Roxas City native retires as US Navy Master Chief
A native of Roxas City retired as Master Chief of the United States Navy on April 30, 2020, capping a 30-year career as an Aviation Equipment Support Technician in San Diego, California.
Nathaniel Pichay Mejorada, 51, joined the US Navy on April 2, 1990 as a recruit and ascended 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. Prior to retirement, his last assignment was with the USS Boxer (LHD 4) operating out of San Diego.
In his 30-year career, Mejorada 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 in Assugi, Japan; Marine Air Logistics Squadron Two Four (MALS 24) in Kaneohe, Hawaii; and Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in Coronado, California.
Mejorada also finished Master of Aeronautical Science degree specializing in Aviation Safety and Maintenance Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The seventh of eight children of the late Juan Mejorada and Linda Mejorada, “Nat” is the brother of former Iloilo Provincial Administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada.
He finished his elementary education at the President Manuel Roxas Memorial Elementary School in Roxas City (Batch 1981) and secondary education at the Capiz National High School (Batch 1985).
He then 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.
In a message set to be delivered on the retirement ceremony on April 9, fellow Master Chief on the USS Boxer, Jade Metz pays tribute to Mejorada as “someone whom you can trust to helping resolve personal and professional problems, and someone who was always the voice of honest advisement.”
Due to the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the retirement ceremony was cancelled.
According to Metz, Nat is “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.”