YOKOSUKA— Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka (FLCY) recently welcomed Denise Guerrero as the new command master chief.
Guerrero was born in the Bronx and spent her teenage years in Tamarac, Florida. Guerrero enlisted in the Navy in 2001, and her decision to serve was deeply personal, inspired by the immense sacrifices of her parents, who immigrated from the Dominican Republic. Driven by a deep-rooted desire for a purposeful future, Guerrero set out to build a career of service that has now spanned 25 distinguished years.
Over her quarter-century of service, Guerrero developed a lasting passion for sea duty, completing tours aboard four guided-missile destroyers, one littoral combat ship and one United States Naval Ship.
Yet, Guerrero’s most defining tour remains the USS Cole. Reporting to the destroyer shortly after the tragic October 2000 terrorist attack in Aden, Yemen, she joined a crew charged with the monumental task of restoring the ship and bringing her back to sea. Through demanding, back-to-back watch rotations, she watched her shipmates pour their hearts into the recovery.
“Watching my shipmates give it their all that first year to restore her taught me early in my career that I could accomplish anything,” Guerrero said.
That early masterclass in resilience heavily shaped Guerrero’s leadership style today. Guided by the mottos “make others stronger” and “leave it better than you found it,” the new command master chief is focused on mission readiness, on-the-ground leadership and robust family support. On the deckplates, her expectations are clear and mutual:
“I expect trust and accountability, and they can expect the same from me,” Guerrero said.
Equally central to her leadership is Guerrero’s belief in maintaining a strong personal support system. For Guerrero, that anchor is her 18-year-old daughter—her absolute pride, joy and the driving force behind her continued service. Guerrero’s daughter is currently in Japan with her and is preparing to attend Temple University in Tokyo this fall.
When off duty, Guerrero maximizes family time by traveling and sightseeing across Japan with her daughter. To unwind, she is an avid reader of mystery novels and Danielle Steel romances, and she counts the classic 1989 film “Steel Magnolias” as her favorite.
Guerrero also brings a surprisingly athletic background to the FLCY team: back in high school, she was a track-and-field standout who won the regional championship in the grueling 400-meter hurdles—proving she has been successfully leaping over obstacles throughout her entire life.