CMDCS ZAHUL PUELLO
COMMAND SENIOR CHIEF, USS SENTRY (MCM 3)
22 April 2024
Senior Chief Puello was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States at the age of six. Raised in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth, NJ.
He enlisted in the United States Navy in August 2002 and received basic training at RTC Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon completion, he attended the Master at Arms "A" School at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX.
In December 2002, he reported to his first assignment at the Sub-base New London Security Detachment in Groton, CT. His second assignment was Joint Task Force/Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he attended training in Gulfport, MS in August 2005, and his assigned unit received the Humanitarian Medal for assisting in the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
His following commands include:
Naval Base Guam Security Department; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, Security Department; Independent-Duty Master-at-Arms onboard USS STOCKDALE (DDG 106), where he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 2014; served as a Master-at-Arms Detailer at Navy Personnel Command, Millington, TN, where he was promoted to Senior Chief in 2019. He served as Departmental Leading Chief Petty Officer at Naval Security Forces Bahrain from January 2020 to July 2023; and as the Senior Enlisted Leader at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Security Training, Assistance and Assessment Team, Atlantic (STAATLANT) Bahrain Detachment, where he served until April 2024 and selected for the Command Senior Enlisted Leader Program.
CMDCS Puello was selected to serve as the Command Senior Chief onboard the USS SENTRY (MCM-3) and reported in April 2024.
CMDCS Puello holds an Associate’s degree in Sociology and working on a Bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security with American Military University. Graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy class 227 (Khaki Group). He is authorized to wear the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal (two gold stars), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two gold stars), as well as various other unit and campaign awards.