The Hartleys:  ‘A Band of Brothers’

Retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Vernon Hartley Sr. is a member of a wonderful group of military veterans.

Hartley, also known as Jackson City Councilman, Ward 5, has brothers who also served in the military. Those serving in the U.S. Army are veterans James, Matthew, Chris, and John. Brothers Vinson and Vernon broke family tradition and joined the U.S. Air Force.

In a recent interview, Vernon Hartley stated, “Serving in the military was a rite of passage among the Hartley family due to the influence of 19-year-old Army Private First-Class John Hartley, my paternal grandfather who served in 1917/WWI…He was my hero. My grandfather inspired me and all my brothers to uphold the legacy of John Hartley, who served at a time in history when African American soldiers were not respected as citizens of this country. Having my brothers in military service provides me with a special unbreakable bond…They too are my heroes.” 

The Hartley brothers were raised by Matthew and Juanita Brown Hartley on a small family-owned farm in Batesburg, South Carolina, among a Baptist family of nine that included three girls and six boys, of which Vernon is the youngest. Vernon said, “My mother and many of my aunties were stay-at-home women who exuded so much intestinal fortitude and strength as they frequently awaited long-distance phone calls from my brothers and me during wartime with all of us being in different parts of the world…you know there were no cellphones only landline telephones which a very few African Americans possessed at the time. Therefore, phone calls from servicemen were few and far between. Many families had to suffer not knowing who was safe in Korea and Vietnam and who did not make it home. When the telephone rang at odd hours, it sounded like peals of thunder to us because we knew not what the news would be. These women had to relay good and bad news to their own families and families throughout the community. 

“My father did not serve as he was an only child, which exempted him from being drafted, but we have nephews and extended family members in the military. Two of my brothers, James and Matthew, are deceased. At present, John resides in Columbia, South Carolina. Chris and Vinson live in Georgia, and I’ve worked and lived in Jackson for over 25 years with prior short stays in Gautier, Mississippi, down on the Coast.”

Vernon Hartley Sr. is a night school graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in Community Health Science and a master’s degree in Public Health Works. He completed his basic training at Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Afterwards, his travels took him to Charleston, SC, and Germany. He received several awards while in service, including the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Desert Storm/Desert Shield Awards, and two Commendations and Achievement Medals. During a 30-year Reserve career with the United States Air Force (USAF), he has held numerous management positions and facilitated USAF leadership workshops throughout the United States. 

Vernon said, “I decided to seek a seat on Jackson’s city council to utilize all the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired over the years to uplift my West Jackson community. Having several skill sets allows me to facilitate change, especially from an environmental perspective. It is my opinion that having a clean environment for children to grow up in will give them respect for their surroundings, which will translate into adult citizens who are environmentally responsible not only in their immediate neighborhood but also in their entire community. I love working outside with my tractor; it provides me with a tangible means to see a blighted area turned into something aesthetically pleasing to the eye.”

Vernon Hartley Sr. has held positions as an Environmental Administrator for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and as the Solid Waste Manager for the City of Jackson.

As a former Commissioner of the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Vernon Hartley Sr. served on the Commissioner’s Executive and Environmental Committee for the Airports Council International-North America (ACI/NA). The Commissioner’s Executive Committee led the 400-member board in shaping policies that strengthen the ability of airports to serve their passengers, customers, and communities. As a liaison to the Environmental Affairs Committee, Commissioner Hartley worked to shape policies governing Environmental Protection at airports in the United States and Canada.

Vernon lives and works as an environmental community activist in West Jackson and has served as a Councilman for Ward 5 in the City of Jackson since being elected in 2001. He is the father of two adult children, Christian and Vernon Jr. He reports his main hobby is working with his tractor and cleaning up abandoned lots in Ward 5. He has Hawaii and Africa on his bucket list to visit in the future.