Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) James Honea, the Navy’s 16th and top enlisted leader, is set to retire in September 2025 after a distinguished 38-year military career.
The Navy made the official announcement Tuesday, recognizing Honea’s transformative tenure, which focused on championing the needs and well-being of sailors across the fleet.
Honea, who assumed the role of MCPON on Sept. 8, 2022, will conclude his service on Sept. 12, 2025.
Since taking on the Navy’s highest enlisted position, he has been a fierce advocate for enlisted personnel, working closely with sailors, lawmakers, and Department of War leaders to enact policies that uplift the quality of life for service members and their families.
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“It has been a profound privilege and honor to serve as your MCPON,” Honea said in a Navy release.
“I will carry with me the countless memories of meeting Sailors across the Fleet, hearing about your remarkable achievements, as well as the level of trust you placed in me to advocate for you and your families. During my tenure it has been my mission to remove barriers and improve the quality of life for you and your family.”
Throughout his tenure, Honea’s leadership extended well beyond rhetoric.
He played an instrumental role in the passage of legislation that resulted in a 15% pay raise for junior enlisted sailors, a significant move aimed at recognizing the contributions of the Navy’s youngest service members.
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He also focused on long-standing issues such as unaccompanied housing, medical care, spouse employment, and child care services—working with Congress and the Department of War to bring tangible improvements in these areas.
A defining aspect of Honea’s legacy has been his unwavering dedication to mental health and living conditions, particularly for sailors stationed aboard aircraft carriers undergoing maintenance in shipyards.
His advocacy came at a crucial time for the Navy, following a tragic period in April 2022 when three junior sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington died by suicide.
A subsequent investigation by Naval Air Force Atlantic identified systemic shortcomings, including overburdened ship psychologists, inadequate leadership response, and cultural stigmas that discouraged sailors from seeking help.
Responding to these revelations, Honea emphasized the need for stronger relationships between sailors and their leadership.
He advocated for a return to the traditional support role of the Navy’s chief petty officers, positioning them as the first line of defense in safeguarding the mental health of their crews.
“The original embedded mental health professional in the United States Navy was the chief petty officer,” Honea told Navy Times in 2023.
He stressed that every sailor should feel secure turning to their chief for guidance and support in difficult times.
“Every sailor,” he noted, “deserved to have a chief petty officer in their life who valued their well-being and was invested in their health and success.”
Honea’s journey in the Navy began in 1987 when he first enlisted. He rose through the ranks with distinction, becoming a master chief in 2006 and a command master chief in 2009.
His tours included service aboard the destroyer USS Gridley and the amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans, and he later held senior enlisted leadership positions in high-profile assignments, including command master chief of U.S. Naval Forces Korea.
Before becoming MCPON, Honea served as a fleet master chief with U.S. Pacific Fleet and as the command senior enlisted leader at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, overseeing critical personnel matters for large swaths of the Navy’s operational forces.
His exemplary career has earned him numerous military honors, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merit Medals, five Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
As the Navy prepares for the transition to its next senior enlisted leader, Honea’s legacy of compassion, dedication, and action will endure.
His efforts to uplift junior enlisted sailors, confront mental health challenges, and restore confidence in leadership have left a lasting impact.
With nearly four decades of service behind him, Honea will leave the Navy a better, more caring institution than when he joined.
His retirement marks the end of a remarkable era—one defined by listening, leading, and relentlessly advocating for those who wear the uniform.
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