Brothers Leggett Come Together for Fleet CPO Training Aboard USS Constitution

Since 10-26-03

NSL UPDATE 09-15-2003 Excerpt

Brothers Leggett Come Together for Fleet CPO Training Aboard USS Constitution
 By Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Mark O. Piggott, Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs

 CHARLESTOWN, Mass. (NNS) -- They come from a small town in North Carolina. One is a corpsman, the other an  electronics technician. They joined the Navy nine months apart.  They only see each other during visits back home in Raeford,  N.C. After 13 years in the Navy, they've finally done something  together. Chief Electronics Technician Christopher O. Leggett and Chief  Hospital Corpsman Michael A. Leggett were both recently  selected for advancement to chief petty officer (CPO). On top of  that, the brothers finally got the chance to be together during the  Fleet CPO Training Week held aboard USS Constitution.

 Christopher, 30, is stationed at Submarine Training Facility,  Norfolk, Va., while Michael, 32, is stationed aboard USS  Louisiana (SSBN 743) in Kings Bay, Ga. Getting the two  brothers together on the Constitution trip took a little help from  the right people... his chief.  "I originally wasn't slated to go," Michael said. "When I found  out Chris was coming, I told my COB (Chief of the Boat), and  he pulled some strings to get me here. That's what chiefs do, they  take care of their Sailors."

 For the past seven years, prospective chief petty officers from  around the fleet have been invited to Charlestown, Mass., to visit  "Old Ironsides," and get a lesson in Navy history and traditions,  as well as some quality training on being a chief petty officer. "Leadership training," said Master Chief Electronics Technician  Steve H. Brandt, command master chief, USS Constitution.  "This program was established to help the new chiefs take on the  tasks of today's Navy."

 For the Leggett brothers, it's the chance opportunity for the two  of them to finally work together, as brothers, as Sailors and as  Chiefs. "We've never served together," Christopher said, "at any time in  our careers." "The pleasure of being with my brother is first and  foremost, and to learn from the chiefs and the other selectees  with their specialties, surrounded by all this history is highly  motivating," he continued. "This is my first time in Boston, so being here means a lot to me,"  Michael added. "Being able to take advantage of the training  we're getting here, so we can take it back to our commands and  use it ourselves and hope it makes us better chiefs."

 Though Christopher has been in the submarine service for his  entire career, Michael has not. He served with the Fleet Marine  Force for six years before Christopher convinced him to join the  "silent service." "I told him what our Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC) do  onboard submarines," Christopher explained, "and the benefits of  being a submarine IDC. That's all it took."

 The brothers are highly competitive when it comes to a lot of  things, especially advancement. "We've been chasing each other  since we both came in," Michael said. "He made 3rd class  before I did, but I made 1st before he did." "When we found out we both made Chief this time, our first time  up, it felt really good," he added.

 When you ask the Leggett brothers what their goal is, both  chime in together, "to serve together at a command." But not just  any command, they have something special in mind. "It's our goal, before the end of our careers, to serve together,"  Christopher said. "and we want to serve on USS North  Carolina."

 USS North Carolina (SSN 777) will be the fourth in the  next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia class, providing  the Navy with the capabilities it requires to maintain the nation's  undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. The ship will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance  capabilities and special warfare enhancements that will enable it  to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements. Though North Carolina is not slated to join the fleet until 2006,  the two brothers are optimistic about serving together on the  submarine. "That's our home state," Michael said. "It's our ultimate goal.  We've already made one goal, we both made Chief, so that one  is next."