The Journey Continues for Texas Sailor

by Amy Forsythe

28 November 2022 SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES -- The journey continues for U.S. Navy Lt. Reed Harbeck on his long road to becoming a Foreign Area Officer. Harbeck is currently assigned to Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) in San Diego, Calif., as the command’s Foreign Disclosure Officer and currently enrolled in a graduate degree program

He’s currently enrolled at University of California at San Diego (UCSD) in a Master of Advanced Studies in International Affairs with a focus in Security of the Asia-Pacific.

Harbeck enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2010 to become a Naval Aircrewman Tactical Helicopter (Rescue Swimmer) after graduating from University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

He went on to earn a commission and served as a Naval Flight Officer from 2013 to 2018 and later as an Unmanned Aircraft Officer. He’s selected for promotion to lieutenant commander and expects to be promoted sometime in early 2023.

The graduate program Harbeck is enrolled in is being funded through the Navy’s Low-Residency Graduate Education Program and is estimated to be worth approximately $45,000 and he expects to graduate in June 2023.

Upon graduation from UCSD, Harbeck will attend the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, California, and study Mandarin for about 18 months with the goal of becoming a Foreign Area Officer assigned somewhere in Southeast Asia.

Harbeck is married to his wife Joannah, an interior designer, and they have a 10-year-old who is a wrestler and plays goalie on his soccer team. They also have a 3-year-old foster daughter, Ida.

Joining the Navy and leaving Texas:
At the time, I grew up in a relatively small town of McKinney, Texas. Most of the people in my graduating class went to college and remained in Texas. I was never interested in staying put and I’ve always been fascinated with people and what makes them tick.  

What do you like most about serving in the navy?
In no other job do you have the mix of different cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, and politics collide like the military does. I’m extremely fortunate to have served in several different communities and the relationships you forge in the Navy expand your own thought process and make you question your points of view. There are sailors who I’ve worked with that are now considered family.