FORCM(AW/SW/IW) Keith Wilkerson Jr.
Force Master Chief, Naval Air Force Atlantic
Force Master Chief Keith Wilkerson Jr. is a native of Birmingham, Alabama and raised in the Washington D.C. area. He graduated from Seneca Valley High School in June 1998 and entered the U.S. Navy attending basic training in Great Lakes, Illinois, in February 1999.
After completing recruit training, he attended Seaman Apprentice School in Great Lakes, Illinois. His first assignment was with USS Ford (FFG 54) in Everett, Washington. After completing two western Pacific deployments, he left as a Storekeeper 2nd Class in 2003. He took follow on orders to USS Momsen (DDG 92) in Everett after commissioning the ship and completing a southern Pacific deployment where he was advanced to Storekeeper 1st Class in 2006.
In June 2006, he was selected to Navy Recruiting District Chicago as the Recruiter-In-Charge of Navy Recruiting Station Milwaukee. Wilkerson was charged with finding the Navy's newest and brightest leaders. In September 2008, he advanced to Chief Storekeeper. In February 2009, after completing his recruiting tour he accepted orders to the Navy's newest combatant, USS Freedom (LCS 1) as the Supply Officer, where he took part in the maiden deployment making history as the first littoral combat ship to participate in drug interdiction operations. In February 2013, Wilkerson checked into Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic (NCTAMS LANT) Detachment Rota, Spain, as the Supply Officer and Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO) of N9, and was advanced to Senior Chief Logistics Specialist in June 2013. He then took the helm as the Senior Enlisted Leader for NCTAMS LANT Detachment Rota on January 1, 2015. On March 4, 2016, he checked aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) as the Supply Department Readiness LCPO where he was advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer. Wilkerson was selected to the Command Master Chief (CMC) Program in 2016 and served as the CMC for Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 stationed in Guam, from October 2016 - October 2018. He then went on to serve as a dual hatted CMC of Task Force 72 and Fleet Air Western Pacific in Atsugi, Japan. He was then stationed was aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) as the CMC from Feb 2021- Feb 2023, then as the CMC of MyNavy Career Center from March 2023 – February 2026.
Wilkerson now serves as the Force Master Chief of Naval Air Force Atlantic.
His academic achievements include an associate’s degree in business administration; Senior Enlisted Professional Military Education; Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education; West Coast Executive Leadership symposium; and a fellow of National Defense University Keystone. He is an honor graduate from the Navy's Senior Enlisted Academy, the CMC/COB course (Class 161). His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (six awards), and various service and campaign awards.