Customer service - Commissaries.com
Customer service - Commissaries.com
Customer service - Commissaries.com
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decavision<br />
www.<strong>com</strong>missaries.<strong>com</strong><br />
2009 Penguins awarded<br />
Page 18<br />
Kaiserslautern Cold Storage<br />
celebrates 50 th: 1959–2009<br />
Page 22<br />
Team diversity —<br />
DeCA supports<br />
disabled employees<br />
Page 28<br />
‘The <strong>com</strong>missary: It’s worth the trip!’<br />
What we do best<br />
over all the rest:<br />
Vol. 18, No. 4 2009<br />
<strong>Customer</strong> <strong>service</strong><br />
Page 4
22<br />
KAISERSLAUTERN<br />
28<br />
CAREER<br />
18<br />
PENGUINS ON THE MOVE: <strong>Commissaries</strong><br />
scored Penguins in all three annual<br />
<strong>com</strong>petitions this year, Pages 18-20.<br />
Pictured: Eglin Commissary, Fla., unleashes a herd of<br />
dinosaurs to win gold. DeCA photo: Maggie Hayden<br />
CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER<br />
CELEBRATES 50 TH : DeCA’s cold storage facility boasts a<br />
proud tradition of excellence, Pages 22-26.<br />
OUTREACH<br />
TO DISABLED:<br />
Highly qualified<br />
employees find opportunities with<br />
DeCA, Pages 28-30.<br />
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:<br />
Regions gain enlisted advisors .... 27<br />
You’ve got mail ............................. 31<br />
Heart of the benefit ...................... 37<br />
2009 Top 10 Stores ................... 47<br />
COVER STORY: Winnie Graves,<br />
sales store checker, Quantico<br />
Commissary, Va., sports the perfect<br />
smile for pleasing her customers.<br />
<strong>Customer</strong> <strong>service</strong> is “job one”<br />
for DeCA employees, who have<br />
some great tips and inspiring<br />
stories to share, Pages 4-14.<br />
DeCA photo: Rick Brink<br />
decavision<br />
Vol. 18, No. 4 2009<br />
decavision is an authorized publication<br />
for members of the Defense Commissary<br />
Agency. It is published by the Office of<br />
Communication, DeCA Headquarters, Fort<br />
Lee, Va. Contents are not necessarily the<br />
official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.<br />
government, the Department of Defense or<br />
DeCA. Printing is by offset method; printed<br />
circulation: 10,000. Readers may submit<br />
articles and photos. Suggestions and<br />
criticisms are wel<strong>com</strong>ed. All pictures are<br />
DeCA photos unless otherwise identified.<br />
Contact editor at: decavision,<br />
HQ DeCA Office of Communication,<br />
1300 E Ave., Fort Lee VA 23801-1800;<br />
telephone 804-734-8000, ext. 4-8768;<br />
e-mail: cherie.huntington@deca.mil<br />
Philip E. Sakowitz Jr.<br />
DeCA director and CEO<br />
Office of <strong>com</strong>munication<br />
James Frost ............................................... director<br />
Lt. Col. Karen Hawkins .................. deputy director<br />
Staff contributers<br />
Rick Brink ..................................... PAO, DeCA East<br />
Cherie Huntington .................. editor, decavision<br />
Nancy O’Nell ................................ PAO, DeCA West<br />
Kevin Robinson ............................. media relations<br />
Dr. Pete Skirbunt ............................ DeCA historian<br />
Millie Slamin ...................................... social media<br />
Gerri Young ............................... PAO, DeCA Europe<br />
Surf VISION online @ http://www.<strong>com</strong>missaries.<strong>com</strong>/employees/news_room/vision_magazine/index.cfm
!<br />
fromthetop<br />
Equal opportunity for all<br />
Agency strives for model EEO program<br />
Philip E. Sakowitz Jr.<br />
DeCA director and CEO<br />
T<br />
he DeCA team reflects the variety of<br />
backgrounds that make up the armed<br />
forces and the customers we serve. The<br />
diversity of our workforce contributes to<br />
a better understanding of these customers and<br />
is an important business strength.<br />
To sustain a capable, diverse and engaged<br />
workforce, we need to effectively manage<br />
our diversity. DeCA’s Equal Employment<br />
Opportunity program is important to me, and<br />
it is a vital <strong>com</strong>ponent of our strategic plan.<br />
One of the great aspects of my job is the<br />
access it gives me to senior leaders in other<br />
government agencies. Recently, I had the<br />
pleasure of meeting with Carlton Hadden and<br />
Dexter Brooks, senior executives with the EEO<br />
Commission’s Office of Federal Operations.<br />
Their office provides oversight for the federal<br />
government’s EEO programs. DeCA EEO<br />
Director Marcus Lashley and I provided<br />
an update to the <strong>com</strong>mission concerning the<br />
agency’s achievements in dispute resolution and<br />
workforce diversity. Marcus, General Counsel<br />
Bill Sherman, Human Resources Director<br />
Jerry Oestreich and I then engaged in a<br />
discussion with the EEOC concerning their ideas<br />
on how we could further enhance our programs.<br />
I told them about<br />
senior leadership’s<br />
<strong>com</strong>mitment to<br />
EEO, and that I’m<br />
proud of the fact that<br />
our managers and<br />
employees are working<br />
together to resolve<br />
potential discrimination <strong>com</strong>plaints at the<br />
earliest opportunity. In the fiscal year that just<br />
ended, we resolved more than 65 percent of<br />
informal disputes. This exceeds the average<br />
for all federal agencies. Let’s keep up the good<br />
work and see if we can do even better.<br />
We also spoke to Mr. Hadden about our<br />
plans to hire wounded warriors and individuals<br />
with severe disabilities. This is a great<br />
opportunity for us to “give back” to the military<br />
<strong>com</strong>munity and support the nation’s goal of<br />
Damien Wright, sales store checker,<br />
Wiesbaden Commissary, Germany,<br />
meets DeCA Director and CEO Philip E.<br />
Sakowitz Jr. during a visit in September.<br />
DeCA photo: Norman Brown<br />
providing meaningful employment to all its<br />
citizens. I know that many of our <strong>com</strong>missaries<br />
are supporting these programs. I have asked<br />
our EEO office to work with each region and<br />
senior leaders in the headquarters to make sure<br />
that all are aware of these valuable sources of<br />
skilled, motivated employees.<br />
Finally, we discussed DeCA’s efforts to<br />
ensure that advancement opportunities are<br />
In the fiscal year that<br />
just ended, we resolved<br />
more than 65 percent of<br />
informal disputes.<br />
— Philip E. Sakowitz Jr.<br />
available to<br />
everyone on an<br />
equitable basis.<br />
The recently<br />
<strong>com</strong>pleted Career<br />
Advancement<br />
Survey revealed<br />
that not everyone<br />
felt equipped for the next step in their career, and<br />
that we faced some challenges in ensuring that<br />
the promotion process is perceived as fair. We<br />
will be conducting focus groups with employees<br />
to fully understand what we need to improve and<br />
ensure that everyone is treated equitably.<br />
We are making progress toward achieving<br />
a model EEO program in DeCA. Let’s continue<br />
to work together to make our diversity an asset<br />
in showing the men and women of our armed<br />
forces that the <strong>com</strong>missary is worth the trip.n<br />
3
Primo customer <strong>service</strong><br />
Caprina Johnson, cashier at Fort Lee Commissary,<br />
Va., keeps her checkout line moving quickly on a busy<br />
shopping day. DeCA photo: Rick Brink<br />
Tip<br />
One customer <strong>service</strong> phrase that<br />
I drive into all the new and old<br />
employees’ heads is: “We do not<br />
have a job without customers.”<br />
This is really simple but true.<br />
Sheila Gilbert, store director<br />
Vance Commissary, Okla.<br />
4 5 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
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coverstory<br />
Cherie Huntington<br />
Office of <strong>com</strong>munication<br />
R<br />
obert Bunch, new chief of customer <strong>service</strong><br />
in operations, likes to tell the story of a<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary employee who received a new<br />
<strong>com</strong>puter and called the manufacturer’s hot<br />
line for assistance. The <strong>com</strong>pany employee answered<br />
the phone by saying, “How may I exceed your<br />
expectations today?”<br />
Bunch savors those words as reflective of how he<br />
