Major Thomas Leon Harrell: Age 82

Major Thomas Leon Harrell served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force. His Air Force Specialty Code included Acquisition Management, Acquisition Project Officer, Configuration Identification Officer and Chemical Engineer. He received the following medals, decorations, badges, citations and campaign ribbons: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with one device, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon with one device, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon with one device, Air Force Longevity Services Award with four devices, Air Force Training Ribbon and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon.

Major Harrell was born September 17,1942 in Pensacola, Fl. to his parents Alonzo Leon Harrell and Sarah Gertude Harrell. He was reared there, and while in high school, he participated in track and cross country. He graduated from Pensacola High School in 1960. He then graduated from Pensacola Junior College with an Associate of Arts Degree in pre-engineering in June 1962. He transferred to the University of Florida where he received a partial scholarship in track and cross country and graduated with a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering in April 1965. He then worked with the Allied Chemical Corporation as a chemical engineer where he was responsible for start-up and operation of a reclamation facility during May 1965 to February 1967.

Major Harrell’s military career began March 1, 1967, and he reported for duty as a 2nd Lieutenant at Medina Air Force Base, TX, for officer training school for 10 weeks. This was followed by service at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, for four years as a chemical engineer during March 1967 to May 1971. He was responsible for conceiving and developing technical solutions to assure suitability of test areas and a quantitative assessment laboratory to range operation and chemical/biological warfare test requirements. From June 1971 to December 1972, he was assigned to the Air Force Institute of Technology located at Wright-Patterson A.F.B (WPAFB), Ohio, from where he was sent to The University of Alabama Business School to obtain a Masters Degree in Business Administration/Management, R&D Management graduating in December 1972. After graduation, he switched from chemical engineering to project management in the Air Force and returned to WPAFB. There he served during January 1973 to September 1975 with HQ Aeronautical Systems Division, Deputy for Air-Launched Strategic Missiles, Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) Program as a Configuration Identification Manager. He was responsible for the direction and management of configuration identification activities for the decoy segment of the Subsonic Cruise Armed Decoy ( SCAD) missile.

Major Harrell then was deployed to Seoul, Korea, during October 1975 to November 1978 to serve with the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group-Korea (JUSMAG- K) in the R&D Systems Acquisition area assisting the Republic of Korea Army in developing an Air Defense Missile Maintenance Depot. He worked with other branches of the U.S. Military, and this was an accompanied tour allowing his wife and child to also go with him. During this tour, he and his wife adopted a little Korean boy. He then returned to Eglin A.F.B. from December 1978 to July 1979 working with chemical warfare projects called BIGEYE and FAE-2, and while there, he was promoted from Captain to Major. As a result, he was assigned to the HQ Armament Division, Deputy for Armament Systems, Munitions System Program Office as the Deputy for the development of the Multiple Stores Ejector Rack during August 1970 to January 1980. From February 1980 to September 1980, he was assigned to HQ Armament Division, Deputy for Armament Systems, Plans and Requirements Office as an Acquisition Staff Officer.

Major Harrell then was deployed to another accompanied tour to Osan AB, Korea, during October 1980 to July 1982 where he served as Chief of the Program Control Division for the Constant Watch Program; the mission of this organization was to construct a combined US and Korean bunker and an intelligence center. While there, he and his wife adopted a little Korean girl. From August 1982 to June 1985, he served at PACAF HQs, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, as the Chief of the Program Control Division managing all Program Control activities for the Constant Watch Program. He returned for a third deployment in Korea working with the Korean Air Force as a Project Officer assisting the Korean Air Force in its purchase of AIM-9L guided missile system to put on their F-16’s. His last assignment was at Maxwell A.F.B-Gunter Annex, AL. serving as Project Manager, and he retired there in June 1988.

After Major Harrell retired, he used the G.I. Bill and received a Masters Degree in Secondary Education in the area of mathematics from Alabama State University. He then was employed as a math teacher at Carver High School in Montgomery, AL, for 14 years during 1989 until 2003. Next he worked as a manager in the local school systems’ Logistics Division refurbishing and maintaining science kits for elementary school teachers during 2003-2009. Then he worked as a mathematics substitute teacher during 2009-2024 in the Montgomery and surrounding area Public Schools. Since then, he has volunteered to tutor students in mathematics at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School in Montgomery.

Major Harrell’s and his wife, Beth, have been married 56 years, and they have three children. He is an active member of Frazer Methodist Church in Montgomery, and since 1998, he has volunteered to share weekly the Gospel of Jesus Christ to inmates located at The Kilby Correctional Facility.

Major Harrell’s conclusions about what serving in the U.S. military means to him are, “It was life-changing. I met my wife while serving in the military and adopted two Korean children. Also, I met so many wonderful people with some becoming life long friends. I went in attending to serve only four years, but I stayed in for a career. It was a blessing!”