HMCM (SW/FMF) James "Rusty" Perry
Master Chief James "Rusty" Perry was born in Graceville, Florida on June 25th, 1969. After graduating from Dothan High School, Dothan, Alabama in 1988, he enlisted in the Navy and attended both boot camp and Basic Hospital Corpsman "A" School at the Recruit Training Command Great Lakes.
His first tour of duty after Corps School was Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida serving in Nursing Services Directorate in both Postpartum and Labor and Delivery as a ward Corpsman, before moving to Branch Medical Clinic Jacksonville. Following his tour at the Naval Hospital, he attended Aerospace Medical Technician "C" School in Pensacola, Florida with a follow-on tour to Patrol Squadron Four-Five (VP-45). While assigned to VP-45, he completed two deployments to NAS Keflavik, Iceland in support of anti-submarine operations in the Northern Atlantic. In 1994, HM2 Perry transferred to Branch Medical Clinic NAS Atlanta, serving until 1996 before transferring to Field Medical Service School, Camp Pendleton California prior to reporting to Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman "C" School at the Naval School of Health Science, San Diego.
After graduating from Independent Duty Corpsman School, HM1 Perry was stationed in Diego Garcia for a one year unaccompanied tour, then stationed with Naval Special Boat Squadron 2, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Virginia earning his Officer of Deck Underway Letter aboard USS SIROCCO. During this tour, HM1 Perry made deployments to the Persian Gulf and Laos as a part of Joint Task Force Full Accounting for recovery of remains from the Vietnam War. Assignment to Naval Special Boat Squadron 2, offered HM1 Perry an opportunity to apply for selection to Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), located at Dam Neck, Virginia. After completing the screening process and his selection for assignment, HM1 Perry transferred to NSWDG where he was selected to Chief Petty Officer. While assigned to NSWDG, HMC Perry completed two TAD tours of duty to Afghanistan as part of a Special Operations Task Force. HMC Perry transferred from NSWDG in January of 2004, to the Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida where he was selected for Senior Chief Petty shortly after his arrival. While assigned to Naval Hospital Jacksonville, HMCS Perry deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom for an eight month deployment as the Senior Enlisted Leader for a Shock Trauma Platoon and Forward Resuscitative Surgical System in the Al Anbar Providence of Iraq.
HMCM Perry is married to the former Michelle Chidister of South Bend, Indiana. They are the proud parents of Tyler, Madison, Matthew and Chloe. His personal decorations include the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medical, Navy Marine Corp Commendation Medal (4 awards), Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal (3 awards) and Army Achievement Medal.