Though a native of Montebello, California, Master Chief Ruiz calls Monte Vista, Colorado home. He enlisted in the Navy in March 1991, reported to basic training at RTC Great Lakes, Illinois and completed Signalman “A” School at NTC Orlando, Florida. After serving two tours as a collateral-duty Command Career Counselor in 2000 and 2003, he became a rated Navy Counselor in March 2004, following the disestablishment of the Signalman rate.
His sea duty assignments include USS FORD (FFG 54), plankowner of USS HARPERS FERRY (LSD 49), USS HIGGINS (DDG 76), USS BENFOLD (DDG 65), and VAQ-135, embarked onboard USS NIMITZ (CVN 68). His shore assignments include instructor duty at Naval Leader Training Unit (NLTU) Coronado, California; Command Career Counselor and Non-Prior Service Accession Course (NPSAC) program manager at Naval & Marine Corps Reserve Center (NMCRC) Houston, Texas, and Regional Career Counselor at Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station (NCTAMS) Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Master Chief Ruiz was selected for the Command Senior Chief program in January 2008 and is a graduate of the Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy (Gray Group, Class 139), Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat Course (Class 48), National Defense University’s Keystone Course (Class 16-1) and the Navy Postgraduate School’s Senior Leader Seminar. He served as Command Senior Chief of MCM CREW CONFLICT, completing two deployments onboard USS ARDENT (MCM 12) in the Middle East and serving in USS CHIEF (MCM 14) when in homeport. Promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer in 2010, he served as Command Master Chief of the Saberhawks of HSM-77, twice deploying onboard USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72). He then served as Command Master Chief of Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Hawaii from March 2013 to January 2015 before serving as the Force Master Chief for Naval Information Forces from January 2015 to October 2017. Next, he reported to Washington D.C., first serving as Director of the Navy’s Command Senior Enlisted Leader Management Office from October 2017 through May 2019; later serving as the Executive Assistant/Chief of Staff to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy from October 2018 to June 2020.
He reported as I MEF Command Master Chief in July 2020.
Master Chief Ruiz holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from Grantham University and dual-Associates Degree in Applied Counseling and Vocation Education Instruction from Coastline Community College. In addition to qualifying as an Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist, he is also an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist, Enlisted Information Warfare Specialist, Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist and a qualified Master Training Specialist. His decorations include the Legion of Merit (2 awards), Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal (6 awards), Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards) and various campaign and unit decorations.