Roxas City native retires as US Navy Master Chief

A native of Roxas City retired as Master Chief in the United States Navy on April 30, 2020 to cap a 30-year career as an Aviation Equipment Support technician in San Diego, California, USA.

Nathaniel Pichay Mejorada, 51 years old, joined the US Navy on April 2, 1990 as a recruit and steadily rose through the career ladder of the world’s most powerful Navy, reaching the rank of Master Chief on April 30, 2015.

The rank of Master Chief is the highest that non-commissioned officers in the US Navy can attain. Every year, only around 300 US Navy non-commissioned officers are picked from a highly competitive field.

Mejorada is the seventh among eight children of the late Juan F. Mejorada and Linda P. Mejorada. Among his siblings is former Iloilo Provincial Administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada, the eldest.

His last assignment was with the USS Boxer (LHD 4) operating out of San Diego.

“Nat”, as he is called by family and friends, finished his elementary education at the Pres. Manuel Roxas Memorial Elementary School in Roxas City (Batch 1981), secondary education at the Capiz National High School (Batch 1985) and obtained a B.S. Commerce degree from the Colegio de la Purisima Concepion in 1989.

He is married to the former Marylou Potato of Loctugan, Roxas City with whom he has two children, Nathalou Rae and Nicholas.

His fellow Master Chief on the USS Boxer, Jade Metz, described Mejorada as “one of the few Master Chiefs we had aboard that helped challenge all of us to be better every day, mastered his craft, held himself and all of us accountable, coached us to always win.”

“(Mejorada) is someone you could trust to helping resolve personal and professional problems, and someone who was always the voice of honest advisement,” Metz said in a message that was to be delivered on the retirement ceremony scheduled on April 9.

However, because of the Covid 19 pandemic that is also sweeping across the United States, the retirement ceremony was cancelled.

During his 30-year career, he served aboard the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), USS Essex. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Makin Island (LDH 8) and USS Boxer (LDH 4).

He was also posted on shore assignment at Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) in Naval Air Facility Assugi, Japan; Marine Air Logistics Squadron Two Four (MALS 24) in Kaneohe, Hawaii, and Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in Coronado, California.

Mejorada earned a Master of Aeronautical Science degree specializing in Aviation Safety and Maintenance Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.