Vincent W. Patton III (born 21 November 1954 in Detroit Michigan)[1] is a retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in the United States.

Patton received his Doctor of Education degree in 1984 from the American University, Washington, DC.

[2] Patton became the first African American selected as the service's senior-most enlisted ranking position as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in 1998.

Patton served as the eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard from May 1998 to October 2002.

As the service's top senior enlisted leader and ombudsman, he was the principal advisor to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, his directorates, and the Secretaries of Transportation and Defense.