Takes a knee after 42 years of service

Photo By Lt. Col. Ryan Donald | Ms. Caron Jackson received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Oct. 29, 2015, in recognition of her 42 years of civilian service for the Department of the Army. She officially retires Oct. 31, 2015.  

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD, UNITED STATES

10.30.2015

Story by Maj. Ryan Donald 

20th CBRNE Command

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — After 42 years of federal service, Ms. Caron Jackson, retires here Oct 31, 2015. She is the last of the 10 original members of the Guardian Brigade to leave the 20th CBRNE Command.

“I think I will miss the camaraderie with co-workers. We spend the majority of our waking hours with those around us day-to-day, sharing the joys and sorrows of everyday life. Jackson said about her retirement. “I might even miss work - maybe.”

Jackson’s career started two weeks after graduating from Bel Air High School. Her first job was working at the US Army Ordnance Center and School, OC&S, on Jun. 24, 1974.

Then she did not know what she wanted to do following high school; she was offered an opportunity, and she took it.

“Early in the year high school seniors were provided an opportunity to take the government entrance test, I took it, and many of us went on to interview in the spring,” Jackson remembered. “It was about 30 of my classmates who accepted jobs and arrived at the Civilian Personnel Office to in-process. I am not sure, but I may be the last one of us to still work for the government.”

During her time in government service, Jackson has served in three organizations. From 1974 - 2003 she worked at OC&S. Following her time there she then moved over to the Tech Escort Battalion, Guardian Brigade/20th Support Command for seven years where she was a management analyst and finally in 2010 she took a position in the G8, 20th CBRNE Command where she worked until Saturday.

“One of the most memorable experiences I had was when I took a detail to a management analyst position in the OC&S Civilian Liaison Office. For five years, we were under the potential for a Reduction in Force, and during those years around 15 to 20 individuals would retire early,” Jackson said. “This was memorable because of the professional growth that occurred during those years. I learned a lot about civilian human resources which subsequently provided me with skills for other positions.”

During her time on Aberdeen Proving Ground, she has seen things change over the years. Two of the things she has seen change over the last forty years is doing more with less and how the structure of an organization changed within the workplace due to computers.

“During my first job I worked as a clerk-typist, and I had to manually type diplomas for around 2,500 graduates per month at the Ordnance School. We did not have computers then. Instead, I used an electric, proportional spacing typewriter,” Jackson remembered. “I don’t think anyone reading this article will know what an electric, proportional spacing typewriter looks like.”

Now that Jackson is retired she is planning on taking full advantage of the free time. She has several trips around the United States planned and is planning on attending her daughter, Angela’s graduation with her Zoology Ph.D. in May 2016 from Southern Illinois University. Jackson also remains committed to continuing her participating in several volunteer organizations.

“Being retired will provide me the opportunity to devote quality time to these volunteer activities supporting the development of young women in my community,” She said.

• Date Taken: 10.30.2015
• Date Posted: 10.30.2015 10:18
• Story ID: 180418
• Location: ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD, US