Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy was born in Falls Church, Virginia and raised in Shady Side, Maryland. After graduating from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 2009, he reported to the Officer Selection Office in College Park, Maryland, where he assisted in the recruiting mission while waiting to attend The Basic School.
In October 2010, Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy graduated from The Basic School and received orders to attend the Signals Intelligence Officer Course at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center. He was then assigned to 2d Radio Battalion aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While with 2d Radio Battalion, he served as Headquarters and Support Company Executive Officer, Detachment Assistant Officer in Charge (OIC) for the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and Assistant Intelligence Officer for the 26th MEU. During this assignment, Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy completed one deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the 26th MEU and supported Enhanced Mojave Viper in November 2011. He also attended the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course in 2012, attaining the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Intelligence Officer Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), and the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Intelligence Officer Course in 2014, attaining the MAGTF Intelligence Officer MOS.
After completing his tour in North Carolina in 2014, Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He graduated in 2016 with a degree in Computer Science, and his thesis focused on assisting the College of Distance Education and Training in electronic learning. During this time, he also completed the Expeditionary Warfare Distance Education Program and the Naval War College Command and Staff program. Following graduation, Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy served as a Data Systems Engineer at Marine Corps Systems Command, where he attained his Level II Engineer Defense Acquisition University certification.
In June of 2018, Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy executed orders to Marine Aircraft Group 12 in Iwakuni, Japan, serving first as the Group Intelligence Officer and later as the Executive Officer until April 2022. He then attended the School of Advanced Warfighting from July 2022 to June 2023, graduating with a master’s degree in Operational Studies and attaining the Operational Planner MOS.
Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy reported to Marine Forces Japan at Yokota Air Base in August 2023, serving as the MAGTF Planner. He promoted to his current rank in February 2025, and in April 2025 was reassigned to the United States Forces Japan (USFJ) J52 Plans, Policies, and Programs sub-directorate. There he served as the Contingency Plans Chief, contributing to the drafting and development of bilateral plans with the Government of Japan. He reported for his current assignment as the Commanding Officer, 2d Radio Battalion in June 2026.
Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy’s personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.