Ash Grove native Lafarlette trains U.S. Navy future warfighters

Sailors are some of the most highly-trained people on the planet, according to Navy officials, and this training requires highly-dedicated instructors.
At Naval Education and Training Command, this obligation falls upon hard-charging, Navy professionals who trains and mentors the Navy’s future warfighters.
Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Lafarlette, a native of Ash Grove, is an instructor at NETC, providing the fleet with sailors who possess the basic technical knowledge and skills necessary for naval service.
“I’m training the future of the Navy,” Lafarlette said. “I can take raw material and turn it into an effective Navy sailor.”
Instructors are experts in the subject matter they teach, and they provide cutting-edge technical training that transforms civilians into mission-ready sailors.
Lafarlette, a 2005 graduate of Ash Grove High School, credits success as an instructor to many of the lessons learned growing up in Ash Grove.
“I learned that no matter how smart or ambitious you may be, you cannot succeed without the help of those around you,” Lafarlette said.
NETC trains those who serve our nation, taking them from street-to-fleet by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat ready warfighters, while providing the tools and opportunities for continuous learning and development.
NETC is made up of six commands that provide a continuum of professional education and training in support of Surface Navy requirements that prepare enlisted sailors and officers to serve at
sea, providing apprentice and specialized skills training to 7,500 sailors a year.
A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nation’s prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the world’s oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the world’s population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea.
Lafarlette plays an important role in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Lafarlette is most proud of earning the Sailor of the Year Award
serving at Amphibious Squadron Three.
“It made me proud because it just wasn’t me, but everyone I worked with contributed to my success,” Lafarlette said.
Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Lafarlette, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Lafarlette is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My great-grandfather served onboard USS Flint in WWII and my great uncle served 39 years in the Army,” Lafarlette said. “To continue the honor of serving my country just as they did, makes me proud every day.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon    assets,    Lafarlette and other instructors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means that I get a chance to do what so few can and will do,” Lafarlette said. “It gives me a sense of pride to serve and make our country safe not only for my family, but for all families in the U.S.”