SAN DIEGO (Sept. 14, 2012) Chief Culinary Specialist Ramon M. Lang and Chief Hospital Corpsman Daniel C. Lang stand as Chiefs for the first time in the hangar bay of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) during a chief petty officer pinning ceremony. Although stationed far away for much of their careers, the brothers were able to come together with their families for this career milestone. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Oscar Espinoza |
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SAN DIEGO (NNS - 9/14/2012) -- The Lang family has a long tradition
of naval service. Ramon and Daniel Lang joined the Navy two years
apart. Their separate career paths have taken the brothers to
different locations around the globe. Friday however, the two San
Diego natives, their family and their careers were able to all come
together in their hometown.
Chief Culinary Specialist Ramon
M. Lang and Chief Hospital Corpsman Daniel C. Lang pinned each
other's anchors on simultaneously, while their proud father donned
their Chief's combination covers in a ceremony held in the hangar
bay of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), Sept. 14.
"Any time you have an opportunity to promote someone to Chief
Petty Officer, it is a good feeling. I think it is great that the
Lang brothers have an opportunity to be pinned together with their
father (a retired Sailor) present," said USS Boxer Command Master
Chief Douglas Lattimer. "That in addition to San Diego being their
hometown makes what would be an excellent day already much more
special."
The younger Lang, Ramon, is stationed aboard Boxer.
He says he looked up to his brother when he joined, but the family
influence runs even deeper than that. They had an uncle they both
looked up to who was a Chief, and their father retired from the Navy
doing the same job Ramon chose to do.
"When I was younger, I
would always watch him cook, my dad, and that's why I
chose...Culinary Specialist," he said. |
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The senior Lang
brother, Daniel is stationed at Camp Pendleton, and shortly after he
received the news that he had made Chief, he got a text from his
brother.
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"I think anybody with a sibling would want to have
something like this happen to them," said Daniel Lang. "I
mean, what are the odds of two brothers, a little over a
year apart, striving for the same goal, getting selected at
the same time...I don't know who could want anything more
besides that."
Ramon says the induction process has
been a real eye opener. "I think what's different about
Chief is just the overall responsibility, just going through
induction, the pride," he said. "It's not about the money,
it's about being a Chief, leading your people, taking care
of your Sailors."
With Daniel being forward deployed
to Japan or deployed to Afghanistan, or Ramon deployed to
Iraq, the Lang brothers were often geographically far away,
but they always spoke frequently and remained close. "We're
very proud of each other, we love each other very much, we'd
do anything for each other," Ramon said. "You know it's that
brother-to-brother relationship, it's special."
The
road to Chief was not without hardships for the Lang
brothers, but Ramon said Daniel was there to help him when
things got tough. "I talked about at one time giving up, I
thought I was going to retire as a First Class...and he
pushed me, he said 'don't ever give up, this is our dream
from when we were kids'," he said.
That dream has
its roots in their childhood experiences with their uncle.
"We always saw that respect he got from his friends
at his house and we always wondered why they called him 'the
Chief' and when we got older we understood, hey, he was a
Chief in the United States Navy, and we always wanted to be
like that," said Ramon.
"The Lang brothers will be a
welcome addition to the CPO mess. Completing the season and
donning the uniform of a Chief Petty Officer together will
forever be a part of theirs and their families' lives," said
Chief Yeoman Michael E. Trisler, Ramon's sponsor. "My
proudest moment with the Chief Selects was during their
participation in CPO Pride Day on Sept. 5. Seeing them work
together during their cadence competition and present
themselves to the San Diego Community Chief Petty Officer
Messes instilled in them the support and bond Chief Petty
Officers have for one another," he added.
When asked
if he had any advice for future Chiefs, Ramon said "It's
hard work, it's tough work. Just do the right thing. If you
do the right thing while you're in the Navy, you're going to
make it."
By Navy MCS 3rd Class (EXW) J. Michael Schwartz
USS Boxer
Public Affairs
Navy News Service
Copyright 2012
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