views DeCA’s customer <strong>service</strong> quality. “We don’t just<br />
meet, we exceed,” he said. “That’s something we can<br />
be proud of. Put us up against any civilian grocery<br />
chain, and our folks will excel. We know what our<br />
customers want, and we deliver.”<br />
Like a highly polished apple, however, that beauty<br />
depends on elbow grease.<br />
“We have to maintain and stay the best,” Bunch<br />
said. “If we don’t find what’s new and stay ahead<br />
of the game, we’ll just get <strong>com</strong>fortable and be like<br />
anybody else.”<br />
Survey says<br />
“Comfortable” doesn’t seem to be in this operator’s<br />
vocabulary, however, when it <strong>com</strong>es to customer<br />
<strong>service</strong>.<br />
“We’re looking at a lot of innovative things, new<br />
concepts,” said Bunch. “We have to be proactive and<br />
see where we need to be in the years ahead, then put<br />
our hearts and souls into getting there.”<br />
The latest Commissary <strong>Customer</strong> Service Survey<br />
(see Page 17) apparently revealed lots of heart and<br />
soul.<br />
“The scores say<br />
we’ve got it right,”<br />
he said. “We listen to<br />
customers and we fix<br />
things. We keep them<br />
<strong>com</strong>ing back.”<br />
Right, Tarek Morsy,<br />
assistant produce<br />
manager at Cairo<br />
Commissary, Egypt,<br />
delights customers<br />
with fruit samples.<br />
DeCA photo
Proud tradition of<br />
excellence for world’s<br />
best customers<br />
Bunch hopes employees treasure the vocal<br />
customer as much as he does.<br />
“If they’re vocal, they care,” he said. “They’re<br />
telling me something needs to be fixed, or that I’m<br />
doing something really well. If they’re talking to me,<br />
they’re paying attention. For that moment, they’re<br />
sharing their concerns, and how we react sets the<br />
stage for success or failure.”<br />
Only one type of customer worries Bunch. “The<br />
customer who scares me most is the one who says<br />
nothing. I don’t know if I’ve met their expectations or<br />
not. If I get them to smile, that’s a start. Then before<br />
long, they open up.”<br />
<strong>Customer</strong> care<br />
Whether it’s friendliness, smiles or responsiveness,<br />
Bunch said good customer <strong>service</strong> makes the<br />
customer feel important.<br />
“Even in the self-checkout lanes, a sharp, fired-up<br />
cashier can make the customer feel confident – feel<br />
ownership of a little piece of the process,” he said.<br />
Ultimately, that fired-up employee represents<br />
DeCA’s No. 1 customer.<br />
“If we take care of our employees, they take care<br />
of shoppers,” he said. “Proper training and support<br />
shines through, and the customer sees it and feels<br />
it.”<br />
The recent agencywide customer <strong>service</strong> training<br />
proved to be as enlightening about co-workers<br />
as it was about customers. “It was tremendously<br />
successful,” said Bunch. “It provided a way to<br />
bring people together and hear other thoughts and<br />
opinions. It gave the opportunity to see things in a<br />
different light. It sparked general excitement and<br />
made us realize how we appreciate each other.”<br />
<strong>Customer</strong> <strong>service</strong> resource<br />
Bunch wants everyone to know his division<br />
provides “one-stop shopping” for all issues related<br />
to customer <strong>service</strong> and wherever it relates to the<br />
front end, from gift vouchers, coupons and shopping<br />
carts to electronic shelf labels, hand-held scanners<br />
and the Commissary Advanced Retail Transaction<br />
System, <strong>com</strong>monly referred to as CARTS.<br />
“We’re here for the stores, zones, regions and<br />
DeCA,” he said. “If we don’t have the answer, we’ll<br />
redirect you to who does. After all, that’s customer<br />
<strong>service</strong>, too, and if we’re going to talk it, we<br />
better walk it.” w<br />
!<br />
Maribel Cruz, customer <strong>service</strong> manager, North lsland<br />
Commissary, Calif., ensures every shopper gets oneon-one<br />
customer <strong>service</strong>. DeCA photo: Millie Slamin<br />
5
‘Happy campers’ @ Cairo<br />
I received a phone call from an upset<br />
customer who had just been shopping at the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary for items to try out a new recipe,<br />
• Always start customer dialogue with,<br />
“May I help you?” and end with, “Thank<br />
you.”<br />
• Listen. Never answer unless you have a<br />
<strong>com</strong>plete answer for the customer’s<br />
question, with assistance from coworkers<br />
or management.<br />
• Always show understanding for<br />
the customer’s <strong>com</strong>plaint, concern<br />
or suggestion.<br />
• We work for the customers,<br />
and we need to make sure we meet<br />
their expectations.<br />
• We are DeCA representatives. The<br />
impression a customer gets about a store<br />
and organization usually <strong>com</strong>es first from<br />
the level of customer <strong>service</strong> they receive.<br />
A first impression can only be made once.<br />
Tip<br />
Mohamed Enein, store administrator<br />
Cairo Commissary, Egypt<br />
Lisa Pond, customer <strong>service</strong>; Mary Keene, support clerk; and Carolyn Unruh, produce, stay focused during the<br />
customer <strong>service</strong> training held in the <strong>com</strong>missary warehouse at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. DeCA photo: Kelli Slater<br />
6 7 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
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and when she was ready to start cooking, she<br />
could not find the recipe.<br />
She stated this was a new dish she could not<br />
make without the recipe to follow, and all the<br />
ingredients she just purchased would either go<br />
to waste, or she would need to return them.<br />
The customer told me which register she used<br />
and even knew the cashier’s name.<br />
I proceeded to the front end to see if the<br />
cashier or baggers had seen a recipe left behind.<br />
The cashier remembered the customer and also<br />
had the recipe, which was left in the shopping<br />
cart along with a shopping list. The cashier<br />
passed the recipe to me and as I started reading<br />
off the ingredients over the phone, the customer<br />
shouted, “That’s it, I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”<br />
When the customer arrived, she was<br />
overjoyed when I handed her the recipe. She<br />
praised the cashier for caring enough to hold<br />
on to her shopping list and recipe, and for not<br />
discarding it as trash. It took a very small action<br />
to create a big, raving fan.<br />
Vickie Mills, store director<br />
Cairo Commissary, Egypt
Commissary customer <strong>service</strong><br />
from the heartY<br />
A<br />
Store Director Sharon Parton<br />
Fort Campbell Commissary, Ky.<br />
customer had his dog in his car and had<br />
left his windows down for the dog to<br />
get airflow. He left the windows down too<br />
far, however, and “Old Maggie” jumped<br />
out of the car and proceeded to go into the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary.<br />
She was friendly and came to us easily<br />
while looking for her “dad.” We took her<br />
to an office and began to page for her<br />
owner. The owner, a mature gentleman,<br />
unfortunately could not hear the pages and<br />
returned to his car.<br />
When he realized Old Maggie was<br />
gone, he began to panic. Commissary<br />
employees had remained near the vehicle<br />
to identify the owner as quickly as possible.<br />
Our customer was then reunited with his<br />
beloved dog.<br />
With tears in his eyes, he stated he and<br />
Old Maggie had been together for many<br />
years and that she was all he had. The<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary has always been a special place,<br />
but now it became even more special to him<br />
with the extra effort made to ensure that his<br />
<strong>com</strong>panion was out of harm’s way. He said<br />
he and Old Maggie would be back soon to<br />
shop again.<br />
Share your stories of customer <strong>service</strong><br />
“from the heart.” Keep length to no more<br />
than 300 words, and submit to your store<br />
director for consideration for publication in<br />
a future decavision.<br />
Tip<br />
Until you walk in someone else’s<br />
shoes, reserve your judgment.<br />
Loriann McDonald, store director<br />
Fort Wainwright Commissary, Alaska<br />
!<br />
Annette Inniss, meat department worker at San<br />
