NAVELSG Hosts MCPON, Navy Reserve Force Master Chief

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Russell Smith and Navy Reserve Force Master Chief Tracy L. Hunt visited the staff of Navy Expeditionary Logistics Supply Group (NAVELSG) and Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ONE (NCHB-1) on July 28, 2022.

Smith and Hunt were welcomed aboard by NAVELSG’s Deputy Commander and First Navy Expeditionary Logistics Regiment (1st NELR) Commodore Capt. Christopher S. Koprivec, NCHB-1 Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Lisa Manning, NAVELSG Command Master Chief Chad C. Elliott, and NCHB-1 Command Master Chief Charlie Luna.

“We are excited to host MCPON and Reserve Force Master Chief,” Elliott said. “It’s not every day that we have the opportunity to showcase our unique mission, talented Sailors, and diverse capabilities of Rearm, Refuel, and Resupply in austere environments.”

During Smith’s and Hunt’s visit, they toured the command’s training facilities, had lunch with the Chiefs’ Mess, and addressed NAVELSG and NCHB-1 Sailors during an all-hands call.

“Today I watched a simulated at-sea reload, and it showed me that you all can do this in a foreign place and at-sea,” Smith said. “Reloading a ship with missiles at-sea rather than sailing back to the United States is an essential capability, and what you are doing here, the capability that you demonstrated, is going to have a direct contribution to how effective our Navy can be.”

While visiting NAVELSG’s landship, Smith and Hunt had the opportunity to watch a demonstration of its Surface Cargo Handling Course presented by Chief (Select) Boatswain’s Mate Christina Koziol.

“I had the opportunity to explain that this course is more efficient because it our merges Basic Cargo Handling and Shipboard Pedestal Cranes Courses,” said Koziol. “MCPON was excited to learn that this course would allow Sailors to become certified and deployable in a matter of two weeks.”

NAVELSG provides dynamic logistics support to the joint force across the spectrum of conflict from peacetime support to major combat operations. NAVELSG Rearms, Refuels, and Resupplies the fleet when and where needed to reinforce maritime lethality and support the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force efforts to CLEAR, SECURE, BUILD, and PROTECT logistics throughput in the littorals.

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