Master Chief Michael J. Oldknow was the 11th and last Force Master Chief for the Naval Security Group. His biography follows:
FORCM (SW/AW) MICHAEL J. OLDKNOW
UNITED STATES NAVY
Master Chief Oldknow was born on March 3, and is a native of Sante Fe, New Mexico. He enlisted in the Navy on May, 14 1979. Upon completion of Recruit Training at RTC Orlando, Florida, he transferred to NTTC Pensacola, Florida for Electronic Warfare “A” and “C” school and was promoted to the rank of Third Class Petty Officer.
After graduation, he received orders to USS LUCE (DDG 38), homeported in Mayport, Florida. Other sea assignments include Pre-Commission Unit/USS MONTEREY (CG 61) as Leading Chief Petty Officer for the Electronic Warfare Work Center and as the Operations LCPO aboard USS RANIER (AOE 7).
Shore duty assignments have included Fleet Training Center, Mayport, Florida; as an instructor at the Electronics Technical Representative for MOTU-10 in Charleston, South Carolina; and as Requirements Officer at OPNAV (Surface Warfare) Washington, D.C. While stationed at OPNAV, Master Chief Oldknow applied to and was accepted into the Command Master Chief (CMC) Program.
After serving an 11 month tour as OPNAV CMC, he transferred to USS SEATTLE (AOE 3), attending the Senior Enlisted Academy en route. During his tour on USS SEATTLE, he applied for the CNO directed CMC position at Command Military Sealift Command (MSC) and was selected for the position. He reported for duty April 2001. After a successful tour at MSC, Master Chief Oldknow reported to USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) for duty as CMC in February 2003.
Master Chief Oldknow was selected as the CNO directed CMC position at Headquarters, Naval Security Group Command in Fort Meade, Maryland. He served in that capacity from July 20, 2004 until July 1, 2006
Upon decommissioning of CNSG, Commander Naval Security Group requested Master Chief Oldknow take orders to Navy Information Operations Detachment, Brunswick, Maine, formally NSGD Brunswick, as Officer-in-Charge to the study the feasibility of replacing the office of Officer-in-Charge with senior enlisted.
Source: NCVA/Echoes of our Past
3 March 2018 at 15:49
FORCM Oldknow was obviously a leader among men but his bio left me with 2 questions.
1. Where did he qualify for AW. Nothing here mentions anything related.
2. Was he an EW or CT. If CT, a CTT. That is my guess.
Just curious more than anything.
Thanks,
Guy Thomas
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6 March 2018 at 05:25
geoguythomas – he reported to NTTC Corry Sta. for A & C school as an EW…guessing he got his air warfare pin during his tour as CMC on the Big E in 2003
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12 March 2018 at 03:14
Hi Mike … Hope.to see you one day at an NCVA Reunion..Cheers, Bob Anderson
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11 April 2019 at 21:52
Bob, Sorry I will not be able to attend any NCVA Reunions due I’ve come down with a little case of ALS. Although it’s a rare type that progresses slowly my ability to travel is limited. The answer’s to the questions above are EW and while I CMC on The Big E
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23 June 2019 at 16:13
Mike, this is unreal but after over 35 years I thought of you the other day and looked you up and found this article. This is Ron Mourning. Hopefully you remember me I served with you on your first assignment aboard the USS Luce along with Marc Wyrick who is now my nephew LOL. One other interesting thing to point out is I always remember you being proud of being from Santa Fe New Mexico I have lived in Albuquerque for the last 35 years. I am still married to Lorraine the girl that I met from Inverkeithing Scotland while on board ship. I think your wife’s name was Marschell? It looks like you had quite a career and something to be very proud of however I am sorry to hear about your illness. I will leave my email here in case you get this and want to get in touch with me so we can catch up on old times. ronmourning@hotmail.com
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23 June 2019 at 18:38
Mike,
This is Marc Wyrick, blast from the past. So proud of your career, what a great career you had. I am so sorry to hear about the ALS, I have you in prayer. wyrick_me@hotmail.com
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