#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran John David Perez

During Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Navy Veteran John David Perez, who retired after 30 years as a master chief petty officer.

John David Perez enlisted in the Navy in 1989. He served aboard USS Saratoga during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in the air department’s V-2 Division. Perez’s next duty station was Recruit Training Command in Orlando, Florida, where he served as the executive officer’s yeoman and leading petty officer.

In 1995, Perez served on USS Deyo during Operation Southern Watch and Operation Desert Fox. He performed the role of administrative assistant. Later that year, Perez transferred to Military Sealift Command in Port Canaveral, Florida, where he was as an administrative officer for seven departments. Perez went on to serve as flag writer for the deputy under secretary of the Navy; administrative and financial officer for the assistant secretary of the Navy (manpower and reserve affairs); administrative leading chief petty officer to the commander of the U.S. 2^nd Fleet; and flag writer for the chief of naval operations and the vice chief of Navy operations.

During his service, Perez received a Meritorious Service Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three gold stars. He also received campaign medals for service in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, the Global War on Terror, the Kuwait Liberation and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Perez retired from the Navy in 2019, after 30 years of service, at the rank of master chief petty officer. Today he lives in Alexandria, Virginia, where he works for Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior consultant in the government relations office. He is a decorated bodybuilder at the national level and spends his time training men and women for national body building competitions.

Thank you for your service!

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Contributors

Writer: Rachel Hoak

Editor: Christine Myers

Fact checker: Bhaavana Oruganty and Scott Conway

Graphic artist: Chalsi Lee