MasterChief

I'm a retired U.S. Navy Master Chief, living in Winston-Salem, NC. I am also known on the Internet as TKDTutor due to my TKDTutor (Taekwondo Tutor) martial arts website, which has been online since January 2000.

Military

Note: Rate indicates a sailor's paygrade. Rating indicates a sailor's job description.

MACM(SW), United States Navy (Retired)

• MA: Indicates I am a Master-at-Arms, the traditional rating for Navy law enforcement personnel. What's a Master-at-Arms?

• CM: Indicates I am a Master Chief Petty Officer, more commonly known as simply Master Chief, the highest Navy enlisted rate. What's a Master Chief?

• (SW): Indicates I earned the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist designation. What's an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist?

Education

• • AA: Administration of Justice, Los Angeles City College.

  • BA: Social Sciences, Chapman University.

  • MA: Management & Public Administration, Webster University.

  • MS: Criminal Justice, University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

Martial arts

• I trained, earned black belts, taught, and competed in taekwondo, judo, and other martial arts for over 50 years. 

• Now, I only reminisce and train to stay fit and healthy.

Astrology Sign

I am a Capricorn, the 10th zodiac sign, for those born around December 22 – January 19, symbolized by the Sea-Goat, representing ambition, discipline, and practicality, and ruled by Saturn. As an Earth sign, Capricorns are known for their grounded nature, strong work ethic, responsibility, and focus on long-term goals, often navigating both the material and emotional worlds with patience.   

Being a rational skeptic, I don't believe in astrology, but I can identify with the Sea-Goat. I served in the Navy for over 25 years, and much of my time was spent aboard ships at sea. I served in the Chief Petty Officer (CPO) rates for much of that time. On old sailing warships, such as the USS Constitution (nicknamed "Old Ironsides," the oldest active-duty commissioned ship in the Navy, launched in 1797), goats were kept on board when at sea. Goats were historically kept on old Navy warships for fresh milk, meat, and to eat scraps, thus turning waste into food. They were small, sure-footed, and hardy, so they thrived at sea.

The area where the goats were traditionally housed was in the same quarters as those of the Chief Petty Officers. This area is still known as the "goat locker" today, a nickname for the CPO's mess and berthing, and holds a place of tradition and respect. CPOs are  often referred to as "old goats." The U.S. Naval Academy officially adopted the goat as its mascot, named "Bill the Goat," after a series of lucky encounters with ship goats at early Army-Navy football games in the 1890s. 

So it seems as though I am indeed— a Sea-Goat.