Vincent W. Patton III

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Patton retired from the U.S. Coast Guard 1 November 2002, after serving 30 years of active duty. He became the first African American selected as the service's senior-most enlisted ranking position as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in 1998. His career included staff and operational assignments both afloat and ashore throughout the United States, and a joint military service assignment in Cuba and Haiti.

Patton served as the eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard from May 1998 to October 2002. As the service's top senior enlisted leader and ombudsman, he was the principal advisor to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, his directorates, and the Secretaries of Transportation and Defense, with primary focus on quality of life issues, career development, work environment and personnel matters affecting over 40,000 active duty, reserve enlisted, and civilian personnel servicewide. He routinely addressed these specific issues before appropriate United States Senate and House committees in the United States Congress, as well as with the Commander-in-Chief, along with his senior enlisted counterparts of the other four military services.

	Enlisted Cutterman Insignia (permanent)
	Basic Parachutist Badge
	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Badge
	Commandant Staff Badge

	Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal with one gold award star
	Coast Guard Commendation Medal with two award stars
	Coast Guard Achievement Medal with "O" device and two award stars
	Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award
	Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award
	Coast Guard Unit Commendation with two award stars and "O" device
	Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with two award stars and "O" device
	Meritorious Team Commendation with one silver and two gold award stars
	Coast Guard "E" Ribbon
	Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation
	Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal with one silver and three bronze service stars
	National Defense Service Medal with service star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Humanitarian Service Medal with two service stars
	Special Operations Service Ribbon with four service stars
	Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon with service star
	Coast Guard Recruiting Service Ribbon
	NCO Professional Development Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4
	Expert Rifle Marksmanship Medal
	Expert Pistol Marksmanship Medal

• 7 gold Service stripes. Patton is one of a few Coast Guardsmen to have earned the coveted "Parachutist Wings" specialty badge during his assignment with Joint Task Force 160.

A 1972 graduate of Cass Technical High School, Patton became an Eagle Scout and was also a member of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) JAMES M. HANNAN division during his high school years. All of Patton's initial college education through doctorate degree was earned while on active duty. He received his Doctor of Education degree in 1984 from the American University, Washington, DC. His dissertation was based on the development and implementation of the Coast Guard Enlisted Evaluation System. He has a master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University Chicago; a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Shaw College at Detroit, Michigan; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Pacific Union College, Angwin, California.

His extensive military education includes U. S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI).

After his military retirement, Patton completed a Master of Theology degree in Applied Religious Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. In addition, he was an adjunct professor teaching 'Philosophy of Ethics' at the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2003, he has performed summer missionary work with the International Rescue Committee in Haiti, and worked as an executive director for the non-profit Halley's Comet Foundation, teaching "at-risk" teenagers seamanship and sailing skills. He served as a volunteer tour advisor and chaplain for the USO, participating in the "Operation Handshake" program to visit U.S. military personnel during the 2004 Thanksgiving holiday in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in the 2003 holiday season with U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia involved with Operations "Iraqi Freedom" and "Enduring Freedom." From 2004 to 2011, he was Director of Government Partnerships & Alliances for Military Advantage, also known as "Military.com," the largest website devoted to the military community covering benefits, information and transition. From June 2002 to June 2013 he served on the Board of Visitors for the Defense Intelligence Agency's National Intelligence University. From July 2011 to February 2016 he served as executive director for the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). From March to October 2016, he served as president/CEO for Warriors4Wireless, a nonprofit career development program designed exclusively for transitioning military servicemembers and veterans to become trained for careers in the wireless telecommunications industry in construction, installation and maintenance of cellular towers and broadband systems; and remains with the organization as principal advisor.

Currently, Patton is senior vice president for leadership development with NewDay USA, as an integral part of their Character Driven Leadership program.

Patton is a managing partner with Pinnacle Five, LLC, a group of former senior enlisted members from the DoD services who served with him during his tenure as Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. He holds board memberships with the National Coast Guard Museum Association, U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Northeast Maritime Institute, and the Uniformed Services Benefits Association (USBA). Previously he served as chairman of the editorial board and member of the board of directors of the U.S. Naval Institute, and a member of the board of visitors of the National Intelligence University.

Patton gave the commencement address at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire on May 13, 2018, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service degree.

On May 17, 2019, Patton was inducted into Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor.

• AFCEA International
• Pinnacle Five
• Military Advantage
• USCG Official Bio
• DefenseLink News Article
• Vince Patton Blog