Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Terence Barron, 85th Support Command human resources specialist, received an “on field” honor at Wrigley Field in Chicago Thursday night.

Barron, a Troy native, was invited onto the field during the top of the fourth inning of the Cubs and Cincinnati Reds games where he was greeted by the cheers of more than 35,000 baseball fans.

Barron was honored for his 13 years of service in the Army, which includes two deployments, one in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Qata, and the other in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to Baghdad.

“This was one of the events celebrating the U.S. Army’s 240th anniversary on June 14,” said Barron, who is serving as an active/Guard/Reserve (AGR) soldier in Chicago. “The public affairs officer asked me to do it and I was honored. When I was brought down on the field, I stood on the third baseline and waved to the crowd. Everyone stood and cheered. It was a great experience.”

Barron’s image on the Jumbotron was bigger than life and so was the experience, which he shared with several friends, including two brothers who are members of his basketball team.

“I call them my boys and it was good to have them there with me,” said Barron “I like to be involved in the community where I live and work. I love basketball and I love coaching the kids.”

Barron said he has no real baseball allegiance to either the Cubs or the Chicago White Sox.

“If I go to the games, I’ll buy a hat or a tee shirt, so I’ll fit it,” he said, laughing. He didn’t say which professional baseball team he supports but his desire to move back south, possibly to Atlanta, might be a hint.

As an Army color guard member, Barron has had other opportunities to participate in professional sporting events in the Chicago area.

“I was in the color guard at a Chicago Bulls game. We got to see the game and we had good seats,” he said. “I was also in the color guard at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club where I met Tiger Woods. I guarded the casket of baseball’s ‘Mr. Cub’ Ernie Banks. That was a real honor. Those have all been good experiences. My entire Army experience has been a good one.”

When Barron graduated from Charles Henderson High School in 2001, he didn’t have any thoughts of the military. However, as fate would have it, he lost his driver’s license and, in the process of having it renewed, he was encouraged to take the ASVAB test. He took and passed the test and, as a result, he has a rewarding career in the Army.

“I’ve been in Chicago since 2011 and, right now, I’m waiting on a promotion to the next grade of rank,” Barron said. “If I get it, hopefully, I can negotiate to get back down south. It gets real cold in Chicago and I’d like to get where it’s warmer and also closer to home.”

Although it’s cold and windy in Chicago. Barron said he has gotten accustomed to big city life. Atlanta would be big enough and close enough to home to be at the top of his list of places to go.

Barron is the son of Johnny and Christine Barron of Troy.