VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Master Chief Petty Officer Chris Tilley, a native of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Naval Expeditionary Combat Command, part of the Navy’s expeditionary force.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marieliza Rosales Navy Public Affairs Support Element East |
Tilley graduated from Southern Lehigh High School in 1993 and George Washington University with a bachelor's degree in clinical health science in 2021.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Coopersburg.
“Growing up in Coopersburg, I worked for my father's landscaping business during the summer, and I worked at some local food businesses, staying late and building a work ethic to get the job done,” Tilley said. "Seeing things through to completion has been a key to my success in the Navy."
Tilley joined the Navy 30 years ago. Today, Tilley serves as a hospital corpsman.
“I joined to carry on the family tradition started by both of my grandfathers who served in the Navy during the Korean War,” Tilley said.
Headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) provides oversight, training and support for the Navy’s expeditionary forces worldwide. From EOD technicians and Seabees to maritime security and logistics sailors, NECC integrates these specialized communities into a ready force capable of deploying quickly and operating wherever they’re needed. A dedicated civilian workforce stands alongside uniformed personnel, ensuring the command has the depth and expertise to keep pace with evolving missions.
NECC’s focus is clear: Arrive on Station, Stay on Station, and Sustain the Fight. By building readiness at home and enabling operations abroad, NECC ensures that expeditionary sailors are equipped, trained, and prepared to deliver when the Navy and the nation call.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Tilley has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proudest of seeing the people who work for me achieve success,” Tilley said. "Helping them grow personally, professionally, and spiritually is the most rewarding thing of all."
Tilley serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy means I am fulfilling my sense of duty,” Tilley said. "Being given the opportunity to continue on to a 30-year career is amazing."
Tilley is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Rick and Deborah, for instilling a great work ethic in me and providing the wisdom and compassion needed to be successful,” Tilley said. "I especially want to thank my wife, Michalene, for sticking through the really rough times of the Navy with me and never doubting me. She holds our home together and has been an amazing mom to our three children when she often had to do it on her own. As she would say, my life would be boring without her."
“I will retire next year, and my wife and I are going to start our own business,” Tilley said. "I'm also thinking of joining the military sealift command as a medical services officer."