Master Chief Petty Officer Anthony (Tony) Koch is the command senior enlisted leader for the War Media Activity (WMA), Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
Master Chief Koch enlisted in the Navy in September 1999. He attended Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois, and reported to Lithographer’s “A” school at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He reported to his first ship, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), in Norfolk, Virginia, in March 2000. There, he was promoted to petty officer third and second class and qualified as an enlisted surface warfare specialist.
Master Chief Koch transferred from Dwight D. Eisenhower in September 2003 and reported to United States Strategic Command Wing One, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as a military police officer. There he was promoted to petty officer first class and qualified as a dispatch and patrol officer.
He reported back to sea to USS Wasp (LHD 1) in Norfolk, Virginia, in November 2006. Shortly after reporting to Wasp, he deployed as an individual augmentee in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He attended Navy combat training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and reported to the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, in June 2007. Upon returning to Wasp, he deployed with the ship in support of humanitarian missions and the recovery of U.S. Marines finishing a tour out of the Middle East. He qualified as an enlisted aviation warfare specialist and was promoted to chief petty officer in September 2009.
Next, he was assigned to United States Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, as the public affairs leading chief petty officer. He completed the Joint Senior Enlisted Public Affairs Course and earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
He reported to American Forces Network - Stuttgart, Germany, serving as the station manager from 2013 to 2015. Completing his tour, he was promoted to senior chief petty officer before again reporting to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in August 2015. There he served as the ship’s media department leading chief petty officer, where he completed a combat deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He graduated from the Senior Enlisted Academy Class 211, Brown and qualified as an enlisted information warfare specialist.
Following his second tour on Dwight D. Eisenhower, he reported to Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East in Norfolk, Virginia, in September 2018. There he served as the senior enlisted advisor and was promoted to master chief petty officer in May 2019. He then reported to Navy Public Affairs Support Element-West in San Diego, California, where he earned his master’s degree in strategic leadership in May 2020, and served as their senior enlisted advisor from February 2020 to September 2024.
He reported to DWIA in October 2024 and assumed responsibility as the command senior enlisted leader on December 6, 2024.
Master Chief Koch’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (3), Navy Achievement Medal (3), Army Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Award (8), Iraq Campaign Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Navy Sea Service Ribbon (2), Navy Overseas Ribbon (3), German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency - Silver (Schützenschnur), and various unit and campaign awards.