MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 1st Class Mason McCarty, a native of Colleyville, Texas, serves the U.S. Navy aboard USS Paul Hamilton, a guided-missile destroyer.
McCarty joined the Navy 12 years ago. Today, McCarty serves as a logistics specialist.
“I joined the Navy to provide for my family, to add some discipline and structure in my life, and just like everyone else, I joined the Navy to see the world,” said McCarty.
McCarty attended Euless Trinity High School and graduated in 2006.
Today, McCarty relies upon skills and values similar to those found in Colleyville to succeed in the military.
“Playing football in high school helped me develop a great understanding of teamwork and the importance of being able to depend on the guy next to you to properly do his job so the whole team can achieve success,” said McCarty. “The same concept applies here in the Navy. We have to depend on each other to do our jobs correctly and efficiently in order to have a successful mission.”
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers provide a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface environments.
A Navy destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
More than 300 sailors serve aboard USS Paul Hamilton. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
As a member of the Navy, McCarty is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“In my opinion, the Navy is the most versatile branch of the military, meaning that we contribute to national defense by being anywhere and everywhere the country needs us to be,” said McCarty. “The Navy is capable of taking a multi-million-dollar national asset into harm's way in order to try and preserve peace.”
McCarty and the sailors they serve with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“One of my proudest moments in the Navy was when I helped my ship be the first destroyer in three years to certify the T-1 Event for Supple Management Certification,” said McCarty. “That is our biggest supply inspection, and we certified on the first try. I was very proud to be a big part of that accomplishment.”
As McCarty and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.“Serving in the Navy has given me a lot of discipline and has also given me a great sense of pride in my job,” added McCarty. “I might just be the ‘Supply Guy’, but I still know that my job makes a difference and that I still contribute to the mission of the ship.”