VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — African Americans have a long history of service in the U.S. Navy, and they continue to stand out not just in military communities but our communities here at home.
News 3's Pari Cruz spoke with one distinguished member at NAS Oceana who has been all over the country helping mold the next generation of Sailors.
Command Master Chief De’Andre Beaufort is showing Sailors through his exemplary career that if he can make it into the top 1% of the Navy, so can they.
“Thousands of Sailors, I've had the opportunity to serve with, mentor, and empower,” said Beaufort.
Beaufort said he wants to leave NAS Oceana and its Sailors better than he found them.
As a Command Master Chief, he’s made it into the top 1% of the Navy and says it’s his biggest professional accomplishment in his 29 years of service.
“One of our key strengths is that we have people from everywhere, and every person that joins the Navy has that opportunity to really achieve whatever they set their minds to be,” said Beaufort.
And as an African American man, Beaufort said he knows, firsthand, how important it is for his Sailors to see themselves reflected through his example.
“It doesn't matter, you know, who you are, because we all have a fight to do, we all have a mission to accomplish. But I also try to be a beacon for the people that look like me to let them know that 'hey, you know, I made it this far as a black American from Florida, you know, that came in with a high school diploma, and now basically achieved different educational goals in the Navy',” said the CMC. “So if I can do it, you can do it. And I'm going to help you get to that get to that point.”
His humble example is one he learned from the grandmother who raised him. When his grandfather went blind, she took care of him, five children and at the time, two grandkids.
She never gave up.
“I saw her drive and determination of what she did over the years. Even now, you know, she's 92 years old now, watching her through the years, I will say to myself, you know, I don't want to let her down,” said Beaufort. “If I get to a point to where I feel I want to quit, I look back and I say ‘well, my grandmother didn't quit. So keep going.’”
The Navy wants service members to reflect the rich diversity of our country. It’s why more than 41% of enlisted sailors are people of color.
“He was the first Command Master Chief of color that I've worked for,” said Chief Petty Officer Jose Dajer. “And so, in 19 years of service, he was the first. So to see that was a huge accomplishment right from my get go and to see that really, really kind of lit a fire under me to want to get to that step.”
That step is one he will surely achieve with CMC Beaufort by his side.
His legacy now carrying on in the sailors he helped guide.
“I love to see other people's success,” said Beaufort. “My time in the Navy, no matter if it's within a year, two years, five years, it's going to come to an end and the tools and basically the mentorship that I provided to these sailors under my tutelage. That's going to be the thing that's going to actually carry on.”
We were very lucky to spend some time with Command Master Chief Beaufort, and the wisdom he shared with us.
He shared this sage message on making the most of your “dash.”
“That’s your beginning and your end date. We all have a beginning date, you know, and that's our birthday, we celebrate every year. I said and we're going to have an end date, no matter no matter what we have, we don't have a say so and we've got to have an end date. So enjoy your dash, you know, get out enjoy yourself, you know, and don't be the person just harp on one moment in life,” said Beaufort.
