Quartermaster Chief (Surface Warfare) Michael Dixon has been named as the new instructor for
the Navy JROTC Program based at William Byrd High School, but serving all five Roanoke
County High Schools. He became the instructor for the program on Sept. 30, succeeding Chief
David Perrin.
Dixon is from Lancaster, Pa., and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August 2003. He attended the
Seaman Apprentice Training School and was temporarily at Navy Station Norfolk before
reporting to sea duty in March 2004 onboard the U.S.S. Enterprise (CVN-65), homeported in
Norfolk.
He advanced to Quartermaster Third Class Petty Officer in June 2005 and earned his ESWS
qualification. He extended his tour in 2007 and reenlisted in 2008. Over the five years that he
served on the U.S.S. Enterprise, Petty Officer Dixon went on two deployments, including a
Pacific tour, where he earned his shellback (Crossing the Equator) qualification, as well as two
shipyard workups.
n April 2009, QM2(SW) Dixon reported to Naval Station Great Lakes where he earned his
instructor qualification for both the Deck (Able-bodied) Seaman Apprenticeship Training School
and Quartermaster “A” School. He even earned the Navy’s Master Training Specialist
(Advanced Instructor) qualification.
He then transferred into the Navy Reserves in October 2012 and moved to Anchorage, Alaska, to
be closer to his wife’s family. He reported to NOSC Anchorage’s Operational Support Unit and
began attending college full time at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. He graduated with a
Bachelor’s Degree in History and a Political Science Minor from the University of Alaska in
May 2016. He qualified as a U.S. Navy Reserve Career Counselor.
His awards include five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, a Navy Unit
Commendation Ribbon, a Battle “E” Ribbon, four Good Conduct Medals, a National Defense
Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, and the Sea
Service Ribbon.
Dixon was selected for Chief Petty Officer in June 2016 and accepted in September. He moved
to Roanoke in July 2024 to be closer to his family. His grandfather, LCDR Walter John Dixon,
had retired to the Roanoke area after serving on board a destroyer during World War II. Currently, his father and cousin live in the area.
Dixon married his wife Andrea in February 2009. They have a 3-year-old daughter, Sophie, and
one cat.
The Navy JROTC program has been very active this school year providing the Color Guard and
Navy JROTC Drill Team at several William Byrd football games. They assisted with the Mount
Pleasant Volunteer Fire Dept. Veterans Breakfast on Nov. 9 and hosted a well-attended Flag
Retirement Ceremony at the school on Veterans Day with a meet-and-greet for local veterans
and active-duty personnel. The Color Guard participated in the NASCAR /Craftsman Truck 400
series at Martinsville. The cadets will again be assisting with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for
Tots program this year.
