Force Master Chief Rick Mengel enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1993 and attended boot camp at Recruit Training Command Orlando, Florida.  He began his naval career first as an undesignated seaman, followed by signalman and then aviation structural mechanic until his selection for the Command Senior Chief Program in 2011.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 147 Gold) and the Command Master Chief (CMC)/Chief of the Boat Course (Class 10701).

His early operational tours included USS Camden (AOE 2), based at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington; Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, the EA-6B fleet replacement squadron, Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington; and twice with VAQ-130, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, deploying with USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

Ashore, he served as a recruit division commander (RDC) and RDC “C” School instructor at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.

As a command senior chief, Mengel was assigned to six mine countermeasures ships (MCM) with MCM Crew Persistent.  His subsequent CMC tours included USS Shoup (DDG 86), homeported in Everett, WA; Navy Recruiting District Seattle, Seattle, Washington; and USS Nimitz (CVN 68), homeported in Bremerton, Washington.  His last tour was as CMC for Naval Service Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.

Mengel assumed the duties and responsibilities as the force master chief of Naval Education and Training Command, Pensacola, Florida, Feb. 16, 2023.

He is qualified as a master training specialist, enlisted aviation warfare specialist, and enlisted surface warfare specialist. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (five awards), Good Conduct Medal (nine awards), and various unit awards.

Last Updated: 21 February 2023