Photo By Lt. Corey Todd Jones | WASHINGTON NAVY YARD (Aug. 22, 2025) Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear) Master Chief Petty...... read more read more
Master Chief Petty Officer Billy Ray Boyd III is retiring from the U.S. Navy after 25 years of dedicated service. A native of Canadian, Texas, Boyd is an Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear) whose final duty station was at Naval Reactors, supporting the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in Washington, D.C.
Located in the Texas Panhandle, Canadian is the small-town seat of Hemphill County. Often called the "Oasis of the High Plains," it sits along the Canadian River, boasting a unique landscape of hills and mesas. The town is known for its rich ranching history, historic rodeo, vibrant arts scene, and “Aud the Dinosaur,” a 50-foot-long, 17-foot-tall concrete dinosaur statue overlooking the town.
Boyd found inspiration every Fourth of July when his hometown hosted a parade led by retired service members and veterans. “The community itself has a strong sense of pride, togetherness, and support for the military, and to me, that's pretty big,” said Boyd.
Coming from a small town, community meant everything. “It really is that ‘Friday Night Lights’ kind of place where the community rallies around sports,” said Boyd. “What that taught me is that as a community, when people work together, success is always there.”
While his family had experience in the oil fields, Boyd drew more direct inspiration from his uncle, who served as a Navy Radioman aboard USS La Salle (AGF 3) while stationed in Bahrain, and later with NATO.
Boyd graduated from Canadian High School in 2000 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy that July. After a series of tests, the Navy identified him as a promising “nuke” candidate, which is Navy parlance for a Sailor specializing in the nuclear field.
He attended Recruit Training in Great Lakes, Illinois, and later reported to Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Charleston, South Carolina. There, he completed Nuclear Field Electrician "A" School, Nuclear Power School, and qualified as an Electrical Operator at the Moored Training Ship Daniel Webster (MTS-626) at Nuclear Power Training Unit – Charleston.
A Career at Sea and Ashore
Boyd’s career was marked by demanding assignments on aircraft carriers and impactful leadership roles on shore.
His time at sea began aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) as a member of Reactor Electrical Division. He later served on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), where he was selected for Chief Petty Officer and served as Reactor Electrical Two Plant Leading Chief Petty Officer. Boyd returned to George Washington for a subsequent tour, earning his selection as Senior Chief Petty Officer and serving as both Reactor Electrical Leading Chief Petty Officer and Reactor Training Division Officer. During these tours, he completed two deployments and two major mid-life aircraft carrier refueling and complex overhauls.
Ashore, Boyd’s expertise was instrumental in training and fleet support. He served as an Electrical Division Leading Petty Officer at the Nuclear Power Training Unit’s Daniel Webster in Charleston, South Carolina. From there, he transferred to Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee, as a Nuclear Instructor and Support Detailer, followed by a tour as the Force Electrical Assistant for Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia. His final assignment was at Naval Reactors in Washington, D.C., where he served as the Senior Enlisted Technical Advisor and was selected for Master Chief Petty Officer.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy was taking the Theodore Roosevelt back to sea for the first time after her mid-life refueling and complex overhaul,” said Boyd. “All the blood, sweat, and tears that were poured into the multi-year project culminated in successful sea trials and the ship returning to the operational fleet.”
Reflections and Future Plans
Director of Naval Reactors Adm. Bill Houston said of Boyd’s service, “Master Chief Boyd's 25-year career is a perfect example of what we expect of our nuclear leaders - true dedication to our nation's most powerful technology and, most importantly, its finest Sailors. He leaves the U.S Navy’s nuclear enterprise stronger and more capable than he found it, which is a true testament to his service.”
Boyd’s guest speaker and retired naval officer Chris Minick, who served as the navigator aboard USS Charlotte (SSN 766), recollected Boyd’s work ethic. “There were moments when his high standards pushed me to my limits, and I learned that true growth often comes from facing our weaknesses head-on,” he said. “The Navy’s impeccable safety record in nuclear power is built on the shoulders of exceptional individuals like Master Chief Boyd, and I could not be prouder of his accomplishments.”
Boyd said, “Serving in the Navy means the world to me. Across the many types of duties I have performed, it means that I have been a part of something that is bigger than me in support of our Nation’s defense.”
When asked for advice for young Sailors, Boyd emphasized patience and empowerment. “Patience is a virtue,” he stated. “Sometimes you have to have some patience to get through certain situations.”
He also urged the need to enable Sailors. “It's okay to make a decision, provided you have a principles-based and technically acceptable approach,” Boyd stated. “We all have the ability to go and find these answers, and we must empower our people to make decisions and provide answers when challenged.”
Boyd is a graduate of the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 220). His personal awards include the Legion of Merit end of tour award, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and numerous unit and campaign awards.
“I want to thank my aunt and uncle, Lisa and James, for their love and support throughout this journey,” said Boyd. “I wouldn't be here today without them.”
Boyd mentioned that he will miss the Navy camaraderie but is looking forward to less stress and pursuing his passion for competitive fishing. “Nothing but fishing,” he said with a smile. “It’s going to take a minute to get there, but I like to tournament bass fish. I've got my boat, we're all hooked up, and that's the dream I'm chasing.”
The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program is a joint Department of Navy and Department of Energy organization overseeing all aspects of naval nuclear propulsion, from research and design to training and maintenance. Naval Reactors harnesses the atom to safely, reliably, and affordably power a global fleet that enables unrivaled responsiveness, endurance, stealth, and warfighting capability. Throughout the Program’s 76-year history they have operated 273 reactors, accumulated more than 7,700 reactor-years of safe operations and maintain an unrivaled record of over 178 million miles safely steamed on nuclear power. See more at: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/powering-navy.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2025 08:08 |
| Story ID: | 546365 |
| Location: | US |
| Hometown: | CANADIAN, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 437 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Texas Panhandle Native Retires as Navy Master Chief After 25 Years of Nuclear Service, by LT Corey Todd Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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