Monday, December 14, 2009

CSM Mike "Iron Mike" Jefferson - In Memoriam






Command Sergeant Major (ret) Michael Wayne Jefferson crossed over to meet his maker on 24 July 2009. Born on 3 March 1954 in Louisville, Kentucky, Mike enlisted in the United States Army in September 1972 and served 26 years in a variety of assignments, including over 19 years in the Special Forces. His assignments included Engineer Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment-A (SFOD-A) 713; Operations Sergeant for two Scuba detachments, SFOD-A725 and 771; Company Sergeant Major of Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th SFG; Command Sergeant Major (CSM), 1 Battalion, 5th SFG; CSM, 3rd SFG; and as the CSM of Joint Task Force-Six.

He was a graduate of Class 34, United States Army Sergeants Major Course and had earned the Master Parachutist Badge, Scuba Badge, Special Forces Tab, Expert Infantryman Badge, and parachutist wings from seven foreign countries. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Meritorious Service Medal (5th Award). He graduated from Regents College in 1993 and was a lifetime member of the Special Forces Association, Chapter IX.

Immediately following his retirement from active duty in 1998, he began working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as an Intelligence Research Specialist with the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). In 2001 he was awarded the DEA Administrator’s Award for Group Achievement and the United States Attorney’s Award for his support of an international money laundering investigation. He was assigned to the EPIC Crime Terror Nexus Unit.

In 2000, he established, and continued to Chair, the MSG David K. Thuma Memorial Scholarship in memory of his former Group Headquarters First Sergeant and good friend who died in 1998 while training in Kenya. The scholarship was established to assist active duty Special Forces soldiers. So far six SF soldiers have received financial grants from this scholarship thanks to an endowment from Mr. H. Ross Perot and fundraising by Chapter IX of the Special Forces Association, and contributions from friends and family.

He is survived by his wife, the former Shirley Marie Moncada of Tucson, Arizona and their daughter, Stevie, and Mike’s sons, Greg and Brian, both of whom have served in Iraq with the U.S. Army.

2 comments:

  1. My name is Matthew Jefferson I am the oldest son of Greg Jefferson I'm currently in ait at ft Leonardwood. I joined the army with hopes of being a fraction of the man my grandfather Mike Jefferson was. If anyone has any stories or anything that they would like to share with me about him. Or steps he took to become the man he was please contact me at my email redsfan92.mj@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Went to high school with Mike, his dad George was a coach. Really great guy. I went in Navy served 23 years retired 1993.

    ReplyDelete

Enter your Comments below. Keep it clean.