Belleville, Ill. — Army Sgt. 1st Class Nathaniel Jones has retired from the U.S. Army after more than 23 years of faithful and honorable military service to the nation. He was decorated with his second award of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal at the retirement ceremony.

The medal is awarded to individuals for non-combat meritorious achievement or service that is incontestably exceptional and of a magnitude that clearly places them above their peers.

Recipients are assigned to or have served with numerous joint activities in the Department of Defense, joint chiefs of staff, joint, specified and allied commands, military agencies, and other joint activities as designated by the secretary of defense.

He received a medal for distinguished meritorious service as supervisor of Army Personnel Branch, Manpower and Personnel Directorate, and administrative supervisor of the Support Division, Operations and Plan Directorate at the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Belleville, Ill., from July 2007 to November 2010.

He provided excellent support to more than 200 personnel assigned to the command and filled more than 100 personnel requisitions, ultimately ensuring the command was sourced with highly-qualified members to meet all mission requirements. He provided superb administrative support to more than 70 staff members and resolved more than 600 personnel and computer transactions. As division security manager, he created more than 300 security verifications and clearance requests to avert any potential security compromises. He was selected by the Chief of Staff to serve as the Army Element First Sergeant, and improved esprit-de-corps throughout the command and represented the command at several high profile ceremonial events with dignity, pride and professionalism.

Prior to retiring, Jones served as superintendent of the Support Division, Operations and Plans Directorate assigned to the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Belleville, Ill. He performed numerous demanding and critical positions, such as supervisor Joint Personnel Branch, Manpower and Personnel Directorate; division security manager; functional area communications and computer system manager, communications security officer, alternate Top Secret control officer, Courier and Defense Travel System authorizing official.

He is the brother of Carlotta M. Horton of S. Westmoreland Road, Dallas, Texas.

His wife is the former Cynthia Hill of Peoria, Ill. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willie E. Hill of Krause Ave., Peoria. Jones and his wife have two sons named Christopher and Jayden.

Jones graduated in 1987 from North Natchez High School, Natchez, and received a bachelor’s degree in 2001 from Columbia College, Mo.

He enlisted in the Army in November 1987 and completed basic military training advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, S.C. His subsequent assignments as administrative specialist included tours of duty to South Korea: Fort Jackson, S.C.; Baumholder, Germany; Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; deployment to South East Asia Pacific Command; Rheindahlen, Germany; British Corps Headquarters in Europe; deployment to Sarajevo, Bosnia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; deployment to Pristina, Kosovo, in support of Operation Just Cause; Norfolk Naval Air Station, Va.; U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; Naples, Italy; Headquarters U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command; Fort Belvoir, Va.; and U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

His other major military decorations and awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, four Joint Service Achievement Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, eight Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Global War on Terrorism Serviced Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze service star, Marine Corps, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Army Forces Expeditionary Medal, the NATO Medal with bronze service star, and numerous service ribbons, badges, and unit and personal accolade awards.