Diego Commissary, Calif., along with Steven Hake,<br />
meatcutter, and Carrie Bailey, meat department<br />
worker, take a break to watch a salsa product demo.<br />
DeCA photo: Bill Vick<br />
‘Happy campers’ @ Fort Wainwright<br />
“Mrs. McCarty” is a dedicated<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary. She came in for her weekly<br />
shopping and was looking for pine nuts. She<br />
asked one of our storeworkers if we carried<br />
them. The employee was not sure but told<br />
her to continue her shopping and he would<br />
find out.<br />
He found the product and took it to her as<br />
she was almost finished with her shopping.<br />
She was so appreciative that she called me<br />
and relayed the story. He not only found the<br />
product for her, he told her where she could<br />
find it in the future and what the price was,<br />
and he brought several bags with him so<br />
she could buy what she wanted. She left our<br />
store a raving fan.<br />
Loriann McDonald, store director<br />
Fort Wainwright Commissary, Alaska<br />
w<br />
7
<strong>Customer</strong> Debi Masa enjoys fast <strong>service</strong> from sales store checker Grace Guilbault at the grand opening of the<br />
Robins Commissary, Ga. DeCA photo: Rick Brink<br />
‘Happy campers’ @ Fort Gillem<br />
Joyce Fleming is a sales store checker and<br />
the model cashier. Joyce deals with difficult<br />
situations in a most professional manner; her<br />
intent is to deliver superb customer <strong>service</strong>.<br />
• Always be willing to assist customers with<br />
their needs.<br />
• Don’t assume disgruntled<br />
customers are attacking you<br />
personally.<br />
• Take time to listen to<br />
customers.<br />
• Focus on the customers,<br />
delivering 100 percent to their<br />
needs.<br />
• Build a stronger relationship with<br />
customers by solving problems together.<br />
• Challenge yourself to change a negative<br />
customer into a positive customer.<br />
• Remember that your attitude be<strong>com</strong>es<br />
your altitude.<br />
Tip<br />
Connie Leseueur, assistant store director<br />
Fort Gillem Commissary, Ga.<br />
8 9 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
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On one occasion, Joyce was ringing up the<br />
purchases of an elderly, diabetic gentleman<br />
who constantly <strong>com</strong>plains each time he<br />
shops. His sugar level began to drop, so<br />
Joyce immediately walked him to a bench to<br />
rest, and she purchased some orange juice<br />
and a piece of candy for him.<br />
She proceeded to <strong>com</strong>plete<br />
his order while he rested. He<br />
was so impressed on how<br />
she handled the incident he<br />
later brought his wife into the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary to meet her.<br />
Joyce is unique because<br />
she changes negative<br />
Joyce Fleming<br />
customers into positive,<br />
returning customers.<br />
Connie Leseueur, assistant store director<br />
Fort Gillem Commissary, Ga.
‘Happy campers’ @ Vance<br />
Last summer during the air show at Vance<br />
Air Force Base, Okla., we had an Air Force<br />
captain from protocol <strong>com</strong>e in needing<br />
several deli trays of sandwiches and produce<br />
department vegetable trays “yesterday.” It<br />
seems the captain was put in charge of a lastminute<br />
arrangement to feed local dignitaries –<br />
about 25 people – including the mayor of Enid,<br />
Okla.<br />
A challenge quickly surfaced when the<br />
one deli staffer felt overwhelmed with this<br />
sudden urgent, large request. Being called<br />
to the deli, store employees understood the<br />
deli’s dilemma and suggested an alternate<br />
way to feed the local entourage. Using deli<br />
trays and covers, store employees, along<br />
with the captain, took cheese and meat<br />
packages off the shelves, along with pickles,<br />
condiments and bread rolls, and made trays<br />
on the spot. Produce was already on their<br />
vegetable trays.<br />
The captain left happy, relieved that he<br />
had a presentable lunch to offer Enid’s local<br />
dignitaries.<br />
Glenn Sergeant, deputy store director<br />
Vance Commissary, Okla.<br />
Robert Raymond, grocery manager, loves<br />
to tell his staff that his favorite word to use<br />
with a patron is, “Yes.” Mr. Raymond’s goal,<br />
no matter what department he is in,<br />
is to give the customer the same<br />
outstanding <strong>service</strong>, all the time.<br />
To follow up on that, his favorite<br />
word is, “Yes.” So often people<br />
want something and the first<br />
response they receive is, “No.” It<br />
is our job to turn the “no” into a<br />
“yes.” You can always ask a patron,<br />
“What about using this product?” or suggest<br />
a substitute item. This does not work all<br />
the time, but why not try it? This leaves the<br />
patron with a sense that you are trying to help<br />
and are willing to do what it takes to make<br />
them happy. It is our responsibility to ensure<br />
the patron leaves with a positive feeling.<br />
Tip<br />
Kim Soares, store director<br />
Camp Kinser Commissary, Okinawa<br />
!<br />
Sales store checker and high school senior<br />
Marquita McMath waits for her next customer<br />
at Great Lakes Commissary, Mich. DeCA photo:<br />
Rick Brink<br />
‘Happy campers’ @ Camp Red Cloud<br />
We had a customer special order a<br />
decorated birthday cake. In transit, the cake<br />
was either dropped or had fallen over. When<br />
the customer arrived to pick up the cake, she<br />
was told it was damaged and not viable for<br />
a party. The customer was very upset, vocal<br />
and not understanding, to say the least.<br />
The storeworker remained cool and<br />
offered an alternative in a plain, white sheet<br />
cake; a produce worker volunteered to<br />
do immediate decorating and re-used the<br />
decorations off of the damaged cake. In<br />
the end, the customer was satisfied, made<br />
apologies for being upset and thanked<br />
everyone involved.<br />
Robert Vagasky, store manager<br />
Camp Red Cloud Commissary, South Korea w<br />
9
Angela Cappel, cashier at Vogelweh Commissary,<br />
Germany, rings up shopping spree items gathered<br />
by a Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers<br />
team <strong>com</strong>peting in an August event. DeCA photo:<br />
wallyimages.<strong>com</strong><br />
10 11 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
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Tip<br />
‘Happy campers’ @ Camp Casey<br />
I received an e-mail from Jaime Grimes,<br />
who was in the process of joining her husband<br />
who was on a <strong>com</strong>mand sponsorship tour<br />
at Camp Casey, South Korea. Mrs. Grimes<br />
had some concerns about the availability of<br />
certain items for her 3-month-old daughter,<br />
who had a special need for a specific type<br />
of baby formula, as well as other special<br />
items. This appeared to be Mrs. Grimes’ first<br />
time following her husband overseas, and I<br />
understood her concerns.<br />
I replied to her e-mail, and informed her<br />
that I was going to place a special order for<br />
the formula she needed, in her name, and<br />
that when she arrived at Camp Casey, she<br />
or her husband could stop by and pick up<br />
the order. I also asked if it was possible for<br />
her to bring extra cans of the formula when<br />
she moved to Camp Casey, just in case the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary was closed when she arrived.<br />
The baby formula was waiting for Mrs.<br />
Grimes when she arrived, and she was<br />
extremely pleased. She was definitely a<br />
satisfied customer.<br />
Yong Baez, store manager<br />
Camp Stanley Commissary, South Korea<br />
‘Happy campers’ @ Andrews<br />
There have been several difficult situations<br />
when a customer feels things should be done<br />
in a different way. A customer with 41 items<br />
claimed she had picked up more than she had<br />
planned before she realized the self-checkout<br />
lane was for 30 items or less. The front-end<br />
supervisor contacted me to say the customer<br />
also had an important doctor’s appointment<br />
to meet. I asked our supervisor to help the<br />
customer so she could make her appointment.<br />
Rena Dial, store director<br />
Andrews Commissary, Md.`<br />
The customers are not always right,<br />
but they are always your customers.<br />
Sabrina Edwards, produce manager<br />
Smokey Point Commissary, Wash.
