Terence Jefferson, the current University Libraries Security Manager, retired recently from the United States Navy Reserves after 32 years of dedicated service, attaining the rank of Master Chief.
A 25-year employee of Emory, Terence was recalled to active duty three times during his combined Emory and Naval career. The first was for six months in 1990 for Desert Storm, for a year in 2001 and for two years, starting in 2008. Upon reflection of his military career, Terence feels a deep gratitude to Emory and the Library staff for all of their support and letters of encouragement during his deployments.
Terence’s job in the Navy was military pay and personnel and he helped process the sailors who were deployed overseas. During his deployments, he still maintained strong communication with Emory, specifically his manager, Charles Forrest. One of the things he realized one Veteran’s Day is that Emory has a network of military faculty and staff.
“It has been an honor to serve my country for 32 years of military service,” said Terence. “The people that I had the honor to serve with embodied the meaning of integrity, teamwork, fairness and the respect for others.”
He continued, “We live by the creed of serving our country with honor, courage and commitment and we’re committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all. I live this creed every day in my personal and professional life. You meet your lifelong friends in the military, they become your family. I had the privilege of working alongside the best men and women in uniform. They gave their all to ensure the success of the mission.”
Terence comes from a military family in which his grandfather, father, brothers, uncles and cousins all served, some during conflicts in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
“Dedication and commitment are the cornerstone characteristics you must have in the military (and at Emory), remarked Terence. “I learned a lot about VIP Protocol while serving on board the USS Iowa. We hosted many high profile visits, including President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Reagan, Vice President George Bush, Senator Edward Kennedy, heads of state, foreign dignitaries, royal families and the Dallas Cowboys’ cheerleaders.”
Terence also enjoyed the privilege of being selected for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration committee for President Obama and Vice President Biden. Involved in event security, Terence sat in with law enforcement agencies – US Capitol Police, Secret Service, FBI, DC Police – that enhanced his skills in emergency preparedness and logistical planning.
Like working in higher education, Terence found that living onboard a ship with people from all walks-of-life quickly gave him an appreciation and respect for diversity. “The military is the world melting pot of all cultures, said Terence. “By traveling the world I attained a true appreciation and respect for people’s cultures and customs. Being able to relate and understand people has served me well in professional life.”
While mainly serving in Norfolk VA, Pensacola Naval Station, FL, and the Naval Reserve Center, Atlanta, GA, Terence’s military career included visits to England, Germany, France, Demark, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, Honduras, Coast Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Barbados, Colombia, Cuba, Martinique, Saint Martin, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
“I feel blessed by my experiences and I’m proud to share them with my Emory family.”
Thanks for serving your country, Terence, …and Emory.