Captain Michael F. Jaggard SC, USN (RET)

Michael Francis Jaggard, Captain, SC, USN (Ret.), a career Naval officer and Vietnam veteran whose love for golf was superseded only by his love for his family, passed away March 14, 2025, in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. He was 78. A math major with a flair for diplomacy, Michael served most of his military career in the Navy Supply Corps, including roles aboard the USS Will Rogers, the USS Emory S. Land, and the USS Orion. Upon his retirement from active duty in 2001, Michael joined the Senior Executive Service and acted as the Chief of Staff/Policy to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Acquisition and Logistics Management. Michael was “a very capable submariner and perhaps the most sought-after procurement/acquisition professional in the Navy,” says his colleague and close friend Peter S. Eltringham, Captain, SC, USN (Ret.). Michael’s leadership philosophy was built on his firm belief in open and honest communication, which is perhaps best showcased in a 1996 speech he gave during his change of command ceremony at the Defense Contract Management Command in the U.K.: To communicate effectively, Michael said, “you must learn to listen with compassion, understanding and an open mind. You won’t hear if you are thinking about what you want to say next, rather than listening to what is being said.” Michael’s skill as a listener meant that he was often considered very reserved, but the people close to him knew that his taciturn nature was only one aspect of a bright, thoughtful, caring, and laidback individual – one with a bit of a mischievous streak. Michael “was so quiet. I thought he was extremely shy,” says his sister-in-law Laurey Jaggard, who met him when he was a teenager. “I didn’t realize until later what was behind the quiet.” A CHILDHOOD ON THE MOVE Michael was born in Oakland, California, on January 27, 1947, to Mary Agnes Jaggard (nee Glover) and Joseph Franklin Jaggard Sr., Lieutenant Commander, USN (Ret). He was the third son in what would grow to be a family of seven children. Military service was a bright thread woven through the lives of the Jaggard clan. Michael’s father had joined the Navy in 1941 and fought during World War II; he survived the sinking of the USS Hornet (CV-8) during the Battle of Guadalcanal and went on to serve in the Navy for 30 years. That meant Michael grew up on the move as the family transferred to new duty assignments in Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Michael formed a lifelong bond with his two older brothers, Joseph Franklin Jaggard Jr, Lieutenant Commander, USN (Ret.) and John Thomas Jaggard, Senior Chief Petty Officer, USNR (Ret.). “We did everything together,” Joe says of their childhood. “We played basketball, three-man football, we went to the movies. We even pretty much looked the same because of our school uniforms.” Michael graduated high school in 1965 and initially went to St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, but he left school in 1967 to join the Army. He served during the Vietnam Conflict as part of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. “I remember most clearly the aroma of the letters we received from Mike during the years that he was in Vietnam,” says his younger brother Tom Jaggard, who was around age 10 when Michael went overseas. “That dirt had an odor I can still smell.” Michael left active duty in 1969 as an Army sergeant. His time in combat took a toll, but friends and family remark at how he never lost his kind heart. When he returned from Vietnam, Michael first went to Los Angeles to visit his brother John and sister-in-law Laurey. To help him decompress, Laurey took Michael to Disneyland, where he rode the teacups with her young son, John II. “His super-intelligence awed me,” Laurey says, “but he didn’t use it as a weapon in any way, he just treated me like an everyday person. He always made me feel comfortable around him. He was real.” Michael then joined the rest of his family in Corpus Christi, Texas, and his father retired there in 1971. That meant the older and younger siblings grew up almost “like two separate families,” Tom says. “The first group grew up all over the country as Dad was transferred from one duty station to another; the second group grew up in Corpus Christi.” But Michael was beloved by the whole family for being easygoing and a peacemaker – someone who could be counted on to resolve squabbles and bring everyone together. “Michael was reliable, helpful, steady, and his demeanor was always positive,” Joe says. “He was the glue.” A LIFE OF LOVE AND SERVICE Motivated to finish his education, Michael enrolled in Texas A&I University to earn a degree in mathematics. There he met the love of his life, Norma Jean Molina, the eldest in a family of eight who was also studying math. Norma Jean says she was drawn to Michael because of his fierce intelligence paired with a calm and gentle presence – “He reminded me of Spock from Star Trek,” she says with a wry smile. The couple married on January 24, 1972, and he was commissioned as an officer in the Navy a year later. Mirroring his upbringing, Michael and Norma Jean lived in various duty stations as his career progressed, including tours in Italy and the United Kingdom. Their only child, Victoria Marie, was born in Georgia in 1978 when Michael was an instructor at the Navy Supply Corps School, which was located in Athens at the time. He later attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California, where he earned a Master’s degree in Management in 1981. Though Michael was frequently out to sea during the early part of their marriage, he was always a dedicated family man. Victoria has fond memories of him waking up early on weekends during the 1980s so they could watch Saturday morning cartoons, which he would punctuate with his spot-on impression of Donald Duck or a spirited rendition of the “Rubber Duckie” song from Sesame Street. And Michael and Norma Jean would go dancing whenever they could – from country square dances to ballroom galas to a simple slow dance after dinner in their living room. Michael retired from the SES in 2009, which is when he became, in his own worlds, “a full-time golfer.” He frequently played his favorite course at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, and he participated in various regional leagues and tournaments. Michael encouraged his brother John to take up the sport, and the duo twice won the ANCC Member-Guest Tournament. Together with Alan R. McCosh, Captain, SC, USN (Ret.), Michael also co-led the Pinehurst International Golf Outing, or PIGOut, an annual trip that allowed a group of golfers from all over the world to play together on top-tier courses in Ireland, Scotland, the Dominican Republic, and more. When he was not golfing, Michael was cheering on the Washington Nationals (often via text chats with Pete), serving amiably on his condo board, or traveling the world with Norma Jean. According to Pete, Michael will be remembered for being “wise, patient, and meticulous in seeking truth; he was an invaluable friend to many in the decisions that formed his and others’ lives … personally and professionally.” Michael is preceded in death by his parents and his brother John. He is survived by his loving wife Norma Jean and daughter Victoria (Aalok Mehta); his aunt Joan Cornelison; and his siblings Joseph Jaggard (Kristin), Mary Green (Ron), Mark Jaggard (Anna Adame), Tom Jaggard (Yvonne), Anne Major; and sister-in-law Laurey Jaggard. A memorial service will be held Monday, June 9, 2025, at 1 pm at Jefferson Funeral Chapel. A graveside service with military honors will be held Tuesday June 10, 2025, at Arlington Natonal Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to one of Michael’s preferred charities: the 11th ACVVC Scholarship Program (https://11thcavnam.com/scholarship/TitlePage.htm), the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (https://www.nmcrs.org), and Science News, the magazine of the nonprofit Society for Science (https://www.sciencenews.org)

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Captain Michael F. Jaggard SC, USN (RET)

January 27, 1947 - March 14, 2025