Anthony Jones, a recruiting and retention officer for the National Guard, was honored for his service last Friday at the Riverwood vs. Pope football game by the Atlanta Falcons. He spent 11 years on active duty and six additional years in the reserves. He spent seven of his 11 years on a NATO base overseas from 1987 until 1993.
Jones started college on a basketball scholarship and played for two years before joining the military. Once enlisted, his main duty on the NATO base was in the private operations division in support of AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). He worked on an international air base whose whole mission was to help keep the AWACS operational and airborne.
When Jones returned to the U.S. in 1993 he attended school on the G.I. Bill. Since Jones was also still in the reserves he saw enough income from the military that he was able to focus solely on his school work.
After leaving the reserves in 2001, Jones joined the recruiting and retention operation for the National Guard. He is very passionate about the recruitment process and making sure they educate young people on all the thing the army has to offer them. When asked about his being honored at the football game, Jones was more concerned with the recruiting opportunity then himself. “It was great. With the National Guard there, and the Falcons, and all the kids,” Jones said, “It was a great opportunity to talk to these kids about the military.”
He spoke briefly on Thursday with the football team about the National Guard and hopes he can do that more often in the future. “It’s tough when we have to do it at the end of football practice. It’s a coach’s job to get his team ready to play Friday, so it’s tough to cut into their practice time,” Anthony explained, “Hopefully next time I can meet with the players after practice for what we call a ‘Guard Awareness’ meeting”.
Jones is very good at his job and takes pride in his work. His main concern is making sure that these young people understand everything that the army and the National Guard have to offer and to educate them on the different opportunities it can provide them. “For some kid’s it’s just ignorance, some it’s just hearing the wrong information, but whatever the case it’s important to educate them and help them realize what the National Guard has to offer.”
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