A Navy SEAL has been named the next fleet master chief of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa — becoming the first member of the naval special operations selected to serve as one of four fleet master chiefs in the entire service.

The promotion of Derrick Walters is particularly notable because only about 1 percent of Navy personnel are part of the exclusive Navy SEALs. The Sixth Fleet announced Friday that Walters, currently master chief petty officer, will this spring succeed Fleet Master Chief Raymond Kemp at the Navy’s Sixth Fleet based in Naples, Italy.