‘Happy campers’ @ Camp Kinser<br />
Jose Gonzalez, store administrator, and<br />
Kathy Rogers, produce work leader at Camp<br />
Kinser Commissary, Okinawa, were in the<br />
produce department planning a display. A<br />
patron looked as if he needed help.<br />
Mrs. Rogers approached the patron<br />
with a friendly smile. The customer looked<br />
frustrated and said, “I am making a dish and<br />
the recipe needs cilantro, and you don’t have<br />
any here.”<br />
Mrs. Rogers apologized and explained that<br />
cilantro was airlifted to Okinawa, and upon<br />
arrival, it did not meet acceptance guidelines<br />
and was rejected. She informed the patron<br />
that she would only provide high-quality,<br />
fresh produce to her patrons.<br />
Mrs. Rogers said cilantro would be<br />
delivered the following week, but she<br />
knew this did not help his current situation.<br />
She said she could contact the other<br />
<strong>com</strong>missaries on the island to see if they had<br />
any cilantro available to immediately transfer<br />
to Camp Kinser.<br />
!<br />
Left, Juanita<br />
Fisher and<br />
Peggy Jordan,<br />
store associates<br />
at Beale<br />
Commissary,<br />
Calif., participate<br />
in agency-wide<br />
customer <strong>service</strong><br />
training. DeCA<br />
photo: Joan Meyer<br />
Additionally, she asked the patron questions<br />
concerning his recipe, walking him to the spice<br />
section to show him other available sources<br />
of cilantro. The patron decided he would<br />
purchase dry cilantro and try it in his recipe.<br />
Mrs. Rogers left the patron with an<br />
understanding of how the produce delivery<br />
schedule worked and standards that are set<br />
for product arriving at the <strong>com</strong>missary. The<br />
patron was satisfied with the end result. Mrs.<br />
Rogers has established a rapport with the<br />
patron, and he returns to the <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
quite often. Mrs. Rogers and the patron have<br />
shared other recipes, and he often asks her<br />
advice on dishes he is preparing.<br />
Kim Soares, store director<br />
Camp Kinser Commissary, Okinawa<br />
Always try to have a smile on your<br />
face. Get management help. If<br />
you can’t help the customer, get<br />
someone who can.<br />
Ronald Vickerstaff, store director<br />
Vicenza Commissary, Italy<br />
w<br />
Tip<br />
11
Greet customers with a smile and acknowledge<br />
them with a positive attitude; always<br />
be willing to help and listen to their<br />
concerns. Take care of the customers<br />
at all times. Sometimes we have<br />
to go above and beyond to find an<br />
item, or assist our seniors with<br />
their shopping. It’s our duty to<br />
ensure they get everything they need<br />
and experience the best customer<br />
<strong>service</strong> so they will share their shopping<br />
experience with others.<br />
Tip<br />
Rena Dial, store director<br />
Andrews Commissary, Md.<br />
‘Happy campers’ @ Atsugi<br />
I want to pass this on about one of<br />
Atsugi’s finest taking the initiative to serve our<br />
customers. With the embargo here of various<br />
produce items, our customers have no choice<br />
but to purchase local “like” items and try to<br />
make do.<br />
Such was the case with yams, one<br />
of the most requested items during the<br />
holidays. Damita Jones, one of our produce<br />
storeworkers, took it upon herself to do a yam<br />
demo. Personally buying the sweet potatoes,<br />
she cooked them at home in butter, nutmeg,<br />
cinnamon and vanilla – her own special recipe<br />
– and brought it in for our customers to try.<br />
Her candied yams were fantastic! They were<br />
much better than canned, and a big hit with<br />
the customers. What makes this special is not<br />
the fact that she did a demo, but why she did<br />
it. She did it to educate our customers that the<br />
local Japanese yams were every bit as tasty as<br />
the U.S. variety, and that they could be sure<br />
that they were spending their hard-earned<br />
money on a product well worth the cost. She<br />
got her message out loud and clear, and as<br />
always, Damita was “caught doing something<br />
right.”<br />
Rose Castro, acting store director<br />
Atsugi Commissary, Japan<br />
Right, store associates Chianti McCaskill and<br />
Giuliano Arestirado, McGuire Commissary, N.J.,<br />
please shoppers with their thorough knowledge of<br />
the produce department and outstanding customer<br />
<strong>service</strong>. DeCA photo: John Zoubra<br />
12 13 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
w<br />
w<br />
w<br />
Suggested reading
‘Happy campers’ @ Camp Lejeune<br />
When I was a store director at Camp<br />
Lejeune Commissary, N.C., I had a delibakery<br />
manager who was extremely<br />
aggressive in trying to increase her sales.<br />
She would go out of her way to make<br />
customers happy, making every effort to do<br />
whatever was necessary to gain additional<br />
customers.<br />
She would run contests to see if one<br />
person could eat one of the super-sized<br />
sandwiches she made. The prize for that<br />
would be a free sandwich. She had a call-in<br />
order system set up that generated more<br />
business during the lunch hour than our<br />
regular customers did.<br />
One of the initiatives she tried was to<br />
offer free delivery of any Marine Corps<br />
Ball cake. Several of the squadrons took<br />
advantage of this deal, with the truck<br />
making several trips a day delivering huge<br />
cakes to various locations throughout the<br />
base and town. She sold more than 80 cakes<br />
that year.<br />
One Marine came to my deli-bakery<br />
manager and told her that his squadron<br />
would not be able to celebrate the Marine<br />
Corps birthday because they were scheduled<br />
to be in the field the entire month on<br />
maneuvers. Never one to admit defeat, my<br />
manager found out where the squadron<br />
was going to be located in the general area<br />
and promised the Marine if his squadron<br />
would order the cake from her, she would<br />
make sure they were able to have their<br />
celebration.<br />
Not only did my deli-bakery manager<br />
deliver the cake, she also stayed there and<br />
served the cake to more than 500 Marines<br />
that day. She was so popular with the<br />
Marines that she received many e-mails<br />
from them when they were deployed to Iraq<br />
and Afghanistan, telling her how much they<br />
missed those special sandwiches she used to<br />
make for them.<br />
Phyllis Black, store director<br />
Cherry Point Commissary, N.C.<br />
w<br />
!<br />
Stacy Wehri, store associate at Quantico Commissary,<br />
Va., wel<strong>com</strong>es customer questions as she restocks<br />
fresh produce items. DeCA photo: Rick Brink<br />
13
Treat all customers the way you want to be<br />
treated, and provide them with the level of<br />
<strong>service</strong> you expect. I always encourage my staff<br />
to try to involve customers in the resolution of<br />
their <strong>com</strong>plaints and empower them to<br />
help find a solution. <strong>Customer</strong>s tend<br />
to feel more relaxed and more likely<br />
to walk away satisfied when they feel<br />
in control of their situation. No one<br />
likes to feel as though situations are<br />
beyond their control.<br />
Tip<br />
Robert Vagasky, store manager<br />
Camp Red Cloud Commissary, South Korea<br />
‘Happy campers’: vendor support<br />
I would like to tell you<br />
about Linda Brigham, Proctor<br />
& Gamble merchandiser at<br />
Quantico Commissary, Va.<br />
Linda is an exceptional<br />
individual. She is one of those<br />
people you know in your heart<br />
you can always rely on. No<br />
