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MCPON PERRYMAN MARKS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE

Photo By Master Chief Petty Officer Lori Bent | Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) John Perryman speaks with Sailors...... read more read more

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES

09.08.2026

Courtesy Story

Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

One year after becoming the Navy’s 17th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, John Perryman is marking the milestone with the same focus he brought to the position from day one: Sailors, their families and building an enlisted force ready to meet the demands of the Fleet.

Since taking office Sept. 8, 2025, Perryman has traveled throughout the Fleet, meeting with Sailors, families and command leaders to hear directly about what is working, where the Navy needs to do better and what Sailors need to succeed.

Those conversations are central to Perryman’s role as the senior enlisted advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations and ensuring the experience and perspective of the enlisted force are represented at the Navy’s highest levels.

“I said from the beginning that I work for our Sailors,” Perryman said. “I’ve spent this year listening to them and making sure we are focused on the things that matter to their service, their families and our Navy’s readiness.” Early in his tenure, Perryman established three priorities: Sailors and Families First, Technical Mastery at Every Level, and Continuous Development and Talent Management. Together, they reflect what Perryman believes the Navy owes its Sailors and what the Navy must expect from them in return.

Strengthening Enlisted Leader Development Developing Sailors for greater responsibility has been a central part of Perryman’s first year. The Navy rolled out the Enlisted Leader Development continuum, providing a career-long framework to develop Sailors as leaders throughout their service. The Navy also released the Chief Petty Officer Initiation instruction, establishing consistent expectations for preparing Chief Petty Officer selectees to enter the Chiefs Mess and take on the responsibilities that come with wearing anchors.

Both efforts support Perryman’s expectation that Sailors know what is expected of them, understand how to grow and are prepared to take on greater responsibility throughout their careers.

Modernizing Training and Strengthening Technical Mastery Perryman has placed renewed emphasis on the foundation of the enlisted profession: knowing your job and being able to do it well.

Over the past year, he has met with education and training commands to review the Navy’s enlisted training pipeline and identify opportunities to modernize training to better prepare Sailors for the demands of modern warfighting.

Perryman also charged leaders to review Occupational Standards and Enlisted Career Paths, with a focus on what Sailors are taught, what they are expected to know and how those expectations develop as they progress through their careers.

His focus on enlisted development also includes how the Navy assesses Sailors for advancement, including a review of how Navy-wide advancement exams are administered and how Final Multiple Scores are computed.

Together, these efforts focus on better aligning training, development and advancement with the knowledge and skills Sailors need in the Fleet.

Turning Fleet Concerns into Action Perryman’s engagement with Sailors informs how he advises Navy leadership and where he focuses senior enlisted attention.

As lead of the Enlisted Readiness Council, Perryman brings senior enlisted leaders and key stakeholders together to regularly examine issues affecting Sailors and Fleet readiness. The council provides a recurring forum to identify Fleet concerns, assess challenges and elevate issues requiring senior leader attention.

The council also provides a mechanism to maintain visibility on those concerns and track progress as the Navy works toward solutions.

Sailors and Families First Perryman’s focus on readiness extends to the families who serve alongside Sailors.

Throughout the year, Perryman and his wife, Ombudsman-at-Large Angie Perryman, have traveled across the Fleet, bringing both the Sailor and family perspective into conversations about service in the Navy.

From housing, healthcare, and childcare, to barracks, transportation, and access to services, those visits have provided a firsthand look at challenges affecting Sailors and families at different installations and duty stations.

Perryman has carried those concerns into discussions with Navy leadership and Congress, while Angie Perryman’s engagements with spouses, ombudsmen and families have provided an additional perspective on where support is working and where more attention is needed.

Looking to Year Two Perryman enters his second year with the same three priorities and a year of direct engagement with the Fleet informing the work ahead.

His first year established the foundation for longer-term efforts to modernize how the Navy trains and develops Sailors, strengthen technical mastery, improve quality of service and ensure Fleet concerns remain part of senior-level discussions and decisions.

“There is still a lot we need to get after,” Perryman said. “But everywhere I go, I see Sailors who are proud of what they do and want our Navy to be better. My job is to make sure they have a voice, that we are developing them for what comes next and that we keep working the things that get in the way of them doing their best.”