
?Ask the Chief?
By ggranger, / Published Oct. 12, 2018
Story by Lt. Devin Arneson, Southern Partnership Station 2018 Public Affairs
Ask the Chief is a common utterance heard in the United States Navy. Why, you might ask Chief Petty Officers are the backbone of the fleet.
About a month ago, Equipment Operator First Class Dennis Hill, from Clinton, Tenn., found out he would be referred to as Chief Select. He recently deployed in support of Southern Partnership Station s (SPS) water-well drilling exploration project. He began wearing the rate of Chief Petty Officer on Sept. 15, 2018.
Chief Equipment Operator Hill demonstrates the hallmarks of what it means to be a Chief.
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U.S. Navy Utilitiesman 2nd Class Patrick Cannon (left) and Equipment Operator Chief Dennis Hill (right), assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, discuss plumbing fixture options in Riohacha, Colombia, Sept. 27, 2018, during water-well drilling exploration operations as part of Southern Partnership Station 2018. Southern Partnership Station is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted annual deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges and building partner capacity in a variety of disciplines including medicine, construction and dive operations in the Caribbean, Central and South America. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kalie Frantz)

U.S. Navy Seabees, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, lower the well pump in Riohacha, Colombia, Sept. 20, 2018, during water-well drilling exploration operations as part of Southern Partnership Station 2018. Southern Partnership Station is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted annual deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges and building partner capacity in a variety of disciplines including medicine, construction and dive operations in the Caribbean, Central and South America. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kalie Frantz)

U.S. Navy Seabees, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, discuss plumbing assembly requirements in Riohacha, Colombia, Sept. 21, 2018, during water-well drilling exploration operations as part of Southern Partnership Station 2018. Southern Partnership Station is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted annual deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges and building partner capacity in a variety of disciplines including medicine, construction and dive operations in the Caribbean, Central and South America. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kalie Frantz)

U.S. Navy Equipment Operator 1st Class Dennis Hill, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, explains drill operations to Colombia Cabo Primero Luis Alejandro Sandoval Rodriguez, 90th Engineer and Special Operations Battalion, Riohacha, Colombia, Sept. 6, 2018. Southern Partnership Station is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted annual deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges and building partner capacity in a variety of disciplines including medicine, construction and dive operations in the Caribbean, Central and South America. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kalie Frantz)