The Marine Corps had established a billet for a Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in 1957 and the Army had followed suit in July 1966. Congressmen saw value in creating a billet for a senior enlisted (Navy) who could act as a representative of a large, previously untapped contingency.

By the fall of 1966, the selection process was underway to choose the LCPO. All commands were asked to recommend qualified master chiefs who could serve as an enlisted advisor to the Chief of Naval Personnel. The announcement was greeted with mixed emotions in the fleet. Some heralded the office as a positive step forward. For years, sailors had been discussing such a billet. Only a few, however, believed the Navy would give an enlisted man the power or authority to do the job right. Those doubts persisted long after the creation of the office and, despite its success and longevity, can still be heard in some quarters of the fleet. But the greatest obstacle for the office and its early incumbents was the fear that too much power would create a circumvention of the chain of command. Officers and enlisted leaders worried that the office would become a threat to good order and discipline. Many commanding officers resented the implication that their commands needed an outsider to come in and solve their problems. And there were still those “old salts” who clung to a somewhat modified “rocks and shoals” discipline which held little regard for new ideas in leadership.

Despite the controversy surrounding the billet, hundreds of nomination packages were sent to Washington. The master chief selection board screened them down to 11. A special board, headed by Rear Admiral Charles D. Nace, Special Assistant for Retention Matters in the Bureau of Personnel (BUPERS), selected Master Chief Gunner’s Mate Delbert Defrece Black. On January 13, 1967, he received his appointment from Vice Admiral B.J. Semmes, Jr., Chief of Naval Personnel, during ceremonies at San Diego Naval Training Center. Black’s original title, “Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Navy” was changed to “Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy” (MCPON) on April 28, 1967 to conform to the titles given the top enlisted billets of the other services.

. . .

In July 1971, Master Chief Aircraft Maintenanceman John (Jack) D. Whittet was instrumental in the issuance of Z-Gram 95 which established the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Command (MCPOC) program. Twenty-three master chiefs became either Master Chief Petty Officers of the Fleet, Force or Command for the Pacific and Atlantic Fleet, Naval Forces Europe, Naval Air Force Atlantic and Pacific Fleet, Naval Air Training Command, Amphibious Force Atlantic and Pacific, Submarine Force Atlantic and Pacific, Naval Communications Command, Cruiser/Destroyer Force Atlantic and Pacific, Mine Force, Service Force Atlantic and Pacific, Naval Security Group Command, Supply, Medical and Civil Engineer Corps, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, San Diego, California, and Orlando, Florida.

To add visibility to the title, the "MCPOCs" and the MCPON removed their rating specialty marks from their uniforms and replaced them with a gold star. The two silver stars above the MCPOCs eagle's wing tips were replaced with two gold stars. They were also authorized to wear a Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) badge on their uniforms. Today, career counselors wear a badge similar to the original SEA badge, which was changed in the 1978 Uniform Regulations to a gold badge.

They were called Master Chief Petty Officers of the Command (MCPOC) in 1971, selected by fleet, type, or force commanders to serve as the Senior Enlisted Advisor on their staff. During MCPON Walker's tenure, he changed the name to Fleet, Force, and Command Master Chiefs and began efforts to whittle down the number of panel members.

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During MCPON Sanders' term, approval was given by the CNO to limit the number of panel members brought to Washington while allowing type commanders to retain the title of Force Master Chief for their senior enlisted advisor. It wasn't until 1989 that a major restructuring change was announced, cutting the number of fleet master chiefs to three, and force master chiefs to nine. Incumbents were allowed to serve out their term with the existing title, making the change effective with their successor. Those retaining the fleet titles are Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, and CINCUSNAVEUR. Force titles remain for CNET, BUMED, Naval Reserve, and the Atlantic and Pacific Fleet surface, submarine and air forces. Those losing the force title will remain non-voting, advisory members of the panel as CNO-directed Command Master Chiefs.

As individuals, the fleet, force, and command master chiefs act as an important liaison link in their own chain of command. The master chiefs are able to heighten command awareness of existing or potential situations that may affect welfare, morale, job satisfaction and utilization of enlisted men and women. Commanders have learned to rely upon the advice of the master chiefs when establishing policy or working on problems dealing specifically with enlisted members. They have been, in essence, the forerunner of a Process Action Team (PAT), the heart and soul of the recently introduced TQL program.

- From the historical document, “Winds of Change: The History of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy”.