Leon R. Walker Jr.

CMDCM(SW/AW) Leon R. Walker, Jr, United States Navy hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and joined the Navy in June 1983. He attended boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes (then Naval Training Center) in November 1983. He attended Seaman ATD (now Boatswain's Mate "A" School) from January 14, 1984, until March 14, 1984.

Upon completion of Seaman Apprentice Training School, he reported aboard USS Reid (FFG 30) stationed in Long Beach, California in March 1984. The ship then changed homeport to San Diego.

Master Chief Walker spent two years in deck division and became a Quartermaster in 1986. He was promoted to E-4 and E-5 onboard USS Reid and completed numerous tours to the Persian Gulf.

In May 1987, while patrolling in the Persian Gulf, his ship was called to assist the USS Stark where his firefighting team fought a fire that was still burning and recovered and transferred 37 deceased Sailors that perished in the explosion from two missile attacks fired from an Iraqi aircraft, in the Persian Gulf.

In December 1987, Master Chief Walker was discharged from the Navy and returned to Cleveland, Ohio where, after 72 days, he returned to the Navy.

In March 1988, Master Chief Walker reported aboard USS Mahlon S. Tisdale (FFG 27). In 1989, he was selected as Sailor of the Quarter, and Sailor of the Year. He spent four years on board and was promoted Quartermaster First Class (E-6) in December 1991.

In June 1992, Master Chief Walker reported to Navy Recruiting District Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1994 he was selected as Recruiter of the Quarter, and Recruiter of the Year. After his four-year tour in Cleveland, Ohio, Master Chief Walker reported aboard USS Carr (FFG-52) in 1996. Master Chief Walker spent four years on board and was selected as USS CARR Sailor of the Quarter, and Sailor of the Year. In addition, he was selected as DESTROYER SQUADRON 2 Sailor of the Year, Regional Support Group Sailor of the Year, COMMANDER NAVAL SURFACE FORCES ATLANTIC Sea Sailor of the Year where he was ranked #1 of 25,000 eligible Sailors. He was ATLANTIC FLEET SEA Sailor of the Year finalist in 2000.

Upon completion of that tour, Master Chief Walker reported to Quartermaster/Signalman "A" school in Great Lakes as an Instructor. In 2000, he was selected for Chief. In 2001, Master Chief Walker became the Leading Chief Petty Officer of Seaman Apprentice Training and Signalman “A” school.

In April 2003, Master Chief Walker was selected for Senior Chief Petty Officer and then reported to USS Kearsarge (LHD-3). In March 2004, Master Chief Walker attended the Air Force Senior Enlisted Academy and was selected as the Vice President of over 400 Senior Enlisted Academy students. Upon completion of the 7-week course, he reported back to USS Kearsarge and served three years there.

He was then selected for Master Chief in April 2006. That year, the Navy only pro-moted 2 Senior Chiefs out of 19 to Master Chief, Master Chief Walker was one of those selected. In October 2006, Master Chief Walker was selected to become a Recruit Division Commander (RDC). He was selected to the Command Master Chief program in February of 2007, completed RDC school in April of 2007, where he led two divisions of recruits, comprised of 176 newly reported civilians. and in September 2007 he accepted orders to USS Lassen DDG-82 homeported in Yokosuka, Japan where he led a crew of 300 Sailors.

Master Chief Walker served for two years onboard USS Lassen and then reported as the Command Master Chief of Naval Station Great Lakes where they employed 10,000 Sailors and civilians. In 2010, Master Chief Walker, and his fellow Sailors started mentorship program at a local elementary school for various 5th graders, teaching them numerous life skills. In November of 2011, Master Chief Walker was informed that he was a match for an African American woman suffering from a form of cancer. In January of 2012, Master Chief Walker was transferred to the local hospital in Washington DC, where he underwent a very painful, but extremely rewarding stem cell procedure, where the Doctors transferred 700 million stem cells from his body over a period of 6 days and into the body of the woman he was a match for. Upon completion of his tour at Naval Station Great Lakes, he was selected as the Command Master Chief of Naval Service Training Command where they employed 42,203 Sailors and civilians. Master Chief Walker retired on August 7th of 2015, and in January of 2016, he was hired at the Chicago Military Entrance Processing Station where he managed 4 civilians and 4 Sailors processing 80-90 Sailors per month into the Navy. In July of 2016, now retired Master Chief Walker was selected as Civilian of the Quarter. In September of 2016, retired Master Chief Walker was hired as a Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (military Instructor) NJROTC, where he is responsible for 90 high school juniors.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (2) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4), Navy Achievement Medal (2) and numerous other awards.