James Lee Herdt (born February 12, 1947), the ninth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy was appointed on March 27, 1998. A native of Casper, Wyoming, Herdt enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1966. After attending Machinist's Mate "A" School in Great Lakes, Illinois, he served sea tours aboard the USS Independence (CV-62) and USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659) and shore tours at Nuclear Power Training Unit, Windsor, Connecticut, and Radiological Repair Facility in New London, Connecticut.