matter what event, no matter<br />
Linda Brigham<br />
what sale or product, Linda<br />
makes herself available to whatever our needs<br />
may be. She builds displays, pushes product, and<br />
works a demo like no other. She assists patrons,<br />
employees and management. No project is ever<br />
too much for Linda. I cannot stress enough how<br />
very fortunate we are to have her at our store.<br />
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Linda was called to<br />
assist in a very personal way. An elderly female<br />
patron was calling for assistance from the ladies’<br />
restroom. The woman, small, frail and barely<br />
able to get around with her walker, found herself<br />
unable to take care of her soiled clothing. Linda<br />
graciously offered her assistance.<br />
What a huge heart she has. She is a loving<br />
wife, mother and grandmother; but even more<br />
impressive is the fact that she also cares for<br />
her 105-year-old mother-in-law. She tends to<br />
neighbors, co-workers and strangers alike.<br />
I would like to recognize Linda for all that<br />
she gives to so many on a daily basis. Her<br />
presence makes a world of difference at<br />
Quantico Commissary.<br />
Leslie Ford, general manager<br />
Quantico Commissary, Va.<br />
14 15 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
<strong>Customer</strong>s enjoy a smile from Celia Williams,<br />
customer <strong>service</strong> manager, Nellis Commissary,<br />
Nev. DeCA photo: Millie Slamin<br />
We had a customer who wanted a certain<br />
low-salt potato chip that we had carried<br />
previously, but it was no longer on the sales<br />
floor. The <strong>com</strong>pany representative happened<br />
to be standing next to me on the sales floor<br />
when this gentleman approached and gave<br />
me his request. The representative gave him<br />
product information and assured him that we<br />
would be carrying it in the future, and that<br />
the next time he came in, there would be a<br />
<strong>com</strong>plimentary bag for him. He left our store a<br />
very happy man.<br />
Loriann McDonald, store director<br />
Fort Wainwright Commissary, Alaskan
<strong>Commissaries</strong> save customers billions<br />
Millie Slamin<br />
Office of <strong>com</strong>munication<br />
W<br />
ith savings at<br />
31.7 percent,<br />
customers flocked<br />
to <strong>com</strong>missaries for<br />
groceries, bargains at case lot<br />
sales and to remote areas for<br />
even more savings at Guard and<br />
Reserve on-site sales.<br />
“This year was also a recordbreaker<br />
for DeCA as we nearly<br />
reached $6 billion in sales for<br />
fiscal 2009,” said DeCA Director<br />
and CEO Philip E. Sakowitz Jr.<br />
“I have to say that we achieved this<br />
because we never lost sight of our<br />
<strong>com</strong>mitment to our No. 1 priority<br />
– delivering a premier <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
benefit to America’s military and<br />
their families.”<br />
Generating sales of $5.98<br />
billion, customer transactions<br />
increased at stores worldwide,<br />
with DeCA reporting customer<br />
savings of $2.77 billion.<br />
“Our mission is to bring<br />
this valued nonpay benefit to<br />
the deserving men and women<br />
of our armed forces, military<br />
retirees and their families, and<br />
to maximize their savings” said<br />
Sakowitz. “We have done that<br />
and more this year, and for that<br />
I thank our loyal customers and<br />
everyone at DeCA.”<br />
In just its second year, Guard<br />
and Reserve on-site sales brought<br />
in $9.1 million in sales and<br />
saved customers $4.2 million.<br />
There were other campaigns<br />
and programs – not to mention<br />
coupon redemption – that also<br />
put customer savings over the top.<br />
“We have passed along a<br />
tremendous savings to our<br />
customers that equates to an<br />
annual savings of about $3,300<br />
for a family of four,” Sakowitz<br />
explained. “I cannot tell you how<br />
<strong>com</strong>forting it is to know that in<br />
!<br />
hotsales<br />
Doraleen Wells, cashier at Fort Lee Commissary, Va., treats her customers to a<br />
charming smile at checkout. DeCA photo: Rick Brink<br />
today’s struggling economy we<br />
are able to not only provide this<br />
benefit – we are able to help them<br />
save money as well.”<br />
The agency’s marketing<br />
campaigns, as well as its sales and<br />
informational programs, served to<br />
strengthen customers’ <strong>com</strong>mitment<br />
Fort Campbell joins seven stores<br />
hitting million transactions in fiscal 2009<br />
1. NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 1,318,893i<br />
2. NB San Diego, Calif. 1,232,138h<br />
3. Fort Belvoir, Va. 1,141,796h<br />
4. Ramstein AB, Germany 1,136,388h<br />
5. Fort Lewis, Wash. 1,108,801i<br />
6. Fort Campbell, Ky. 1,087,645h<br />
7. Fort Bragg South, N.C. 1,057,499h<br />
8. Fort Meade, Md. 1,027,255hn<br />
ih Indicates <strong>com</strong>parison to fiscal 2008 figure<br />
to take advantage of their benefit<br />
and shop at the <strong>com</strong>missary.<br />
“And from our achievement,<br />
we were able to pass along<br />
$2.77 billion in savings to our<br />
customers, proving that shopping<br />
the <strong>com</strong>missary is truly ‘worth the<br />
trip!’”n<br />
‘Million transactions club’<br />
15
16 17 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
HOT STORE-LEVEL RECORDS<br />
MCLB Albany, Ga. Jul Meat record sales day $6,781<br />
Bangor ANGB, Maine Jul Produce, deli record sales day $4,690, $1,906<br />
NBK Bangor, Wash. Sep Record sales year $30.4 million<br />
Barksdale AFB, La. Sep Record sales day $153,000<br />
Camp Lejeune, N.C. May Record sales day $264,000<br />
Chievres, Belgium May Case lot record sales day $80,843<br />
Sep Record sales day $75,251<br />
Fort Drum, N.Y. Jun Record sales day $143,113<br />
Fort Gillem, Ga. May Case lot record sales day, another record next day $212,132, $157,351<br />
Fort Jackson, S.C. Jun Meat record sales day $21,867<br />
Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. May Record sales day $270,169<br />
Fort Rucker, Ala. Jul Meat record sales day $18,651<br />
Fort Sill, Okla. Sep Record sales year $36.8 million<br />
Gunter AFB, Ala. May Case lot record sales day $104,133<br />
Mountain Home AFB, Idaho Sep Record sales day $73,000<br />
NSB New London, Conn. Jul Produce record sales day $10,910<br />
NAS Pensacola, Fla. Jul Produce record sales day $19,370<br />
Robins AFB, Ga. May Record sales day $191,649<br />
NSU Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Jul Record sales $419,907<br />
Travis AFB, Calif. Sep Case lot record sales $217,320<br />
NAS Whidbey Island, Wash. Sep Record sales day $198,340n<br />
Dinner’s<br />
on us<br />
Corporals Shana Landry and Christine Markus enjoy the annual spaghetti luncheon<br />
hosted by Cherry Point Commissary, N.C. Industry donates menu items, and<br />
volunteer base chefs prepare the meals. DeCA photo: Phyllis Blackn
Kevin L. Robinson<br />
Office of <strong>com</strong>munication<br />
C<br />
ustomers are satisfied<br />
with their <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
benefit. That’s the<br />
message DeCA received<br />
from more than 20,000 shoppers<br />
in the 2009 Commissary<br />
<strong>Customer</strong> Service Survey.<br />
The overall score of 4.67 (on<br />
a scale of 1 to 5) was DeCA’s<br />
highest mark ever, representing<br />
a rise of 0.6 points over 2008’s<br />
CCSS results.<br />
“It’s wonderful news to hear<br />
from our customers that they<br />
feel this strongly about their<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary benefit,” said Philip<br />
E. Sakowitz Jr., DeCA director<br />
