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Lakehurst Sailor achieves highest enlisted rank

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Carolyn Glover
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Sailors of all ranks assembled in the Lakehurst gymnasium Thursday to honor one of the Navy's newest master chief petty officers, Robert Cuddeback.

Cuddeback earned the promotion to one of the Navy's highest enlisted positions, after more than 20 years of service

"Your promotion is not a reward for your past accomplishments and efforts. It is rather an expression of the Navy's desire to ask even more of you," Navy Capt. Andrew Butterfield, 87th Mission Support Group deputy commander, said. "Your accomplishments as a senior chief, and throughout your career, are proof you are ready to perform superbly in this penultimate rank."

Cuddeback arrived here in December 2008 as the air operations leading chief petty officer for the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Lakehurst.

"He is my right hand ... an awesome master chief with the right focus on the mission," said Lakehurst Command Master Chief Herb Kelton.

Cuddeback stood to the side of the podium as Kelton recited a traditional promotional reading.

"You have not merely been promoted one pay grade, you have joined an exclusive fellowship; as in all fellowships, you have a special responsibility to your comrades, both junior and senior," Kelton recited.

Cuddeback's dedication to Sailors led him to where he is today. He attributes his successes to all the Sailors he worked with throughout his career.
"I do realize my greatest asset is my junior and senior Sailors," he said.

A group of Sailors representing the many who contributed to Cuddeback's career emerged from the crowd and assembled to present him with the insignia and coveted combination cover of a master chief.

"He looks out for his crew ... He remembers where he came from," said Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse Jordan, an aviation support equipment specialist who works with Cuddeback.

Cuddeback's abilities did not only affect the Sailors working beneath him, but upper leadership as well.

"He brings fantastic dedication and energy to airfield operations at the installation. His leadership is key to helping us forge new ground as we blend the best of Air Force and Navy airfield professionals into a world-class Lakehurst-McGuire team," said Col. Scott Smith, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander.

Cuddeback was selected for the Navy's prestigious command master chief program in February 2010.

As a command master chief he will no longer perform the operational duties which developed his career. Rather, he will take on responsibilities strictly dedicated to the well-being and performance of enlisted Sailors.

Lt. Cmdr. Paul Hastie, known as the Lakehurst "Air Boss," recalled the moment when Cuddeback learned of the promotion 305th Operations Support Squadron golf outing.

His phone did not stop ringing. He answered congratulatory calls from around the world: Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Afghanistan, etc.

"We had to send him off the green," said Hastie. "That really shows the impact he had on his fellow Sailors."

Cuddeback's promotion has incurred not only additional responsibilities, but ample training as well. He will attend the Army Sergeant Major Academy in August, followed by the Command Master Chief School in Newport, Rhode Island.

He will report to his next duty station as the command master chief.

"I'll never forget where I came from and I will always lead by example," Cuddeback said.

He enlisted in the Navy in January 1989 as an electronics technician. He served on the USS LaSalle, USS Monterey, USS McInerney, USS O'Kane, Navy Computer and Telecommunications Stations in Jacksonville, Fla. and Sigonella, Sicily, and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa.

He is a recipient of several Navy and Marine Corps Commendation and Achievement medals and various unit and campaign awards.

He and his wife, Denise, currently reside in DeRuyter, N.Y., with their children, Danielle and Robert.