Command Master Chief
Keith Wilkerson, Jr.
Command Master Chief Keith Wilkerson Jr. was born in 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, IL in February 1999.
After completing recruit training, he attended Seaman Apprentice School in Great Lakes, IL. His first duty assignment was with USS Ford (FFG 54) in Everett, WA. After completing 2 Western Pacific deployments, he left as a Store Keeper Second Class in 2003. He took follow on orders to USS Momsen (DDG 92) in Everett, WA after commissioning her and completing a Southern Pacific deployment he was advanced to Store Keeper First Class in 2006.
In June 2006, he was selected to Navy Recruiting District Chicago as the Recruiter-In-Charge of Navy Recruiting Station Milwaukee. Master Chief Wilkerson was charged with finding the Navy’s newest and brightest leaders. In September 2008, he was advanced to Chief Petty Officer Store Keeper. In February 2009, after completing his recruiting tour he accepted orders to the Navy’s newest combatant, Littoral Combat Ship ONE (LCS 1) USS Freedom as the Supply Officer, where he took part in her maiden deployment making history as the first LCS to participate in Drug Interdiction Operations.
In February 2013, Master Chief Wilkerson checked into NCTAMS LANT DET Rota, Spain as the Supply Officer and LCPO of N9, and was advanced to Senior Chief Logistics Specialist in June 2013.
He then took the helm as NCTAMS DET Rota’s Senior Enlisted Leader 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.
Master Chief Wilkerson was selected to the Command Master Chief Program in 2016 and served as the HSC 25 command master chief (CMC) stationed in Guam from October 2016 - October 2018. He most recently served as a dual hatted CMC of Commander, Task Force 72 and Commander, Fleet Air Western Pacific in Atsugi Japan.
He is currently serving as the CMC of the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).
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 Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (six awards), and various service and campaign awards.