The Navy’s top enlisted sailor, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea, announced that he is retiring from the post — a year ahead of schedule — in a statement released late Tuesday.
“I will carry with me the countless memories of meeting sailors across the fleet, hearing about your remarkable achievements, as well as the level of trust you placed in me to advocate for you and your families,” Honea said in his statement.
Honea’s retirement comes amid shake-ups in other top leadership posts within the military and days before Adm. Daryl Caudle heads to Capitol Hill for confirmation hearings to become the sea service’s top officer.
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Speaking to Military.com in his office, Honea described his exit as a personal decision that he was making voluntarily and a year ahead of the end of his term as MCPON.
“It’s the right time to go,” he said, amid a few jokes and jabs — an attitude that has been a hallmark for the top enlisted sailor who began his career as a boatswain’s mate 38 years ago.
However, the timing of Honea’s decision to retire also coincides with the growing certainty that a new chief of naval operations will walk onto the job soon.
In January, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly and without explanation fired then CNO Adm. Lisa Franchetti. Just over a month ago, Caudle was finally nominated to replace her.
It is not unusual for top officials to insist on changing the subordinates who support and advise them upon taking office. A similar situation occurred recently with the top enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
When Gen. Dan Caine replaced Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown as the Joint Chiefs chairman, he decided to not keep Sgt. Major. Troy Black in the top enlisted adviser post, instead choosing Navy Master Chief and SEAL David Isom for the job.
Caudle’s confirmation hearing is set for Thursday.
Navy officials who spoke to Military.com about the retirement did not dispute that a new CNO presented an opportunity for Honea to close the book on a long and storied Navy career.
Honea’s tenure as the Navy’s top enlisted sailor, which began in the fall of 2022, was largely characterized by a focus on advocating for junior sailors, their families and their quality of life.
Honea pushed to become more reachable to the fleet by offering a direct email address to his office at the Pentagon. He also broke ground for the office of the MCPON by hosting an “Ask Me Anything” session on the social media platform Reddit.
His office has maintained a presence on the platform to this day.
“However you feel about chiefs as a whole or the Mess as an institution, there isn’t any question that Honea rolled up his sleeves and went in swinging for the common sailor,” said one top comment on the site after news of the retirement became public.
In 2023, Honea also used his influence to try and combat hazing and “counterfeit behaviors” among his fellow chief petty officers amid the famed induction season. The season is a roughly six-week affair that sees current chiefs welcome sailors who were just selected for the rank.
This process is a decades-old tradition that has become shrouded in mystery in the last half-century as it became more debaucherous and abusive to the recruits, and Honea was the latest MCPON to take steps to rein in some of the excesses.
Honea also repeatedly testified before Congress, where he advocated for better pay and living conditions for sailors.
“Military pay and compensation reform is going to be one of those big problems that we need to start taking a bite at today,” Honea told lawmakers in 2024.
“As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I will forever cherish the impact you’ve had on me and look forward to crossing paths with you again in the fleet,” Honea wrote in his statement.
Related: The Navy’s Top Enlisted Sailor Is Ready for You to Ask Him Anything
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