and CEO. “These numbers are<br />
off the charts – in every category<br />
– and it’s a testament to the fine<br />
work and dedication of our team<br />
members to deliver the best<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary benefit possible to the<br />
greatest customers in the world.”<br />
Commissary survey results<br />
... shot way too small<br />
A<br />
ww, what a shame — really cool photos shot the<br />
size of postage stamps. Seems like a crime not to<br />
use them.<br />
Photos for publication need to be shot with high<br />
resolution in a size of at least 5-by-7, since enlarging<br />
the original size makes a picture too grainy for use<br />
in magazines.n<br />
Clockwise from top left, industry partners procured<br />
a giant electronic billboard for nearly three weeks<br />
in August and September, promoting the benefit<br />
at Moffett Field Commissary, Calif. Fort Benning<br />
Commissary, Ga., nails a Snapple merchandising<br />
<strong>com</strong>petition with this thirst-quenching helicopter. A<br />
DeCA pinata — possibly the first of its kind — makes<br />
its debut at organization day at Incirlik Commissary,<br />
Turkey, in October. Camp Humphreys Commissary,<br />
South Korea, advertises its case lot sale in a big way<br />
with a magnetic sign on the side of a base shuttle<br />
bus. DeCA photos<br />
!<br />
DeCA hits all-time high scores<br />
in 2009 customer <strong>service</strong> survey<br />
DeCA conducted this year’s<br />
survey over 10 days beginning<br />
July 8 at its stores worldwide.<br />
<strong>Customer</strong>s answered 14 questions<br />
designed to measure their overall<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary shopping experience.<br />
Questions focused on areas such<br />
as savings and prices, product<br />
quality, selection and availability,<br />
store hours, employee customer<br />
<strong>service</strong>, décor and appearance,<br />
and checkout procedures.<br />
The resulting 21,326 responses<br />
were measured on a 5-point<br />
rating scale, ranging from 1,<br />
“very poor,” to 5, “very good.”<br />
The survey was administered<br />
to <strong>com</strong>missary customers three<br />
times per day, each day of the<br />
survey period. The response<br />
rate was 88 percent. The overall<br />
score is an average of the 14 item<br />
scores.<br />
Really cool photos ...<br />
The top three items receiving<br />
the highest ratings were<br />
“courteous, friendly and helpful<br />
employees” at 4.81, “overall<br />
satisfaction” at 4.78, and “meat<br />
quality and selection” at 4.72. All<br />
items rose by at least 0.03 points<br />
from the 2008 survey.<br />
From its inception in<br />
1991, DeCA has surveyed its<br />
customers. First, the agency<br />
used the Air Force’s <strong>Customer</strong><br />
Service and Evaluation System, a<br />
measurement based on a 0-100<br />
rating scale. However, in 2000,<br />
the agency adopted the CCSS<br />
because the survey is custommade<br />
for evaluating <strong>com</strong>missaries.<br />
“We appreciate our customers’<br />
opinion about their benefit and<br />
recognize it as a bar that is set<br />
for our future performance,”<br />
Sakowitz said.n<br />
17
!<br />
Merchandising talents honored in three contests<br />
2009 Penguins<br />
Buzz has it that penguins are migrating in<br />
staggering numbers to two U.S. locations.<br />
One of the sites, Aberdeen Proving Ground,<br />
Md., at least offers winter snow and ice, but<br />
what kind of penguins settle in sunny Florida?<br />
Amber, gold and silver Penguins from the<br />
National Frozen and Refrigerated Food Association,<br />
that’s what kind.<br />
The NFRFA awards amber, gold and silver<br />
Penguins in three annual <strong>com</strong>petitions: March<br />
Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, and Ice<br />
Cream and Novelties featured in June and July.<br />
March Frozen Food Month<br />
Gold<br />
Tinker Commissary, Okla. (3): Best Department,<br />
Best End Cap, Overall Store Promotion<br />
Eglin Commissary, Fla., won gold in both Best End Cap and<br />
Best Department categories, along with a silver for overall<br />
store promotion. DeCA photo: Maggie Hayden<br />
18 19 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
Aberdeen Commissary, Md. (2): Best Department<br />
Display, Overall Store Promotion<br />
Kirtland Commissary, N.M.: Best End Cap<br />
Silver<br />
Aberdeen Commissary, Md.: Best End Cap (2 nd<br />
consecutive)<br />
Davis-Monthan Commissary, Ariz.: Best End Cap<br />
Fort Bliss Commissary, Texas: Best End Cap<br />
Kirtland Commissary, N.M.: Best Department<br />
Little Creek Commissary, Va.: Best Department<br />
McClellan Commissary, Calif.: Overall Store<br />
Promotion (2 nd consecutive)<br />
Nellis Commissary, Nev.: Overall Store Promotion<br />
Quantico Commissary, Va.: Best End Cap (3 rd<br />
consecutive)<br />
Sheppard Commissary, Texas: Best Department<br />
June Dairy Month<br />
Amber (3 rd consecutive gold)<br />
Eglin Commissary, Fla.: Best End Cap<br />
Gold<br />
Aberdeen Commissary, Md. (2): Best End Cap,<br />
Best Department<br />
Eglin Commissary, Md.: Best Department (2 nd<br />
consecutive)<br />
Fort Leonard Wood Commissary, Mo.: Overall<br />
Store Promotion<br />
Silver<br />
Beale Commissary, Calif.: Best End Cap<br />
Eglin Commissary, Fla.: Overall Store Promotion<br />
Travis Commissary, Calif.: Best End Cap<br />
June-July Ice Cream & Novelties<br />
Gold<br />
Aberdeen Commissary, Md.: Northeast<br />
Aberdeen Commissary won gold in all three<br />
<strong>com</strong>petitions this year, thanks to talented Diane<br />
Mann, grocery manager.<br />
“Ms. Mann is the focal point of the Penguins,”<br />
said Store Director Tammy Spickler. “She rallies<br />
the sales representatives to participate and, this<br />
w<br />
Right, Tinker Commissary, Okla., featured a living<br />
Susan Murphy, aka Ginormica, from the movie,<br />
“Monsters vs. Aliens,” for March Frozen Food<br />
Month. The “star,” storeworker Kisa Adams,<br />
created her costume and donned a wig to bring the<br />
promotion theme alive. DeCA photo: John Spaur
year, General Mills stepped up and helped with the<br />
displays and demos. Ms. Mann’s imagination is<br />
absolutely sensational.”<br />
Another of DeCA’s traditional winners, Eglin<br />
Commissary, Fla., could not <strong>com</strong>pete in this year’s<br />
March Frozen Food Month <strong>com</strong>petition with a major<br />
renovation going on, but it rebounded with a third<br />
gold to achieve a coveted amber Penguin for June<br />
Dairy Month.<br />
Inspiring minds<br />
With such sources of inspiration as Aberdeen<br />
and Eglin, other <strong>com</strong>missaries are building the<br />
foundations for a Penguin tradition of their own. This<br />
year, Zone 8 celebrated seven wins.<br />
“To my knowledge, Zone 8 had never won a<br />
Penguin,” said Zone Manager Ron McMasters.<br />
“Then last year, Tinker Commissary, Okla., won two<br />
silver, and this year, the zone won four gold and three<br />
silver. I’ve got a great team, and I’m proud to be a<br />
part of their success,” he said, adding that he calls<br />
Zone 8, “The Mighty Eighth,” a salute to World War<br />
II’s renowned Eighth Army Air Forces.<br />
Tinker Store Director John Spaur said his team<br />
was fully <strong>com</strong>mitted to joining the ranks of stores<br />
like Eglin and Aberdeen, which he calls “the Gold<br />
Penguin Masters.”<br />
“We began last year with hopes of winning a<br />
gold Penguin in any category,” Spaur said. “We were<br />
intent on putting Tinker on the map. We fell a bit<br />
short of our goal, winning two silver Penguins. We<br />
were of course delighted, but also disappointed.”<br />
