July 2019: Allan Anthony Barrow, Sr.
US Navy, 1975-1996

Allan Anthony Barrow, Sr. was born and raised in Harlem, New York. He always longed to travel around the world despite his humble beginnings. In 1974, Allan applied to the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, just five years after African-Americans first began attending the institution. He was accepted and majored in English while playing on the freshman basketball team. Allan was scheduled to attend summer school at the Citadel in 1975, but he decided to join the United States Navy. He felt a career in the Navy would allow him to travel and see the world. After completing boot camp in Orlando, Florida, and administrative technical school in Meridian, Mississippi, Allan received his first assignment as an administrative assistant at the Navy Training Center in San Diego, California. During his time in San Diego, he enjoyed playing on the Naval Training Center basketball team. Allan was reassigned to Fighter Squadron 24 (VF-24) in Miramar, California, as an administrative officer in 1978 and before being attached to the USS Constellation (CV-24).

The following year, Allan reenlisted and was assigned to Adak, Alaska, as the Personnel Manager of the Navy Exchange. During his time in Alaska, Allan was the leading scorer on the basketball team. In 1982, Allan was reassigned to Navy Recruiting District Washington, D.C. as a recruiter and was the first African American recruiter assigned to Prince William County, Virginia. In 1985, Allan was reassigned to USS Wainwright (CG-28) in Charleston, South Carolina. The ship was assigned to the Iran-Iraq War in 1988 and he vividly recalls missiles being shot at the USS Wainwright on Easter Sunday. Allan was promoted to Chief Petty Officer that same year then was selected for the Career Recruiting Force in 1989. He returned to Navy Recruiting District Washington, D.C. as a Zone Supervisor. In 1991, Allan was reassigned to the Navy Recruiting Command in Arlington, Virginia, as the Career Recruiting Force Manager. He was responsible for assigning career recruiters to stations throughout the United States. Allan was reassigned to Macon, Georgia, as the Area 3 Trainer, where he provided training to zone supervisors in the Southeast. In 1994, Allan was sent to Navy Recruiting District Memphis and settled with his family in Munford, Tennessee. Allan retired as the Zone Supervisor for Navy Recruiting District Memphis in 1996.

Following his Navy retirement, Allan was accepted to the University of Memphis. After completing a social worker internship at Munford Middle School, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1999. Not satisfied, Allan continued his studies as a graduate student and earned a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in 2000 and then an advanced certificate in Special Education in 2005.

In 2000, Allan worked as a social worker for the Covington City Schools. From 2001 to 2003, he was at Covington High School as a Special Education teacher with a focus on students with behavioral difficulties. In the fall of 2003, he started teaching math at Crestview Middle School where he also coached the boys junior varsity basketball team along with being the assistant coach for the boys varsity basketball team from 2003 to 2006. Allan basketball expertise was shared with the girls team as head basketball coach from 2007 to 2009 where he had a record of 49 wins and 8 losses. In 2010, he was selected as the boys head basketball coach and held the position until 2016, accumulating a record of 60 wins and 16 losses. Allan retired from Crestview Middle School in 2016. He still resides in Munford, Tennessee, and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren. He was nominated for Veteran of the Month by his daughter, Fallan Barrow Faulkner.