Sgt. Maj. Ceaser Roberts Jr., a Liberty County native, has retired from the Army after a 30-year career.

Roberts, who grew up in Sunbury, graduated from Bradwell Institute in 1984. He shipped out for basic training in July of the same year.

He began his military career as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served with the 82nd Airborne Division. Roberts said he spent the first 10 years of his service at Fort Bragg, before being assigned to Germany to work with the 10th Special Forces Group.

After two years in Germany, Roberts was transferred to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to work with the 5th Special Forces Group. Following a brief stint in Korea, he came back to Fort Bragg with the 18th Airborne Corps Artillery.

Roberts said he next went to Fort Riley, Kansas, to prepare for deployment; however, in the midst of training, he was selected to attend the Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Upon graduating from the academy, Roberts returned to Fort Bragg a third time to begin his first assignment as a Sgt. Maj. He served with the 1st Theater Support Command before moving on to his final assignment as head Sgt. Maj. of the Joint Manufacturing Technology Center, housed at Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.

 Roberts said he enjoyed his tenure at Rock Island Arsenal, which he called the Army’s “best-kept secret.”

Throughout his career, Roberts deployed in support of numerous peace-keeping and combat missions, including two tours in Iraq and one in Kuwait, as well as tours in Hungary, Bosnia and Saudi Arabia. Roberts’ awards and decorations include 3 Meritorious Service medals; 8 Army Commendation medals; 5 Army Achievement medals; the Joint Service Achievement medal; the Meritorious Unit Commendation; the Army Superior Unit award; and the Parachutist Badge.

Roberts still has ties to Liberty County, though he said he plans to make Fayetteville, North Carolina, his home, along with his wife Vicki and son Isaiah. He said his mother, sister and brother still live in Liberty County, as well as numerous high-school friends.

“I get back home every 3-4 months,” Roberts said, adding that he hopes to come back for his 30th high-school reunion this year.

As for his post-retirement plans, Roberts said he intends on pursuing a job in logistics in Fayetteville or on Fort Bragg – but not before “catching up and enjoying time with the family, because we’ve been separated for a while.”