He said those achievements set the stage to<br />
Kirtland Commissary, N.M., picked up both gold and<br />
silver Penguins, with a gold for Best End Cap. DeCA<br />
photo<br />
20 21 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
Quantico Commissary, Va., achieved its fifth year of Penguin<br />
wins. DeCA photo<br />
step up to the next level and bring home the gold.<br />
“We then knew how high the bar had to be set, and<br />
the tremendous amount of work and <strong>com</strong>mitment<br />
required to win.”<br />
Like Tinker, Fort Leonard Wood Commissary,<br />
Mo., also had a pair of silvers and longed for gold but,<br />
apparently, one gold is never enough.<br />
“Our goal is definitely to win gold again next<br />
year,” said Store Director Wanda Dotson. “Our<br />
gold Penguin needs a mate. I was never disappointed<br />
to win second place, but first – what a great feeling.”<br />
Quantico prevails<br />
Well on its way to a winning tradition appears<br />
to be Quantico Commissary, Va., with a five-year<br />
streak of wins. Their strategy?<br />
“We strive daily to provide only the best to our<br />
patrons, to include our creative ventures,” said<br />
Store Director Carrie Butler. “With a theme such<br />
as ‘Monsters vs. Aliens,’ we couldn’t go wrong.<br />
Coordinating with industry, we took this theme to a<br />
higher level – space! Quantico is fortunate to have<br />
amazing creativity within our team. I am proud of<br />
their efforts.”n
!<br />
Six-figure on-site sales<br />
Fort Gillem, Ga., @ Chattanooga, Tenn. Sep 09 $286,959<br />
NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
@ American Samoa<br />
Apr 09 $283,845<br />
Fort Gillem @ Atlanta May 09 $258,827<br />
Fort Gillem @ Chattanooga Mar 09 $253,292<br />
Fort Gillem @ Chattanooga Jun 09 $250,243<br />
NB Pearl Harbor @ American Samoa Aug 08 $250,222<br />
Fort Bragg South, N.C. @ Charlotte, N.C. Jun 08 $248,250<br />
Fort Gillem @ Atlanta Jul-Aug 09 $246,659<br />
NB Pearl Harbor @ Hilo, Hawaii May 09 $238,570<br />
Fort Bragg South @ Charlotte Apr 08 $233,414<br />
Fort Gillem @ Atlanta Mar 09 $221,218<br />
NB Pearl Harbor @ Hilo Oct 08 $216,940<br />
Fort Bragg South @ Charlotte Dec 08 $211,279<br />
Eglin AFB, Fla. @ Duke Field, Fla. May 09 $200,615<br />
Fort Gillem @ Chattanooga Dec 08 $199,486<br />
NAS Jacksonville, Fla. @ Miami Apr 08 $191,476<br />
NB Pearl Harbor @ Hilo Oct 07 $187,000<br />
Fort Jackson, S.C. @ Greenville, S.C. Oct 08 $181,624<br />
NAS Jacksonville, Fla. @ Miami Apr 09 $180,798<br />
Fort Campbell, Ky. @ Knoxville, Tenn. Apr 09 $166,405<br />
Patrick AFB, Fla. @ Miami Nov 08 $165,000<br />
Fort Jackson @ Greenville Jun 08 $162,085<br />
Fort Bragg South @ Charlotte Aug 09 $156,739<br />
Maxwell AFB, Ala. @ Fort McClellan, Ala. Oct 08 $155,405<br />
Fort Jackson @ Greenville Aug 09 $148,585<br />
Fort Sam Houston, Texas @ Houston Jun 08 $144,195<br />
Fort Gillem @ Atlanta Apr 08 $142,043<br />
Fort Gillem @ Chattanooga Jun 08 $128,000<br />
Fort Campbell @ Knoxville Aug 08 $124,105<br />
NCBC Gulfport & Keesler AFB, Miss.<br />
@ Camp Shelby, Miss<br />
Feb 09 $113,679<br />
Fort Drum, N.Y. @ Burlington, Vt. Jun 09 $106,381<br />
Keesler @ Camp Shelby Jul 09 $105,021<br />
Little Rock AFB, Ark.<br />
@ Camp Robinson, Ark.<br />
(through fiscal 2009)<br />
Mar 08 $101,043<br />
Little Rock @ Camp Robinson Oct 08 $100,844<br />
Eglin @ Mobile, Ala. Oct 08 $100,362<br />
Total events, fiscal 2009: 165<br />
Total transactions: 82,888<br />
Total sales: $9.1 million<br />
Total savings: $4.2 million<br />
Senior Airman Jeffrey Folds, member of the<br />
Air Force Reserve Command’s 94th Airlift<br />
Wing in Atlanta, shops with his children<br />
at an on-site sale hosted by Fort Gillem<br />
Commissary, Ga. The store brings four sales<br />
a year to this location, with the latest event<br />
ringing up more than $250,000 in sales.<br />
U.S. Air Force Reserve Command Photo:<br />
Don Peekn<br />
21
1959 –<br />
50 years of <strong>service</strong><br />
Kaiserslautern Central<br />
Distribution Center celebrates<br />
legacy of customer <strong>service</strong><br />
Austin Romesburg III<br />
Chief, Kaiserslautern Central Distribution Center<br />
O<br />
n March 2, 2009, DeCA’s Kaiserslautern<br />
Central Distribution Center in<br />
Kaiserslautern, Germany, proudly <strong>com</strong>pleted<br />
50 years of quality support to American<br />
forces and their families.<br />
Otherwise fondly known as Kaiserslautern Cold<br />
Storage, or KCS, it was planned in 1955 and built<br />
between 1956 and 1959, be<strong>com</strong>ing the U.S. forces’<br />
largest “refrigerator” at a cost of 9 million deutsche<br />
marks, or about $2.1 million. It has about 125,000<br />
square feet of floor space, enough to ac<strong>com</strong>modate<br />
450,000 cases of frozen and chilled products.<br />
The Defense Logistics Agency assumed<br />
responsibility for European subsistence support<br />
on April 1, 1979, after 20 years as a U.S. Army<br />
organization, and KCS then became an important<br />
part of Defense Subsistence Region Europe.<br />
From 1995 to Sept. 30, 1997, KCS operated<br />
under the Defense Distribution Region East and<br />
22 23 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
makinghistory<br />
remained responsible for Europe-wide troop support<br />
and <strong>com</strong>missaries. During the summer of 1997,<br />
the activity underwent a significant transition in<br />
preparation for yet another change of leadership,<br />
as DeCA assumed <strong>com</strong>mand, be<strong>com</strong>ing the sole<br />
customer of what is believed to be the largest cold<br />
storage facility in Europe.<br />
DeCA takes charge<br />
For this transition, all troop issue stock was<br />
removed, replaced by freeze stock from what was<br />
then DeCA’s Rotterdam Cold Storage facility in<br />
Holland. For the first time, on Oct. 1, 1997, KCS<br />
focused solely on supplying frozen and chilled<br />
products to all U.S. <strong>com</strong>missaries throughout Europe,<br />
ushering in a new era of operation.<br />
The facility is located just east of Ramstein<br />
Air Base, America’s largest military base outside<br />
the continental United States, and the largest<br />
concentration of Americans living outside the<br />
United States. From the beginning, its location<br />
was convenient to military air, <strong>com</strong>mercial rail and<br />
highway routes. While rail transport is no longer<br />
used, its location continues to be a logistical attribute.<br />
Today, 135 people operate KCS, about 89<br />
percent of whom are local nationals from nine<br />
countries. Working three shifts, today’s distribution<br />
professionals continue the proud heritage established<br />
by the initial cadre, known as the “’59er Club,” based<br />
on the KCS year of establishment.<br />
An average warehouse inventory value of $11<br />
million is reinforced by weekly oceangoing container<br />
shipments from the United States. These containers<br />
are first offloaded at Antwerp, Belgium, then travel<br />
on Rhein River barges to the container port of<br />
Germersheim, Germany. From there they are trucked<br />
the final two hours to KCS.<br />
Employees handle about 950,000 cases of 1,900<br />
different products each month, from frozen pizzas<br />
to Thanksgiving turkeys destined for the homes of<br />
American <strong>com</strong>missary customers. This massive effort
!<br />
2009<br />
involves receiving and shipping nearly 11 million<br />
cases of food a year. Through 50 years of operation,<br />
more than 550 million cases of subsistence moved<br />
through KCS by refrigerated containers, vans and rail<br />
cars. The 697,000 trucks and trailers, if placed endon-end,<br />
would make a convoy more than 7,500 miles<br />
