Local promoted to chief petty officer

Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman Melissa Burke from Avon Lake was promoted to chief petty officer, an accomplishment that only one in five eligible sailors achieve each year.

Burke, a 1993 graduate of Avon Lake High School, currently is serving with helicopter Maritime Strike 40.

“Being selected was so exciting for me and my family,” Burke said. “Without the support and mentorship, I would not have chosen the direction that I took.

“Achieving the title of ‘navy chief’ is a major honor and milestone.”

According to a Navy personnel command media release, 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 first 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, the release said.

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, according

to the release.

A sailor’s performance is evaluated for at least five years, and each sailor attributes different experiences for their selection, the release said.

“Things that have helped me be selected to chief include having a great mentor and family support,” Burke said. “Without the help of the Urbin family (her family), I would not be the sailor I am today.”

During the promotion ceremony, the Navy honored the sailors and invited friends and family members to pin on the two

gold anchors that adorn the newly appointed chiefs’ uniforms, while the sailor’s sponsor placed the combination cover on their heads, according to the release.

“I want to thank my son (Alexander Sthneider) for putting up with me during my rough moments,” Burke said. “It was his hugs and support that truly kept me together many nights when I knew I couldn’t help someone being a corpsman.

“The phone calls from Iraq and the motivational speeches he gave, ‘mom you got this,’ helped me more than he knows.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO Newly appointed Navy Chief Petty Officer Melissa Burke, second from left, with son, Alexander Sthneider, left, her mother, Lisa Urbin, mother, and Terry Fisher, Burke’s husband.