ATTN Mil Naval Types: The CPO Initiation-History?

Factual Questions
1

I have exhausted almost all my resources, and find myself here. As usual. However, I’ll be surprised if someone has the answer. The question:

What is the history of the CPO Initiation? (yes, I am a wanna be E7, researching for my book)

I have the purpose of it pretty well nailed, but the history of it, and perhaps its evolution, is quite elusive. I have posed this question to a few (ret military) author/historians I know of, and they too have no idea.

So far, I have that it is probably a post WWII ceremony, that may have stemmed from crossing the line ceremonies, and may have started with the US Navy. If anyone can expand on that, or point me in the right direction, I would be most grateful.

NOTE: I do not seek specifics of the ceremony, and request anyone with this knowledge NOT post it, for obvious reasons. I just seek its history.

2

I’d be happy to give you the information. Mail your book to me.

3

Before anyone unfamiliar with the Navy jumps in and accuses me of being a wannabe plagiarizer, I must point out that selectees for Chief Petty Officer must endure a few things, all of which constitute the initiation, although the final ceremony alone is usually what people mean when they say “Chief’s initiation.” One of those things to be endured is carrying around a military log book in which different orders, instructions, assignments, and questions are written by those who’ve already attained the rate of Chief Petty Officer and also by other “Khaki” (the commissioned officers). Personally, I think that it’s a disgrace that the commissioned officers, unless they’ve already been Chiefs themselves, get to have any part in the ritual.

It’s the log book to which I referred and not any possible tome destined for publication.

4

I’d be honored to make a Charge Book entry but things have changed since my “day” so I won’t spoil your (maybe) day, but if you persist I’d be happy to tell you…well, um… dang, can’t go there.

5

The initiation has become ‘voluntary’, but any who don’t take the initiation lose a huge amount of credibility, damaging their ability to lead to some degree. There are some rules surrounding the initiation these days to prevent abuses, but those rules give a fair bit of lee-way.

Beyond that, I don’t have much to give you.

6

HAH! That’s a good one. I wouldn’t FEDEX© my book across the street to my grandmother.

Seriously though, I would be honored for any Chiefs to make an entry (I’ll mail the sheet, not the book).
Many things have changed indeed, however I suspect much has stayed the same. Are there no historians, or vets who were there when all this started?