Inside the Warrior Exhibit in Fayetteville Tennessee, the stories of service line the walls. On this day, one of those stories stood in front of us — not framed in glass, but living and breathing. Jeremy Thompson, a Lincoln County native with 22 years of service in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, has built a life defined by duty, discipline and an unwavering desire to help others. Jeremy was born in 1979 to blue-collar parents in Lincoln County. Service ran deep in his bloodline. His paternal grandfather served as a combat medic in World War II. On his mother’s side, his grandfather spent 26 years in the Army, including 36 months in combat between Korea and Vietnam. But Jeremy’s childhood was marked by tragedy. In 1984, his father was killed in a trucking accident while driving for the Lee Company in Fayetteville. Jeremy was just five years old. His mother, widowed at 26 with two small boys, raised them with what Jeremy describes as firm discipline and narrow “left and right limits.” “By the time I made it to basic training,” he said, “my drill sergeants really didn’t know what to do with me.” That early structure would become a cornerstone of a life built around service. While still a senior at Lincoln County High School in 1998, Jeremy began working with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. Career assessments consistently pointed him toward public service — law enforcement, fire service, EMS, or the military. He didn’t choose just one. Jeremy joined the volunteer fire department and became a state-certified firefighter while still in high school. He worked in corrections, volunteered in law enforcement capacities, served with Lincoln County EMS, and even gained experience with the Huntsville-Madison County Rescue Squad. “I’ve been blessed to do all of them in different capacities over time,” he said. Still, something tugged at him to do more.In September 2000, he signed a contract with a National Guard Special Forces unit in Huntsville, Alabama, securing a position as an intelligence analyst supporting Green Berets with direct intelligence operations. He completed basic training, Airborne School at Fort Benning, and advanced intelligence training. He was at the Army Intelligence Training Center when the World Trade Centers were attacked on September 11, 2001 which was a defining moment for a young soldier at the beginning of his military career.His assignments were largely with the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) based in Alabama, with time spent at Fort Benning, Georgia. For two years, he and his family lived in a small apartment near Fort Benning while maintaining their home and farm in Lincoln County. He was surprised with the award during a conference in Birmingham. “I didn’t know it was coming,” he said quietly. Even after completing his military career, Jeremy’s service did not end. He now serves as executive director of the Special Operations of America, a 501(c)(19) nonprofit he co-founded with fellow special operations veterans. The organization advocates specifically for Tier One and Tier Two special operations service members — a group they felt lacked focused representation compared to larger veteran organizations like the American Legon and Veterans of Foreign Wars. What began as a volunteer effort has grown into a full-time operation with approximately 15 staff members nationwide. The organization works alongside the Department of Defense and State Department and has taken Jeremy to the Middle East, Israel and other regions in support of U.S. interests. Some details remain sensitive. But the mission is clear: continued service. In an unexpected turn, Jeremy and Lindsey recently entered the restaurant business, opening Revolutionary Tavern on the Fayetteville square. With no prior restaurant experience, they embraced entrepreneurship The restaurant’s original name concept, Lincoln’s Tavern, was changed due to trademark concerns. Instead, Revolutionary Tavern pays homage to Lincoln County’s namesake, General Benjamin Lincoln, who served under George Washington and accepted the British surrender at Yorktown. Jeremy doesn’t claim to know exactly what the future holds. But he believes doors will continue to open. “If all the cards hit the table right,” he said, “we hope to run for Congress or serve in an elected position somewhere — if that’s what God has in store.” For a man who has spent his life answering calls, from fire tones to military orders, another call to service would simply be the next chapter. From a five-year-old boy who lost his father, to a Soldier’s Medal recipient, to nonprofit executive, husband, father and entrepreneur, Jeremy Thompson’s life reflects a simple but powerful principle: Show up early. Wear the right uniform. Keep the right attitude. And be good to people along the way.