by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Capt. Jeffrey Maclay wraps up his tour as the 43rd commanding officer of Naval Air Station Jacksonville in January, a post he’s held since May 2010 after serving as executive officer since July 2009.
Unlike most private CEOs, it wasn’t completely his choice to move to Jacksonville. He was ordered here. San Diego was his first choice.
Jacksonville, however, was No. 2 on the list of installation commands he preferred.
“It was very high on my list, although I had never been here,” he said.
The 46-year-old Massachusetts native has settled in for the time he will spend here.
Maclay is active in the community where practical and appropriate, such as the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, advisory boards and making presentations to civic groups.
His family is involved as well. His wife, Leslie, is a clinical pharmacist at Orange Park Medical Center and sons Peyton, 16, and Spencer, 14, are active in soccer and lacrosse.
At least twice a week, Maclay takes family and friends on his powerboat along the St. Johns River. It’s a great way to spend time with his sons, he said.
As commanding officer, Maclay is CEO of the area’s largest employer. NAS Jacksonville encompasses 21,900 employees at a total payroll of $1.28 billion.
In addition to the almost 10,000 active duty personnel, the station includes 2,553 reservists, 6,153 Department of Defense civilian employees, 917 non-Department civilian employees and 2,223 contractors.
The total annual economic impact is estimated at $2.1 billion.
Maclay continues the relationships with community, elected and business leaders, such as Mayor John Peyton and Mayor-elect Alvin Brown, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and Duval Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals, to name a few.
“Everyone wants to reach out,” he said.
“The community accepts the sailors. They understand and appreciate what we do,” he said.
Maclay said he always knew he wanted to be an aviator. Attending college on an ROTC scholarship, he graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He played four years of varsity soccer there.
Maclay also is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., where he concurrently attended Auburn University, earning a master’s degree in political science.
He also completed a one-year Federal Executive Fellowship at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Maclay has accumulated more than 3,800 flight hours in the SH-3H Sea King and SH-60F/HH-60H Sea Hawk during six deployments, including Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
His experience runs deep, including having served as executive officer aboard Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 2 while deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom.
His awards are numerous, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals and many more.
“I’ve been around the world and back six times,” he said.
As he awaits his next order, which should be issued this fall, he continues to lead the ongoing work at NAS Jacksonville, which includes almost 25,000 acres at the Roosevelt Boulevard station and OLF Whitehouse, Lake George, Rodman, Pinecastle and Yellow Water Housing.
In addition to the $350 million in major construction projects completed since 2009 are $75 million in ongoing projects. The base also is focused on environmental stewardship and safety.
One of the major projects is the transition from the P-3, the Navy’s frontline, land-based maritime patrol aircraft since the 1960s, to the P-8 aircraft.
As the commanding officer, Maclay’s responsibilities include making sure the construction stays on track, on budget and on time.
There also are events pending at NAS Jacksonville, which was commissioned more than 70 years ago in 1940. The Centennial of Naval Aviation NAS Jacksonville Air Show, “Celebrating a Century of Naval Aviation,” is scheduled Nov. 4-6.
That will include the annual return of the Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight demonstration team, which was established in 1946 at NAS Jacksonville.
Maclay also likes to read, especially strategy and policy. He’s reading a Winston Churchill memoir at the moment.
As the base leader, he said his role is to “set the conditions for success.”
“Then you sort of step back and let them ‘wow’ you.”
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