About John Hefti
Captain John "Bag" Hefti, USN (ret.)
John “Bag” Hefti passed away the evening of Monday, October 4, 2021 in a car accident. His death is a devastating loss to his wife, Patricia (Creamer) Hefti, and sons Jay, Adam, and Shane and all the others who knew and loved him.
John loved life. Family was the most important thing to him, and he relished time with his wife and sons, whether it was boating, throwing the football and baseball, going to the beach, or just watching sunsets together. He was a great impersonator, known for his quick wit. John’s family and friends remember him as the guy who enjoyed grilling and loved having backyard bonfires and breaking out the karaoke machine. He was a humble man and never boasted about his accomplishments.
John spent his formative years in various locations throughout the country, finally settling for a longer period in Woodbridge, Virginia, where he graduated from Woodbridge High School in 1981. A gifted athlete, John excelled in all sports, and was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing quarterback (football), pitcher and shortstop
(baseball), and point guard (basketball). He was named All-Conference Quarterback his senior season and was also a member of the National Honor Society and played trumpet in the school band. Even in high school John was a natural leader on and off the field.
John was heavily recruited by several college football teams, but chose the United States Naval Academy (USNA), where he played quarterback on the Junior Varsity football team his freshman year. John graduated from the Naval Academy in 1985 with an Engineering degree, and was selected to become a Naval Aviator, beginning training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. His natural leadership continued to evolve on and off the field, helping him form lasting friendships that stood the tests of time and distance.
John Hefti, “Bag” as he came to be known, was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1987 in Beeville, TX, and became a selectively retained graduate flight instructor until 1989. He completed F-14 Replacement Air Group training with Fighter Squadron ONE ZERO ONE (VF-101), the Grim Reapers, at NAS Oceana, Virginia. Bag’s operational
sea assignments include Fighter Squadron FOUR ONE (VF-41), the Black Aces, where he graduated from TOPGUN, served as air wing landing signal officer (LSO), and deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm. In Fighter Squadron ONE ZERO THREE (VF-103), the Jolly Rogers, he was the Maintenance Officer and deployed in support of Operations Deliberate Forge and Southern Watch. John’s first command tour was as the commanding officer, Fighter Squadron TWO ONE THREE (VF-213), the Black Lions, where he deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom immediately following the attacks of September 11th, 2001. His next
command was Commander, Tactical Support Wing, the Navy’s reserve air wing based in Ft. Worth, TX. There he commanded six squadrons, six squadron augment units (SAU), and three fleet maintenance centers with a wide range of missions, from flying adversary support to counter-illicit trafficking and electronic attack. Bag’s shore assignments included two tours in VF-101 as a flight instructor, training officer and operations officer. He was also the readiness officer for Fighter Wing Atlantic and Aide to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He also served as the Navy’s first diversity
officer for the Chief of Naval Personnel and Deputy Chief of Staff, Fleet/Joint Training at U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF). He held a master's degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College.
John retired from active duty in 2013. John worked as a client manager and performance improvement coach for the oil and gas industry, leveraging his deep knowledge and passion for leadership and constant improvement. He returned to government service in 2016 as the Aviation Program Manager in the Resources and Readiness Division for USFF. Prior to his death, he continued to serve at USFF as the Executive Director of Training.
Outside of the Navy community, John is best known for the time he dedicated as a youth baseball and basketball coach. This became his passion and John was committed to helping youngsters improve their athletic skills, while also learning the fundamentals of teamwork and what it means to play a leadership role, both on and off the field. He knew from his own experiences that youth sports are a powerful contributor to life lessons that will serve today’s youth for decades to come.
“Coach Hefti” was recognized as being exceedingly patient, with an unwavering determination to develop skills and build player confidence. He was known throughout the coaching community as a fun and inspirational leader and coach.
Today, Bag’s Buddies strive to continue his efforts, capitalizing on the potential of youth sports to create the next generation of leaders. Our board, volunteers and supporters don’t have the coaching skills, but we can carry on Bag’s legacy by ensuring kids have the ability to play youth sports, regardless of their family’s financial limitations.