Jay was born on the 29th of July 1938, in Winslow, Arizona, where he grew up with three brothers who would also serve in US military during World War 2 and the Korean War. After high school, Jay attended Northern Arizona University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1962 and he joined the US Marine Corps not long after. It was his actions as a Captain with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, in the Republic of Vietnam, during his second deployment, that would later earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer, Company G, in action against enemy forces from 30 April to 2 May 1968. On 1 May 1968, though suffering from wounds he had incurred while relocating his unit under heavy enemy fire the preceding day, Maj. Vargas combined Company G with two other companies and led his men in an attack on the fortified village of Dai Do. Exercising expert leadership, he maneuvered his marines across 700 meters of open rice paddy while under intense enemy mortar, rocket, and artillery fire and obtained a foothold in two hedgerows on the enemy perimeter, only to have elements of his company become pinned down by the intense enemy fire. Leading his reserve platoon to the aid of his beleaguered men, Maj. Vargas inspired his men to renew their relentless advance, while destroying a number of enemy bunkers. Again wounded by grenade fragments, he refused aid as he moved about the hazardous area reorganizing his unit into a strong defensive perimeter at the edge of the village. Shortly after the objective was secured the enemy commenced a series of counterattacks and probes which lasted throughout the night but were unsuccessful as the gallant defenders of Company G stood firm in their hard-won enclave. Reinforced the following morning, the marines launched a renewed assault through Dai Do on the village of Dinh To, to which the enemy retaliated with a massive counterattack resulting in hand-to-hand combat. Maj. Vargas remained in the open, encouraging and rendering assistance to his marines when he was hit for a third time in the three-day battle. Observing his battalion commander sustain a serious wound, he disregarded his excruciating pain, crossed the fire-swept area, and carried his commander to a covered position, then resumed supervising and encouraging his men while simultaneously assisting in organizing the battalion's perimeter defense. His gallant actions uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.

Jay remained in the Marines and returned to Vietnam three more times, receiving a total of five Purple Hearts. He received the Medal of Honor from President Nixon on the 14th of May 1970, in a ceremony at the White House, along with eleven others. Jay requested that the name engraved on the Medal would be his mother’s, M Sando Vargas, who had died before he received it. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1992 after 29 years of service at the rank of Colonel and went on to serve as the Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs for five years. Three years later, Jay was appointed as the Regional Veterans Liaison for the US Department of Veterans Affairs and he held that position for eight years. Jay R Vargas is 84 years old as of this recording.