Master sergeant retires

A retirement ceremony was recently held for Master Sgt. Jerry Hammonds of the Missouri National Guard. Hammonds began his military career in 1971 when he was drafted and served a tour in Vietnam as a military intelligence analyst with the 101st Airborne Division from 1971 to 1972. When he joined the Guard in 1975, he was looking for a change. "I wanted to do something different. I wanted to go to maintenance," Hammonds said.

When Hammonds joined the National Guard, he only signed up for a year, which is called a try-one option. Soldiers can enlist for a year and see if the Guard is something that is really for them. Things turned around, though, and he was offered a job in the field maintenance shop as a technician at the Cape Girar-deau armory.

"The thing that has stuck out the most, and that I am most grateful for from all my years in the Missouri National Guard, is the sense of camaraderie that exists," Hammonds said. "It exists not only within a unit, but all throughout the state. Whenever I meet anyone that's ever been in the Guard, I feel that camaraderie. It is a connection that transcends racial and gender lines."

His career included Headquarters and Higher Headquarters Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion for 10 years and then a motor sergeant position for B Co., 1140th at the Perryville armory. Hammonds was the motor sergeant for 15 years in Perryville.

In February 2000, he was promoted to master sergeant. He then transferred to 3rd Battalion, 135th Aviation in Jefferson City. From October 2002 to August 2005, Hammonds was assigned to Headquarters Division of the 35th Infantry Division. He deployed in 2005 to 2006 with the 110th Engineer Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For the past five years, Hammonds has served as the supervisor at the field maintenance shop at the Cape Girardeau armory for the 1140th. During his career he earned numerous awards, including an Army Commendation Medal, four Army Achievement medals and the Iraq Campaign Medal.