"In our post-9/11 world, especially in my profession, incidents are ever changing. Now, we're not only dealing with putting out everyday fires, we need to be concerned with bombings, mass shootings and medical calls..."

~Justin O'Connor, BS.HSEP '16

Hear Justin O'Connor and other graduates talk about the value of their Homeland Security degrees.

Did you know that The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy provides support for the venerable New Jersey Urban Mayors Association on a wide range of issues? The Institute provides critical insights and essential analysis of policies, issues and opportunities facing New Jersey's cities and urban municipalities.

Save the date for the annual TESU chapter meeting of the Order of Sword & Shield National Honor Society scheduled on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Learn how to become a member.

To the Rescue:
Justin O'Connor, BS '16

Justin O'Connor fell into firefighting completely by chance. It's a chance he'd take over and over again.

U.S. Army veteran, National Guardsman and John S. Watson School of Public Service alum Justin O'Connor always knew he was suited for a career in civil service.

After high school, O'Connor initially enrolled at Pennsylvania State University with the intention of becoming a teacher. It was there that O'Connor played football on the university's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I team for three years before suffering an injury that ended his athletic career and academic journey.

"I was at home at the beginning of the next school year and really didn't know what to do," O'Connor said. "The next thing I knew, I saw a U.S. Army recruiting video on television and it just clicked. When I signed up, it was at once the hardest and most incredible decision I've ever made."

O'Connor served in the Army with pride for the next four years, where, during that time, he was deployed to Kosovo for the United Nations Mission for nine months.

As he neared the end of his enlistment, he reflected on his next steps and decided to transition back to civilian life.

O'Connor took his first step toward finishing his degree by enrolling in a local university, using his GI Bill benefits to supplement his costs.

"Using my GI Bill to pay for school made things easy because I was only working part time," he said. "However, no sooner than I got back into my schooling I was deployed through the National Guard to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for about a year putting my life on hold again."

O'Connor returned with a renewed sense of determination to get his educational pursuits back on track.

"Earning my degree was a promise I always made to myself. It was also 100 percent for my family and more so, for my wife," he explained. "She was absolutely amazing and really encouraged me even during the times I was frustrated. She was just a great source of encouragement and stability for me."

When O'Connor returned home, a family friend offered him a chance that would change the course of his life and career.

"A family friend, who was a local fire chief, dropped off an application for me one day, telling me that he thought I'd make a good firefighter. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I filled out the application, submitted it and admittedly forgot about it. Only after I received a letter to take the test weeks later and received my scores did the wheels start turning for me."

Soon after his fire testing had completed, O'Connor was hired by the Village of Ridgewood Fire Department in Bergen County, N.J., where he's been employed for the last 12 years. For the past three of those years, he has served as a lieutenant.

"From the moment I was hired, I found that it's been an amazing experience and truly an incredible job that suits who I am," O'Connor explained. "There's something different every day. I consider myself lucky to have found this profession and being able to become a fireman."

With his new career underway, O'Connor saw the benefits of supplementing his new career path with a completed degree.

"In our post-9/11 world, especially in my profession, incidents are ever changing," he said. "Now, we're not only dealing with putting out everyday fires, we need to be concerned with bombings, mass shootings and medical calls, all while protecting ourselves."

While earning his degree, O'Connor admitted he saw the value applied to his job almost immediately.

"My degree definitely helped me to become more aware,” he explained. "While law enforcement and firefighting are two separate entities, they're also very similar. With the knowledge I gained through earning my degree, this will not only benefit me in retirement, but, with my background as a fire lieutenant and former military member, will make me very marketable."

O'Connor completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in 2016 and credits the University's flexibility for assuring his goal remained within reach.

"I could open up my computer anywhere in order to complete my course work, and that was crucial for me," he said. "Even in the evening at the firehouse when I was done with my work, I could sit down and complete discussion forums. And, when I did get called away, it was never hard to come right back to it."

O'Connor and his wife, Lisa, have three children: daughter, Shannon (3), and twins Erin and James (1). The family resides in northeastern New Jersey.

Learn more about the programs offered in the John S. Watson School of Public Service and email us: WatsonSchool@tesu.edu with questions, comments and suggestions. We look forward to hearing from you.

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