Master Chief Jorge A. Cruz is a native of Los Angeles, Calif. He graduated from Anaheim High School in 1998. He enlisted in the United States Navy in November 1999 and attended basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. Upon completion of recruit training, he attended Technical Core School and Electronics Technician “A” School.
He was selected for advancement to Chief Petty Officer in 2008, Senior Chief in 2013 and Master Chief in 2017. He is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 202/Orange).
His assignments at sea include tours aboard USS Sirocco (PC 6), USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), USS John Paul Jones (DDG 56) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) where he served as the Combat Systems Department Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO). Over the course of his career, he deployed in support of operations Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Odyssey Dawn and completed two deployments to the Western Pacific.
Ashore, he served onboard Naval Air Station, Patuxent River as Radar Branch LCPO. He reported to Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific in 2013 as the Combat Systems Readiness Coordinator supporting Aircraft Carrier (CVN) Maintenance. In 2020, he returned to Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific for a second tour of duty serving as the Staff Senior Enlisted Leader. He also served with the United States Army’s 10th Mountain and 82nd Airborne Divisions in 2008 as an individual augmentee assigned to Joint/Interagency Provincial Reconstruction Team Khowst, Afghanistan.
Most recently, in March 2023, he assumed the duties as Senior Enlister Leader of Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center, headquartered in Naples, Italy with detachments in Manama, Bahrain and Rota, Spain.
His personal decorations include the Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Army Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and various unit citations and service awards.