Command Master Chief Blake G. Schimmel is a native of Wheaton, Illinois and graduated from St. John's Military Academy in 1989. He enlisted in the Navy in 1990 and completed basic training at Recruit Training Command, Orlando, Florida. He also completed Electronics Technician "A" and “C” schools, Naval Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC) School, Special Operations Radio Operators Course and the U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course.
He completed sea duty assignments aboard USNS SPICA (T-AFS 9), Special Boat Unit Twelve, as a SWCC and USS JOHN L. HALL (FFG 32) with a total of 14 deployments throughout PACOM, CENTCOM and SOUTHCOM.
Shore assignments include Special Boat Team Twelve, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Air Component Headquarters in Izmir Turkey, United States Naval Forces Central Command and the Joint Communications Unit, Fort Bragg, NC, where he also deployed multiple times in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, OPERATION NEW DAWN and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.
His Command Master Chief assignments include Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Blue Angels, USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) and Task Force SEVEN ZERO. He is currently serving as Command Master Chief for NAVSEA.
He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Workforce Education and Training Development from Southern Illinois University in 2011. He is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 156/ Gray), the Command Master Chief/ Chief of the Boat Course in 2012 and Naval Postgraduate School’s Navy Senior Leader Seminar (NSLS). His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and numerous unit, campaign and service awards.