A Family Committed to Service

November 4, 2022

Q&A with T.D. & Chevelle Malone


T.D. Malone, BA ’01 (public relations), and Chevelle Packer Malone, BS ’01 (environmental studies), spent 20 years in the Army together. They both recently retired and returned to Oregon from Hawaii, where they were last stationed, with their three children.

Military branch

Army

Years of service

20 years

Awards and decorations

T.D.: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (x7), Iraq Campaign Medal with Two Campaign Stars (Baghdad/Tikrit), Overseas Service Ribbon (x6), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, NATO Medal (Resolute Support-Afghanistan), Army Staff Identification Badge, and German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency-Gold

Chevelle: Legion of Merit, Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star Medal (x2), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (x2), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Two Campaign Stars (Baghdad/Kirkuk), Overseas Service Ribbon (x4), Army Staff Identification Badge, and Airborne Parachutist Badge

How have your experiences and service affected your life?

T.D.: To say my military service had a significant impact on my life would be an understatement since both my wife and I commissioned into and retired from the Army together. Preparing to enter the brand new world of the Army, our military service motivated us to get married earlier than we planned. Historic locations like Fort Bliss, Texas and the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York served as birthplaces for two of our children, while Springfield, Oregon, is where our first child was born, courtesy of my assignment as an assistant professor of military science at our alma mater.

We held our joint retirement ceremony on Hickam Air Force Base in the courtyard of barracks that were bombed extensively during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Our retirement ceremony took place a mile or so away from where, 60 years prior, my maternal grandfather conducted salvage diving in Pearl Harbor as a member of the U.S. Navy.

Our military service affected nearly every aspect of our lives. It helped dictate the age of our children courtesy of the years 2003–08 where we deployed every year in some form or fashion in support of the events following 9/11. It helped shape those young, naïve, recent college graduates into the older, slightly less-naïve adults we are today. It exponentially increased my own levels of empathy for my fellow citizens.

Whether traveling abroad or simply interacting with my coworkers, learning about folks with different backgrounds and understanding the variety of obstacles they had to overcome throughout their lives was equally humbling and inspiring. It provided us the opportunity to travel around the world, to some great and some not-so-great locations, seeing places we would've otherwise never seen, and providing a greater appreciation for our country and our Pacific Northwest roots. Those travels also helped reinforce our burning desire to return to the beautiful state of Oregon as soon as possible, which we did immediately upon retirement.

Chevelle: Military service has made my current life possible. I was able to go to college, meet my husband, go on adventures around the country and the world, make diverse and numerous friends, get two graduate degrees, teach at the United States Military Academy, have three beautiful children (born in three different states), and the ability to provide them an amazing life. My husband and I were commissioned on the same day into the U.S. Army at the University of Oregon and retired on the same day in Hawaii. Now we have the rest of our lives to give back to our home state of Oregon!

Were you involved with UO Army ROTC, the Student Veterans Center, Veterans and Family Student Association, or any other organizations on campus during your time as a UO student? If so, please describe your experience.

T.D.: I received my commission through UO Army ROTC. Prior to that I served in various leadership positions within Sigma Nu fraternity.

Chevelle: I applied for a three-year Army ROTC scholarship, which I received. I was involved in ROTC as part of the Webfoot Warrior Battalion at the UO all four years, and it’s where I made the best (and lifelong) friends.

What is your current career? How did your experiences as a veteran impact your career?

T.D.: I took some time off following retirement to reconnect with my family, both immediate and extended, to help make up for the many holidays and special occasions we had missed over the course of 20+ years. However, I am now in the process of transitioning into my "second career." I'm currently a candidate for the Hiring Our Heroes Salesforce Fellowship Program, where I'll likely enter the world of Salesforce consulting. My military experience helped develop and hone a number of soft skills that should directly transfer and be beneficial to my next career. Specifically, my interpersonal skills, leadership experience, problem solving abilities, team building, and adaptability should prove valuable in that next role.

Chevelle: I retired in 2021 and settled down in the Portland area with my family. I had my career, so my priority now is to be there for our children (ages 7, 10, 13), and to do a lot of hiking and backpacking. I have high aspirations of thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in the future!

The Malone family at their retirement service in Hawaii

The Malone family on the Autzen footbridge before a Ducks game