New England College was founded in 1946 to help veterans return to college after World War II. This series of articles will highlight veteran students, staff, and faculty whose post-service paths led them to New England College.
Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 each year and it is an important day for Professor Frank Jones, a veteran and Director of Veteran Services at NEC, as it is also his birthday.
Jones told The NewEnglander he has carried the skills he learned in the military into his career in law enforcement and then into academia.
Jones is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at NEC and became the Director of Veteran Services this year. He served in the United States Air Force as a military police officer from 1976 to 1980. He then worked in a field artillery unit for the Army National Guard while obtaining a college degree from 1980 until 1982. Jones then pursued a career in law enforcement with the New Hampshire police department.
Jones’ love for law and criminal justice is prominent throughout his career and has made him highly qualified and dignified in his career as a criminal justice professor.
“In the military you enforce matters of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, known as the UCMJ. You enforce different types of laws and restrictions on behaviors and things like that, so going from that to all of a sudden now I’m enforcing New Hampshire state law New Hampshire Criminal Code, New Hampshire Motor Vehicle Code, so getting used to that was a challenge,” Jones said about his diverse experience in different criminal justice fields.
Jones said his time in the service shaped him as a person and as an educator.
“Number one, time management, absolutely that’s huge. Military teaches time management very, very well. Two, responsibility and accountability to those that you serve. My students will tell you that my motto has never changed, It’s three words ‘for my students’ It’s why I do what I do,” Jones said.
‘For my students’ are three words that he said repeats and stays true to as an educator at NEC. To him, it means that he has dedicated his life to helping students learn and grow and supporting their careers as students, and opportunities after college.
“You know, spring break I could be in Florida visiting with my grandchildren. I could be like other folks who just take that week off and, you know, don’t do anything academic. What I do I’ve done for the last thirteen years, I give up my week of spring break and I take students to Washington, DC and to Northern Virginia on a famous CJ trip that is quite a ride,” Jones said.
Jones also said that his time with the United States Military helped him learn important life skills.
“I looked at my service in law enforcement and my service in military as a way of giving back to society, giving back to our people, and giving back to our communities, and certainly nation by my willingness to serve people no matter what,” he said.
Jones said he would recommend military service to students that show interest.
“My first reply to them is, you’re not going to hear no from me. I’m going to say thank you for considering that. If that’s what you really want to do and that’s where you want to put your degree to work, then go for it,” Jones said.
Jones said he is proud of what he has done, and thankful to others who have done the same.
“I take pride in the fact that I did serve and it’s a great way to learn how to respect this great nation and what it’s all about by service in any of the armed forces,” Jones said.
Happy late Veterans Day and Birthday Frank Jones!
