amp.issuu.com/tidewater/docs/superheroes/s/17329123

from 2022 Superheroes

My Hometown Newspaper

Tena Lawyer

by The Tidewater News

BY TITUS MOHLER STAFF WRITER

After becoming acquainted with Tena Lawyer’s story, it is not hard to understand that she played a remarkably important role during her 20 years in the military.

And a rising member of the intelligence community, she continued to serve as a civilian leader after retiring from the Army with 20+ years of service.

Retired from substitute teaching, and with time on her hands during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), Lawyer realized there were stories she wanted to tell about her life, so she penned her debut memoir, a 365-page book released in October 2021 titled, “CompartMENTALized: My Journey from Camptown to the National Security Agency (NSA).

Lawyer, now 61 years old and a Florida resident, was born in Franklin and grew up in Camptown, a census-designated place in Isle of Wight County. She left the area at the age of 17 to go to college at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

As noted in the summary of her book, she lacked clear direction while at UMBC, going four years without ever declaring a major. She pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Lambda Phi Chapter in the spring of 1981.

But then she joined the U.S. Army to pay off mounting debt and to complete her bachelors degree. She celebrated her 21st birthday while in boot camp — a week after arriving at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

She ultimately earned a bachelors degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in African American studies and personnel management and she completed a master’s degree in educational leadership, on active duty time.

Now working as a certified life coach, her master’s degree heavily and coaching skills informs what she does and it did as well when I worked in education and training, she said, indicating that she worked as an instructor, course manager and Training Director.

Her career has allowed Lawyer to travel the world and learn about its people, and the military experience proved to be an effective teacher for her, helping her to become a leader to many.

“I think the military instilled in me discipline along with strong work habits. They were honed because I wanted to lead by example; I wanted soldiers to emulate me.”

“I also believe, as an educator, personality type has a little to do with character traits — combined, I think I needed that discipline that the Army provided. I think that was really a catalyst for me to do well in all future endeavors.”

Her book summary noted that she worked hard at every leadership position offered in the military and advanced in rank to first sergeant during her 20-year military career.

Lawyer chose the intelligence track based on her initial scores to enter the military. She scored high on aptitude testing.

“I was in the intelligence community my entire 20 years career,” she said.

As part of the intelligence community, she worked in support of the NSA for more than 10 years as a soldier, and almost 15 as a Department of Defense civilian.

“I enjoyed and appreciated being “in the know” and having a good understanding of the intelligence community, our assets, how we collect, what we do in order to keep American citizens safe,she said.”

Asked if there was a particular part of her military service for which she is the most proud, Lawyer pinpointed her time as a First Sergeant and even as acting Sergeant Major (E-9), when “she led, fed and trained,” approximately 300 soldiers in support of intelligence collection worldwide. “Supporting the soldier doing the actual mission 24/7 is a great feeling. You grow to love them. And protect them.”

“That was really cool to have all of these soldiers doing different things for the nation,” she said. “Along with intel soldiers, I had medical doctors, lawyers, mechanics and admin types, in my company that supported what we do in the intelligence community daily, so it was wonderful. I really enjoyed that the most, leading those unique troops.”

Lawyer will be holding a book signing and chapter reading of her memoir on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, from 3-5 p.m. at the library in the main building on the Paul D. Camp Community College campus, located on College Drive in Franklin.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Franklin native Tena Lawyer had achieved the rank of first sergeant by this point in her military career.

Her book will be available for purchase at the event.

For more information, visit http://www.tenaalawyer.com.