FORCE MASTER CHIEF, NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMAND
FORCM Patrick C. West
Master Chief West is the Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) Force Master Chief. NSWC is the component headquarters for Naval Special Warfare (NSW) located in Coronado, California.
Master Chief West is a native of Georgia and a 1990 graduate of Savannah H.S. In January 1991, he enlisted in the Navy and attended Gunner’s Mate “A” School. He then reported to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School (BUD/S) and graduated with Class 186 in February of 1993. After graduating BUD/S, he reported to his first duty station with SEAL Team TWO, where he completed multiple deployments to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa.
His follow-on assignments include Naval Special Warfare Center Advanced Training Command Detachment Little Creek, where he taught Static-line Jump Master and air operations skills, and on to SEAL Team TEN serving as Platoon Chief from 2002 through 2007.
Next, he was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group TWO Training Detachment serving as the Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL) and lead instructor for Tactical Ground Mobility and range developer, then to Naval Special Warfare Group TWO Resourcing and Requirements as the Program Manager for Family of Special Operation Vehicles.
Returning to an operational capacity, he was assigned to SEAL Team FOUR as the Joint Operations Center Chief before moving to serve as the Troop Senior Enlisted Advisor. Subsequently, he was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group TWO as the Operations SEL.
His command tours consisted of serving as SEAL Team EIGHTEEN Command Master Chief, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-I 19-2 Command Master Chief, Naval Special Warfare Group ELEVEN Command Master Chief, and Naval Special Warfare Command Deputy Force Master Chief. In July 2025, he was selected to his current assignment as the Naval Special Warfare Force Master Chief.
Military academic achievements include United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Joint Professional Military Education, Combined/Joint Force Special Operations Component Commanders Course, the Joint Special Operations Summit Course, and a graduate of Excelsior University.