SEATTLE - Petty Officer 1st Class Forrest Randall Jones, a native of Carl Junction, Missouri, serves aboard USS Barry, a U.S. Navy warship homeported at Naval Station Everett, Washington. The ship is currently in a Seattle shipyard undergoing routine maintenance.
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| Photo by Ensign Siennah Spriggs |
Jones graduated from Carl Junction High School in 2007. Additionally, Jones earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Evangel University in 2011, a master’s in clinical psychology from the Forest Institute in 2013, a master’s of philosophy in public policy administration from Walden University in 2020 and a doctorate in public policy administration with a specialization in astropolitics from Walden University in 2023.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Carl Junction.
“Where I’m from we have a few sayings: ‘Work now, play later,’ ‘Aim small, miss small,’ and ‘The hard road now is the easy road later, the easy road now is the hard road later,’” said Jones. “In short, I learned that your contributions through hard work and perseverance form your future, they make you who you are, and that hard work is the key to finding success in your own life.”
Jones joined the Navy nine years ago. Today, Jones serves as a Navy counselor.
“I joined the Navy to make a positive impact on a broader scale than I would otherwise be able to accomplish on my own,” said Jones. “In my time with the Navy, I’ve seen a lot of things, written reports that ended up on the president’s desk, aided in forming U.S. policy and contributed research that furthers our understanding of the world. The Navy has given me the tools and opportunities to make a broader impact a matter of routine and I’m incredibly thankful.”
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 Barry. 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.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Jones has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest moment in the Navy is when I graduated with my Ph.D. in August 2023,” said Jones. “Professionally, however, I am most proud of the positive impact I am able to make on my sailors’ lives, as a leader and advisor, yes, but also as a professor at the U.S. Naval Community College. I’m proud to be able to watch my sailors grow and develop as technicians, as thinkers, as leaders and as people; the small impacts are the most fulfilling.”
Jones serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“For me, service means leaving my thumbprint on something bigger than myself — to be able to directly impact the lives of others by going places and doing things others cannot, or will not, do,” said Jones.
Jones is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.“I’d like to thank my family for supporting me in my endeavors,” added Jones. “My family is the foundation of who I am and I am grateful for their support every single day. I miss my Ozarks home, but the culture and people I grew up with formed the anchor that helps me weather any storm.”