Our Veterans: Tijuana Fox, Motor Pool Coordinator

Published on November 11, 2024

Veterans Day is an opportunity to honor those who previously served in the United States Armed Forces. In addition to thanking all Veterans for their service, we also wanted to highlight a few of our own. This year, we're introducing you to a small number of the many Veterans who work for the City of Charlotte. Read or watch below as they share more about their time in the military and how they were able to transition to a career in public service.

Name: Tijuana Fox

Job Title: Motor Pool Coordinator, Fleet Management

Joined in September 1993. 

MOS: HVAC and Refrigeration, Personnel

Branch: Air Force 

Length of Service: 21 years

Joined the City of Charlotte: 2000

Why did you want to join the military? 

It was just for goals that I had. I wanted to go to college. I wanted to travel the world and enjoy life. 

What branch did you join and why?

Air Force. After my second-oldest brother joined the Air Force, I decided on not joining the Army, because that was my first choice. I decided to join the Air Force, and that’s what I did. 

What job did you do in the Air Force? 

Heat and ventilation, air condition, and refrigeration. That’s what they gave me. Definitely HVAC is what they gave me to fill a quota, and I found that out four years later after being in. 

How was your experience in HVAC? 

I loved it. I’m one of those ones. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. I think growing up with five brothers and the country life, I wasn’t afraid to get dirty. I was the only female in the shop that I was in alongside with my brother. So that was pretty cool, and of course they would not let us work together but it was a learning experience for me. I enjoy it up to now. Even today being in my house, I know how to troubleshoot. 

How was it working with your brother? 

It was fun. Even though he was the first one that went away, I still had five others. I was the second one to go in and then my two other brothers, they followed us and now we’re all retired. Air Force retired. 

When did you decide to leave the military? 

When it comes to the military, mentally you know when it’s time for you to say it was fun while it lasted. Our mission was changing. They were getting rid of a lot of personnel staff, and it was either retrain into a whole new job or another position or go into a position where you possibly could not get promoted. I was a little past my twentieth year and when things really started changing, I was like okay I’m good. So I was shy nine months of 22 years. 21 years, and that was me. 

What led you to working for the City of Charlotte? 

For me, it was all about long-term career. I was not the one that "I’m here today and gone tomorrow." It was all about career decisions for me.  

What was your job initially when you first were hired? 

When I started, I was with what they called CMUD back then by Charlotte Water at Irwin Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant as an office assistant, and I stayed there for eight years. 

What has your journey been like working with the City of Charlotte?

I started in March of 2000 at Irwin Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, and I was the office assistant for Irwin Creek operations and maintenance for wastewater. From there I left and went to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for about two and a half years and decided to come back. And when I came back, I went to the airport. At the airport I was in the ground transportation department and in the ground transportation department, I was their admin. I did that from 2011 until 2015. In 2016, I’ve been with Fleet [Management] since and absolutely love it. 

How does it feel saying you’ve been with the City of Charlotte over 20 years? 

Twenty is like the magic number when it comes to retirement, but trust I am counting down! Thirty is now my magic number and prayerfully, hopefully, I’ll make it to that thirty-year mark. 

How has the military helped you grow into the roles you’ve held within the City of Charlotte? 

The discipline. I’ve pretty much always been a structured type of person, but just the way the military setting is and the training that you receive. The training that you receive in the military, you hardly won’t get it on the outside. It teaches you different things, not just about yourself but just how to engage with other people. Being diverse. It just teaches you a lot. 

How has the military changed your life? 

It has changed me in ways to where you can’t just look at things one way. You have to look at the big picture. Think before you speak, think before you act, just different things. It has brought things for me full circle just to see okay life is good. I can’t complain. 

When you look back on your life, would you join the military again? 

I would, and I say that very cautiously, very slowly. I enjoyed it, and the Air Force… We are like the cream of the crop. The Air Force, it just held you to high standard. Not saying that the other branches didn’t, but when you’re out in the field you kind of can see the difference of how one branch is treated from another. 

Thank you for taking the time to get to know Tijuana Fox, one of the many Veterans who currently works at the City of Charlotte. To all our resident Veterans in the Queen City, we thank you for your service.

If you find yourself in need of assistance this Veterans Day, or any day after, please visit our Veteran Resources in Charlotte page.