Congress established the senior and master chief petty officer ranks in 1958, primarily as an incentive to retain E-7s beyond their 20-year mark.
This resulted in a return of the trend where many senior enlisted members left the Navy shortly after completing 20 years of service.
As a result of the CNO's policy, commands throughout the Navy appointed many senior and master chief petty officers to positions of greater responsibility.
While some performed well in their expanded roles, others lacked the education and training needed to carry out their new managerial duties.
This pilot class, consisting of 16 students, received and validated the nine-week curriculum containing a diverse mix of subjects such as communications skills, national security affairs, Navy programs, and physical readiness training.