Merrill woman earns Navy chief petty officer rank

Courtesy of Navy Office of Community Outreach

Navy Chief Information Systems Technician Amanda Lamberth, of Merrill, was recently promoted to chief petty officer, an accomplishment that only one in five eligible sailors achieve each year.

Chief Lamberth, a 2002 Merrill High School graduate, is currently serving with Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Hampton Roads.

“It takes many types of leaders to lead the variety of people that join the Navy and I want to do my part, pull my weight, be a part of the bigger picture to show junior sailors that hard work pays off and nobody is perfect,” Lamberth said.

Achieving the title of ‘Navy Chief’ is a major honor and milestone. According to Navy Personnel Command, there are only 8.5 percent of sailors currently serving at the chief petty officer rank.

To be selected for this promotion, sailors must be a petty officer 1^st class, and successfully navigate through two qualifying factors: a job-based exam and a selection review board. A sailor’s record can only proceed to the review board after they score high enough on the exam. Once the exam is passed, their records are reviewed by a panel of senior navy leaders who meet for six weeks to determine if the individuals meet the standards for selection as a chief petty officer. A sailor’s performance is evaluated for at least five years, and each sailor attributes different experiences for their selection.

“I feel that my selection was very much by the book,” Lamberth said. “The precepts said that I needed sustained, superior performance. What that entailed was proven leadership over a variety of sailors, attempting to be fully and best qualified and demonstrated interaction with a mess and crew.”

During the ceremony, the honored sailors invite friends and family members to pin on the two gold anchors that adorn the newly appointed chiefs’ uniforms, while the sailor’s sponsor places the combination cover on their heads.

“I like the example I received from a chief before me, where he said you keep examples of good leadership in one pocket and bad leadership in your other pocket because you draw from both when you decide what kind of leader you want to be,” said Lamberth.