Master Chief Patton served as the Eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard from 1998-2002.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Master Chief Patton enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard in June 1972, he initially started out his career in the occupational rating of Radioman (communications), and later changed to Yeoman (personnel) in 1979. He has served afloat tours on, USCGC DALLAS (Governors Island, NY), USCGC BOUTWELL (Seattle, WA), and USCGC MAKO (Cape May, NJ). His Shore assignments include, Training Center Petaluma, CA (Radioman School); Group and Air Station Detroit, MI; Recruiting Office Chicago, IL; Ninth Coast Guard District Office, Cleveland, OH; and two separate tours at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC. Prior to selection as MCPOCG, he served as the Command Master Chief for the Coast Guard Atlantic Area. During this assignment he was the senior enlisted advisor to Joint Task Force-160, during Operation Support Democracy, which was the largest alien migration operation in history.
All of Master Chief Patton’s college education 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 earned a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University, Chicago, IL; a Bachelor of Science degree, in Social Work from Shaw College at Detroit, MI; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Pacific College, Angwin, CA. He is a graduate of the U. S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy, U. S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (with distinction), and the Department of Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.
His numerous military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon, eight Meritorious Team awards and nine Coast Guard Good Conduct awards. He has also earned the Cutterman’s insignia, and has completed ten ‘jumps’ with the U. S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, to earn the coveted “Parachutist Wings” specialty badge.
Master Chief Patton accomplished the rank of Eagle Scout, and was also a former Naval Sea Cadet during his high school years. He was also selected as one of the Olympic Torchbearers for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
MCPOCG Patton retired after over 30 years of active duty, November 1, 2002.