Culinary
Specialist
3rd Class
Matthew P.
Julian,
assigned to
USS San
Francisco (SSN
711), never
expected his
tour to
include a
rotation in
the
mountains of
Afghanistan
as an
Individual
Augmentee.
Pulled from
his normal
job to
directly
support
Operation
Enduring
Freedom,
more than
8,000 feet
above sea
level and
half a world
away from
his boat's
homeport of
Bremerton,
Wash.,
Julian found
that out of
sight
doesn't mean
out of mind.
Early
this summer,
Julian was
selected for
the Command
Advancement
Program
(CAP) by CDR
Dave Ogburn,
the
commanding
officer of
USS San
Francisco,
and was
promoted to
CS2.
Upon
learning
about his
CAP
advancement,
Julian said,
"It's an
honor to be
the only
submariner
CAP-ed in
Afghanistan
and
recognized
at such a
high level.
I am
ecstatic
about the
promotion
... and
grateful for
the crew of
San
Francisco."
According
to Ogburn,
"When we sat
down and
reviewed his
performance
onboard, we
saw that he
was the
right
choice.
"He's a
Sailor who
takes
responsibility
and takes
charge. When
I talked
with CDR
Varney in
Afghanistan,
that
confirmed
his
performance
is
continuing
out there."
CDR
Michael
Varney,
commanding
officer of
the Sharana
Provincial
Reconstruction
Team in the
Paktika
Province of
Afghanistan,
performed
the ceremony
and pinned
on Julian's
second class
petty
officer
crows.
I think
it is
fantastic
that
San
Francisco
recognized
the
importance
of the job
CS2 Julian
is doing for
his country,
a job
completely
outside a
normal
submariner's
lane,
"Varney
said. "That
[his CO] is
willing to
use a
CAP-in-absentia
sends a
strong
message to
the rest of
the force
and the
Navy."
Julian is
the first
Sailor to be
meritoriously
promoted
through the
Command
Advancement
Program
while
serving in a
boots-on-the-ground
billet away
from his
home ship.
Since August
2005, 50
Sailors have
been
meritoriously
promoted
under the
Combat
Meritorious
Advancement
Program for
their
leadership
and heroism
during
combat.
At a
recent all
hands call
with Sailors
stationed at
NAS Whidbey
Island,
Chief of
Naval
Operations
ADM Mike
Mullen said
he wanted
all Navy
leaders to
make sure
good
performance
as an IA was
properly
reflected
and
recognized
in a
Sailor's
career.
"This is
very vital
work our IAs
are doing at
an
incredibly
critical
time in our
nation's
history, and
I am
committed to
making sure
the Navy
gets it
right when
it comes to
recognizing
that fact,"
said Mullen.
Sailors
who would
like to
serve in an
augmented
billet can
indicate
their desire
through the
Navy
Knowledge
Online
website at
https://www.nko.navy.mil,
and should
contact
their chain
of command.
Story by
LT Trey
Brown, Navy
Office of
Information,
Washington,
D.C
.
