For release June 21, 2006
UTSI’S JAMES SHIELDS PROUD
OF MILITARY SERVICE
Sgt. E-5 James H. Shields of Manchester has
retired from 29 years of military service that included two
hitches in the U.S. Air Force, duty in two wars, and active and
inactive duty in the Army Reserves and Tennessee National Guard.
The Franklin County native was recently honored with a party and
presented gifts – including a framed certificate of his
discharge from the U.S. Army effective on his birthday (May 21)
– by fellow workers at The University of Tennessee Space
Institute.
Shields has worked in UTSI’s physical plant since December 1987
– first as janitor, then laborer, and now service assistant. He
was on leave from the Space Institute in 1990-91 while serving
10 months with the U.S. Army in Saudi Arabia during Desert
Storm. He also served in the Vietnam War.
“I’m proud I did it, and I would do it again,” Shields says. “I
also am grateful to the Space Institute for its cooperation
while I was serving my country.”
He also is grateful for the encouragement of several friends,
including Lyman Partin of Decherd, the late Buster Gunn of
Winchester, a former security guard at AEDC, and the late
Gilbert Payne of Winchester.
“Buster (a Guardsman) pushed me hard,” Shields remembered. “And
Lyman and Gilbert pushed me to stay in the Guard and to work for
the State of Tennessee. You need somebody behind you; you can’t
do it all by yourself.”
Born in Cowan on May 21, 1946, Shields grew up in Winchester and
graduated from Franklin County High School with the Class of
1965.
Shields enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 16, 1965, served
till Jan. 31, 1969, then re-enlisted and served until July 1975.
During the Vietnam War, he pulled duty in Vietnam, Thailand, and
Taiwan, and reached the rank of E-4. In the Air Force, he was
assigned to ground maintenance of F-4 and F-105 aircraft.
While in the Army Reserves in the early 1980’s, Shields reported
to summer camp in Germany, Belgium, and Holland.
He is a sergeant-at-arms with American Legion Post 78 in
Manchester and is a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 1893
in Winchester.
James Shields of Manchester holds
his Certificate of Retirement from the U.S.
Military.
Fellow workers at UTSI had it framed for him.
-UTSI Photo
Writer: Weldon Payne (931) 393-7222
wpayne@utsi.edu
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