Colonel Trevor Jackson, Rockland County Soldier, retires

LATHAM, NY (06/01/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Colonel Trevor Jackson, a Valley Cottage resident in Rockland County and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, retires after more than 33 years of military service with the Army National Guard this month.

Jackson enlisted in the National Guard in 1982 in Williston, Vermont as a private first class and served in a Field Artillery Battalion Fire Direction Center. He attended Army Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Individual Training at Fort Sill Oklahoma.

In 1983, after graduating from college, he returned to New York and served in the Ammunition Section of Service Battery of the 1-187 Field Artillery for two years.

He attended Officer Candidate School at Camp Smith and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1986. He branch qualified in the Field Artillery and served in various units, including most staff positions, commanding units at battery through brigade levels, culminating in his previous assignment as commander of the 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment in New York City from 2010 to 2013.

His final assignment from 2013-2016 was in Latham, N.Y., as the Chief of the Joint Staff for the New York National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters.

Jackson's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

He received the Legion of Merit during his retirement ceremony held at Camp Smith, N.Y. May 21. The medal is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct during a specific period or over the course of a military career.