MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – Gunnery Sgt. Corey Hall,

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – Gunnery Sgt. Corey Hall, the staff non-commissioned officer in charge for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 24’s avionics department, and honorary chief petty officer, salutes as he is welcomed aboard the chief ranks during the 2017 Chief Petty Officer Pinning Ceremony held in hangar 103 aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, on Sept. 16, 2016. Master Chief Jamie Belt, the maintenance master chief for Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37, said the ceremony is a Navy tradition that has been performed for over a hundred years, honoring not only the advancement of first class petty officers to the next paygrade, but also the most significant transition ever made in a naval career. “A chief petty officer is part of a senior enlisted force that first and foremost serves as deck-plate leaders committed to the development of sailors and enforcing standards,” said Belt, a Dallas native. “The immense responsibilities, obligations and radical change in lifestyle the chief petty officer undertakes require tremendous dedication, always striving to illuminate and guide the lives of our sailors. The tone of the naval service itself comes directly from the chief petty officer ranks, the most admirable and prestigious group of professionals in the armed forces.” (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Harley Thomas)