics, Strike Fighter, Helicopter, and Reserve aviation commands. Selected as a Command Master Chief in 2015, he has served in senior enlisted leadership roles at VR-56, Commander, Tactical Support Wing, Fleet Readiness Center Reserve Mid-West, and currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve. An Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, he is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy and multiple executive leadership programs and has earned numerous personal and unit awards for sustained excellence in leadership and mission readiness.
Master Chief Jerry E. Dotson was born in Garden Grove, California, and raised in Sacramento. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 29, 2002, and completed recruit training and Electrician’s Mate “A” School in Great Lakes, Illinois. His career spans operational, reserve, aviation, and senior enlisted leadership assignments, and he currently serves as the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve.