Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

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The master chief petty officer of the Navy (MCPON Template:IPAc-en) is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office of the United States Navy, which is designated as a special paygrade above E-9. The holder of this position is the most senior enlisted member of the U.S. Navy, equivalent to the sergeant major of the Army, chief master sergeant of the Air Force, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard, and chief master sergeant of the Space Force. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted sailor in the Navy, unless an enlisted sailor is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman. The current MCPON is John Perryman.

The master chief petty officer of the Navy is appointed by the chief of naval operations to serve as a spokesperson to address the issues of enlisted personnel to the highest positions in the Navy. As such, they are the senior enlisted advisor to the chief of naval operations and to the chief of naval personnel. Their exact duties vary, depending on the CNO, though they generally devote much of their time to traveling throughout the Navy observing training and talking to sailors and their families. Their personnel code is N00D as the senior enlisted advisor to Chief of Naval Operations and PERS-00D in their special advisory capacity to Chief of Naval Personnel/Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, and Training). In 1988, the MCPON's spouse was made the Ombudsman-at-Large, authorizing them to travel around the fleet with their spouse, representing the interests of the spouses of enlisted members. The MCPON serves an appointed two-year term of office<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but can be reappointed by the CNO for an additional two-year term.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Typically; the MCPON serves two terms. While the MCPON is a non-commissioned officer, this rank is protocoled higher than all rear admirals and equivalent to a vice admiral in billet, seating, transportation, and parking.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Origin

In 1966, the opportunity was given to sailors in the U.S. Navy's two largest areas of concentration, Hampton Roads, Virginia, and San Diego County, California, to voice their concerns, complaints, and recommendations to the top levels of the U.S. Navy. The response was overwhelming; naval leaders realized that they were out of touch with the desires of enlisted sailors. To provide a permanent channel for input from the enlisted force to their senior leadership, the Navy acted on a suggestion to create a "Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Navy" who would have a direct dialogue channel with all enlisted sailors and represent their interests. Initially, the post was known as the senior enlisted advisor of the Navy, and on 13 January 1967 GMCM Delbert Black was selected to serve a four-year term in that capacity. On 28 April of the same year, Black's title was changed to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy to bring the Navy in line with the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army, which had created equivalent positions in 1957 and July 1966 respectively. MCPON Black's duties were to the Chief of Naval Personnel. All subsequent MCPONs have reported to both the CNO and CNP.

MCPON rate insignia

MCPON rate insignia

Sleeve	Collar	Shoulder

During the MCPON's tenure, a third silver star above the gold anchor is added onto the MCPON's collar and cap devices, as well as a rating badge consisting of a perched eagle atop three inverted gold chevrons, one rocker, and three inverted gold stars above the eagle. The MCPON's rating specialty mark is replaced by a single inverted gold star. The MCPON will also wear the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Badge on naval uniforms.

List of master chief petty officers of the Navy

Timeline

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DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1965 till:{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}+4}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:1970

Define $now = 2026

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 id:mcpon	value:darkblue	legend: MCPON
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 at:1980
 at:1990
 at:2000
 at:2010
 at:2020

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bar:black
bar:whittet
bar:walker
bar:crow
bar:sanders
bar:plackett
bar:bushey
bar:hagan
bar:herdt
bar:scott
bar:campa
bar:west
bar:stevens
bar:giordano
bar:smith
bar:honea
bar:perryman

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 barset:PM

bar:black	from: 1967 till: 1971	color:mcpon	text:Black
bar:whittet	from: 1971 till: 1975	color:mcpon	text:Whittet
bar:walker	from: 1975 till: 1979	color:mcpon	text:Walker
bar:crow	from: 1979 till: 1982	color:mcpon	text:Crow
bar:sanders	from: 1982 till: 1985	color:mcpon	text:Sanders
bar:plackett	from: 1985 till: 1988	color:mcpon	text:Plackett
bar:bushey	from: 1988 till: 1992	color:mcpon	text:Bushey
bar:hagan	from: 1992 till: 1998	color:mcpon	text:Hagan
bar:herdt	from: 1998 till: 2002	color:mcpon	text:Herdt
bar:scott	from: 2002 till: 2006	color:mcpon	text:Scott
bar:campa	from: 2006 till: 2008	color:mcpon	text:Campa
bar:west	from: 2008 till: 2012	color:mcpon	text:West
bar:stevens	from: 2012 till: 2016	color:mcpon	text:Stevens
bar:giordano	from: 2016 till: 2018	color:mcpon	text:Giordano
bar:smith	from: 2018 till: 2022	color:mcpon	text:Smith
bar:honea  from: 2022 till: 2025   color:mcpon   text:Honea

</timeline>

References

Crist, Charlotte D. Winds of Change: The History of the Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy 1967–1992. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1992. A joint publication of the Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and the Naval Historical Center which is available through the Government Printing Office and depository libraries.

External links

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Pay grade Branch of service	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap
Army	PVT	PV2	PFC	Template:Nowrap SPC – CPL	SGT	SSG	SFC	Template:Nowrap MSG – 1SG¹	Template:Nowrap SGM – CSM	Template:Nowrap SEANGB – SMA – SEAC
Marine Corps	Pvt	PFC	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt	GySgt	Template:Nowrap MSgt – 1stSgt¹	Template:Nowrap MGySgt – SgtMaj	Template:Nowrap SMMC – SEAC
Navy	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	Senior Chief Petty Officer Command Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO – CMDCS	Template:Nowrap MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM	Template:Nowrap MCPON – SEAC
Air Force File:Flag of the United States Air Force.svg	AB	Airman Amn	Airman first class A1C	Senior Airman SrA	Staff Sergeant SSgt	Technical sergeant TSgt	Template:Nowrap MSgt – 1st Sgt¹	Template:Nowrap SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹	Template:Nowrap CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM	Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SEANGB – CMSAF – SEAC
Space Force File:Flag of the United States Space Force.svg	Specialist 1 Spc1	Specialist 2 Spc2	Specialist 3 Spc3	Specialist 4 Spc4	Sergeant Sgt	Technical sergeant TSgt	Master sergeant MSgt	Senior master sergeant SMSgt	Template:Nowrap CMSgt	Template:Nowrap CMSSF – SEAC
Coast Guard File:Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg	Seaman Recruit SR	border SA	border SN	Petty Officer Third Class PO3	Petty Officer Second Class PO2	Petty Officer first class PO1	Chief Petty Officer CPO	Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO	Template:Nowrap MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG²	Template:Nowrap MCPOCG
For the Army and Air Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.