Courtesy Photo | The second oldest of six children and named for his father, JT McFarland, Lt. Cmdr....... read more read more
The second oldest of six children and named for his father, JT McFarland, Lt. Cmdr. Jay McFarland dreamed of leaving 'small town' rural America for bigger and better things. A talented school musician and varsity athlete, he saw scholarships as one avenue out. However, his dreams of a scholarship, college and becoming a successful businessman were halted by an injury when he was a sophomore.
One day, a U.S. Navy recruiter named Doc, walked into the school auditorium dressed in his summer whites, walking with confidence. At that moment, a young and determined McFarland jumped at the opportunity to leave his small town. At age 17, he enlisted through the delayed entry program, a full year before he graduated high school.
“I wanted the honor and privilege to wear the uniform with pride like he did,” said McFarland. “Not only was it a chance to become a part of something that was bigger than me, but it was an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. Opportunities were restricted in rural Louisiana, this was an unexpected moment for me to achieve the dreams my family had inspired in me.”
McFarland joined the submarine community as a storekeeper, or as he put it, a businessman. Having grown up in poverty, joining the Navy exposed him to an entirely new experience, a chance to care for himself and to potentially help care for his family back home in Louisiana.
As a submarine storekeeper, McFarland enjoyed his experience. He had a small office, “a safe haven-- a place that I could go to get away from everything that was going on around me,” and despite being over six feet tall, he felt the biggest challenge was the knowledge gap between him and his Leading Petty Officer. This inspired him to take it upon himself to advance his own education. During his 10 years enlisted, McFarland held many positions from storekeeper to Department Leading Petty Officer, not only accounting for the stores division but also mess specialists and food service attendants.
As a second class petty officer, McFarland had the opening to demonstrate his capabilities for great leadership. He was assigned to lead the stores division during the middle of a deployment.
He became responsible for managing the ship’s financials and four meals a day. Being responsible for “a meal, a meal that can drive morale, either in a positive or negative manner, impacts the entire ship, no matter where you are. That reality was one of the most difficult and shaping experiences,” McFarland said.
During one of his tours, McFarland was a barber and met one of his first mentors, Vice Adm. Bruce Grooms. During haircuts, the two began to engage in conversation. Through these encounters, McFarland was not only motivated, but also learned about various career development programs. These conversations compelled him to take action.
Vice Adm. Bruce Grooms was “the one who asked me the single most influential question in my career. He asked if I considered becoming an officer.” This relationship led me to pursue a commission in the Navy.
Once McFarland decided to commission, he took part in the Limited Duty Officer Program. According to Navy Personnel Command the Limited Duty Officer program and Chief Warrant Officer Programs are the Navy’s oldest commissioning sources for enlisted personnel and as of 2022, LDOs and CWOs combined represent 11-percent of the officer corps.
It wasn’t until March 17, 1944, that African American men were allowed to commission. According to the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, the Golden 13 were the first group of African Americans commissioned as officers (12 were commissioned ensigns and one as a chief warrant officer).
McFarland believes that you can be anything that you can see. Without vision, it is impossible to follow the path and like the great Oprah Winfrey said, “If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it.”
By successfully commissioning through the program in 2007, McFarland has showcased his reverence for the LDO motto, "sursum ab ordine" which means "up from the ranks.” To be a part of this community is something McFarland is very proud of.
“My goal is to be successful in anything that I do, as a young black enlisted sailor, it meant having to take charge of my education and career. I did everything that I was supposed to do,” said McFarland. “And I did everything that people thought I couldn't do. That's what I felt I needed to accomplish to be competitive.”
Throughout his career McFarland has always put education on the forefront of his professional development; understanding the weight those achievements carry. Through his relationships with his mentors he developed his leadership style, “to lead by example and empower others to reach their full potential.”
Mentorship has been essential in McFarland’s career and as a lieutenant commander, he has continuously participated in mentor/mentee relationships. As an LDO he has a unique perspective allowing him to connect with enlisted sailors. He uses his experience to engage with sailors about professional development, ways to advance their careers, educating them about the supply corps, the submarine community and educational opportunities. His goal as a mentor is keep progress moving forward, opening doors and encouraging others to actualize the new possibilities ahead.
“I think if there was something that I would pass to another African American, it would be you can achieve anything that you put your mind to. However, putting your mind to it, is just a start, you have to actually take action,” said McFarland. “So we all have dreams or aspire to become something. But you can only achieve that if you take action. Don’t let opportunities pass you by.”
During his tour on the USS Ronald Reagan, he was the guest speaker for a Black History Month program and at the end he asked the sailors, “Does that sound like a successful career? Is that an inspiration? Would you want to be like me or be me?” The group nodded their heads in agreement, but McFarland challenged them to keep their goals in perspective.
“Someone else’s ceiling could be your floor. If you set someone else’s ceiling as your ceiling, you may not achieve all the things that you are capable of. If you set your goal too low, then you hinder your full potential,” said the lieutenant commander.
During his almost 25 years in the Navy, McFarland accomplished another goal of his, to provide for his family. While a junior enlisted Sailor, he met his wife Crystal G. Gruspe of Pearl City, Hawaii. The two met during his first tour in Hawaii and have since returned for two additional tours, once while enlisted and once as an officer. “I brought my wife home,'' McFarland joked.
Providing for his family has been one of his highest priorities and the transition from enlisted to officer marked one of the greatest achievements, “things for us had changed for forever,” he added.
Growing up he was very aware of his hometown's limitations but his determination to succeed has led him to create “opportunities for my children that never existed for me.” With more than 10 years of collected sea time during his naval career, he expressed that it has been challenging. However, “My wife and I have made all our decisions together in order to support our family so our children would have the support they needed to make any decision they want.”
“My goal for my children is to give them opportunities, and not to force them to do things that I wish I'd done, but to support whatever passion it is they have,'' said McFarland.
Reflecting on his career, he said “I don't want to set a goal too low for my children, when they can aspire to be something a lot greater than what I would choose for them. By allowing them to choose what they would like to be, it gives them the opportunity to see other things that may help propel them to a higher level.”
McFarland spoke of the many lessons he learned in his career, one of which being “In life, when people give you things, they can take them away. But no one can take away the education that you give yourself.”
Since commissioning, McFarland earned a Bachelor of Science in Administration, became the first in his family to receive a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership, and as part of completing the LDO program, successfully designated as a Naval Aviation and Submarine Warfare Supply Corps Officer. He hopes to complete a Doctorate in Business Administration before he retires from the Navy.
McFarland is the first limited duty officer assigned to NAVSUP WSS Philadelphia and is currently the director of the E-2/C-2 Integrated Weapon Systems Team at NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Looking to the future, McFarland hopes to be the First Supply Corps Limited Duty Officer to become Admiral adhering to the motto, if you love your job, you will never work another day of your life.
“I believe that we all have a unique role that we were brought here to fulfill and you have to take your own path,” said McFarland. “If not, you’ll miss out on the person you were created to become."
NAVSUP WSS is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics, and sailor and family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsupwss, and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.02.2022 15:42 |
| Story ID: | 415628 |
| Location: | PHILADELPHIA, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 2,115 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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