Retired veteran's drive to assist won't cease

Recalling what it was like trying to carve out his path as an 18 or 19-year-old, Leonard Jefferson laughs lightly and without bitterness, the recollection of that time unforgettable. He said he was ultimately looking for an opportunity to do something different from what was considered the norm.

His search led him to enlist in the Air Force. It was a decision that Jefferson, now 44, gleaned lessons from and applied to his daily life.

“It was a good time,” the Richmond resident said of his time in the military, “But I didn’t appreciate the significance of what I was doing, then of course; I was young.”

He reflects silently for a moment.

“I made and lost friends and gained new family all over the globe.”

Jefferson, who is married and a father of two, also said his 21 years in the military further ingrained a purpose to serve others, no matter the position he is in. Following his time in the Air Force in defense of his country, Jefferson is now aiding his community as a devoted home inspector, using his instincts and skills to catch or prevent safety issues that put homeowners at risk.

The new occupation sits well with Jefferson, primarily, he said, because this form of livelihood allows him to continue serving others.

Following the first four

After the initial four years in the Air Force, Jefferson considered concluding his military experience, returning home, and joining the Harris Country Sheriffs Department, “but my mother talked me out of it,” Jefferson said. His supervisor also encouraged Jefferson to continue building a military career, reminding the young airman of how he was promoted to E5 and of the progress he’d made thus far.

“So one enlistment tuned into five,” Jefferson said.

His military career included a tenure with the Air Force Honor Guard for five years and serving as one of the eight Air Force members to carry President Ronald Reagan to his final resting place during his State Funeral.

Jefferson shares brief memories, lessons learned and moments of gratitude from his military career, but when the veteran begins talking about what is turning into his second calling as the owner of the Jefferson Team branch of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors (leonardjefferson.pillartopost.com), his tone is sincere.

“The type of service I provide is the type I love to receive,” Jefferson said. “And I’m a common person, just like the people I serve.”

Service bound

Jefferson’s step into the home inspection industry began when he returned home and he and his wife discussed investing in property. “After paying for a couple of inspections I wanted a better understanding of the homes themselves from an investment standpoint, and that turned into a business,” he clarified.

Jefferson said he serves homebuyers and sellers with the same aptitude as when he was active, and he muses over how the high-standard professionalism he learned in the military translated well into his new enterprise, which has been in motion for the past year and a half. “Professionalism, that was ingrained into your DNA and it evolved as you learned new things,” Jefferson said, before adding that the most crucial aspect of his current work is his sense of service. To Jefferson, service is embodied by openness, empathy, proficiency, ethics, and a willingness to value people’s time.

“Being of service is a big part of this and me.”

After working through a period of his life dictated by following orders, a fact he shares without resentment, Jefferson said he appreciates being in charge of himself and the business moves he makes to meet people’s needs.

“Back then, there was always someone above you and someone above them; you always had someone to answer to,” Jefferson said, nodding to protocols attached to decisions made while in the military.

“But now, I just answer to God.”

Jefferson said the impulse to be of service to his community in any way he can — significantly or subtly — is unquenchable. The magnitude of the service isn’t crucial, but rather the intent behind it.

To drive the point home, Jefferson shares one more fact about himself: “I’m also the crossing guard in my neighborhood,” he said cheerily.

Just as he feels proud about his stature as an airman and as the head of his newest enterprise, Jefferson feels the same about being a crossing guard.

“My life is a life of service,” he concluded. “And it feels good to be a trusted part of the community.”