long.<br />
<strong>Customer</strong>s from 50 countries<br />
KCS customers are varied and widely spread<br />
over the hemisphere. <strong>Commissaries</strong>, annexes,<br />
NEXMARTs, embassies and charge sale customers<br />
are located in more than 50 countries, including<br />
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria,<br />
Norway, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Italy, Greece,<br />
Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.<br />
Changing support requirements due to military<br />
transformation in Europe over the past few years<br />
have caused some mission realignment of functions<br />
and operations. Because of reduced demands and<br />
limited storage space at the stores, many European<br />
suppliers deliver their products directly to KCS rather<br />
than to individual <strong>com</strong>missaries. KCS then segregates<br />
and cross-docks the products to the customers, along<br />
with the wide variety of U.S. items requested from<br />
the warehouses.<br />
In the dawn hours at Kaiserslautern Cold Storage,<br />
containers stand ready to unload after being trucked<br />
two hours from the port at Germersheim, Germany.<br />
DeCA photo: wallyimages.<strong>com</strong><br />
Improvements galore<br />
Without interruption of the mission and virtually<br />
unnoticed by customers, many renovation and<br />
construction projects were ac<strong>com</strong>plished over<br />
the years to improve the facility and streamline<br />
operations.<br />
A new warehouse room was added in 1987,<br />
expanding storage capacity by 12,300 square feet.<br />
The dock was expanded and enclosed in 1991, and 16<br />
hydraulic ramps were installed to ease loading and<br />
offloading of countless vehicles. Since 1997, a new,<br />
decentralized refrigeration system, new racking,<br />
high-speed doors and improved interior lighting were<br />
installed. An automated warehouse management<br />
system was installed in 2001, and voice-activated<br />
picking was added in 2007. Both automation<br />
initiatives were DeCA firsts.<br />
Edited by Gerri Young, DeCA Europe public<br />
affairs officer<br />
w<br />
23
TEAM KCS<br />
Cold<br />
storage,<br />
warm<br />
hearts<br />
24 25 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
Proud professionals<br />
continue tradition of<br />
quality support<br />
Austin Romesburg III<br />
Chief, Kaiserslautern Central Distribution Center<br />
Over the past half century, the proud<br />
professionals of Kaiserslautern Cold<br />
Storage, Germany, continuously put<br />
forth their effort and talents to ensure<br />
the military and their families were<br />
provided with first-class perishable
subsistence. The supply chain<br />
was never broken; the doors<br />
were never closed – they served<br />
their customers with fine style.<br />
These people of KCS have always<br />
given their best and adjusted<br />
as necessary to get the job done<br />
right.<br />
Since DeCA took over in 1997,<br />
the range of items stocked soared<br />
from 1,200 lines to more than Austin Romesburg III<br />
1,900 lines. Commitment and<br />
teamwork brought the activity to its present level of<br />
operations at the tip of the sword through a state-ofthe-art<br />
warehousing management system, ongoing<br />
facility improvements, office upgrades and increased<br />
automation capabilities.<br />
Partnership with DeCA’s nearby Consolidated<br />
Meat Processing Plant resulted in an efficient and<br />
economical distribution system for providing fresh<br />
beef to customers. The transformation of military<br />
operations in Europe continues to evolve, so we can<br />
only pause a moment to reflect upon yesterday’s<br />
ac<strong>com</strong>plishments.<br />
We have not reached the end of our journey.<br />
Today, tomorrow and beyond will bring new<br />
demands and challenges to be met, and the workforce<br />
!<br />
of KCS will translate the concept of “can do” into<br />
“will do” actions. We will capitalize on automation<br />
capabilities to increase our value to our customers<br />
and the agency. As we grow, we’ll continue to liaison<br />
with our business partners to achieve best business<br />
practices and serve as a benchmark in attracting<br />
additional business. Innovation, creativity and<br />
boldness must be our guidelines in conquering future<br />
challenges. Using our successes of yesterday as a<br />
springboard, I’m confident the professionals of KCS<br />
will make it happen into the future.<br />
As we celebrated our 50 th anniversary, we<br />
realized our mission and ac<strong>com</strong>plishments rely<br />
heavily upon our successful bonds with many other<br />
activities. Buyers, stock controllers, vendors, store<br />
directors, transportation carriers, vehicle operators,<br />
mechanics, veterinarians, guards, engineers and<br />
construction personnel, <strong>com</strong>puter operators, clerks,<br />
technicians, specialists, and managers of numerous<br />
disciplines constitute the many participants in the<br />
logistics of providing subsistence to the ultimate<br />
customers – the American forces and their families.<br />
The workforce of KCS is proud of its<br />
ac<strong>com</strong>plishments and stands ready to continue the<br />
spirit of quality support to American forces through<br />
the <strong>com</strong>ing years.<br />
‘American cold storage’<br />
Huge facility buzzes with activity<br />
Gerri Young<br />
DeCA Europe public affairs officer<br />
M<br />
ost people drive down<br />
the road to the east<br />
gate of Ramstein<br />
Air Base, Germany,<br />
without giving the large, low<br />
building behind the trees a second<br />
thought. Observant among<br />
them might wonder what the<br />
brown sign on the road means<br />
by “Amerikanische Kuehlhaus,”<br />
German for “American Cold<br />
Storage.” They’ve <strong>com</strong>e to know<br />
the turn brings them to the ELVS<br />
gate, as in Elvis Presley, followed<br />
by a quick right turn to encounter<br />
a security gate not considered<br />
part of the military security<br />
force network on the base. The<br />
differences are easy to see.<br />
A team of KCS-contracted<br />
guards perform around-the-clock<br />
security for the installation. There<br />
is no other gate quite like it. To<br />
the right is a picnic table sitting<br />
next to a small fish pond built<br />
by the head guard, Horst Lieb,<br />
who has worked at KCS for nine<br />
years. On the left is a mannequin<br />
dressed as a gate guard and “on<br />
duty” 24 hours a day. All visitors<br />
to the installation are provided<br />
with a visitors badge at the gate<br />
and given instructions where to<br />
park for the type business they are<br />
conducting. A warm and friendly<br />
reception is the norm.<br />
Directly in front of the gate, a<br />
huge spread of asphalt for the 780<br />
trucks a month awaits for loading<br />
or unloading. To the right is a<br />
picnic pavilion for fair weather<br />
lunches or team-building parties.<br />
The enormously long and low<br />
building, containing offices, docks<br />
and giant freeze and chill rooms,<br />
sits between the container staging<br />
area and the picnic ground.<br />
The constant movement of<br />
frozen and chilled merchandise<br />
is the lifeblood of the place as<br />
arctic-parka-clad employees in<br />
high-tech headgear buzz expertly<br />
back and forth between subzero<br />
temperatures in the freeze rooms<br />
to the 806-foot shipping and<br />
receiving dock. Myriad trucks<br />
line up at the doors, consuming<br />
or disgorging hundreds of pallets<br />
of freight each day. Only a few<br />
years ago did this decidedly<br />
male atmosphere start to include<br />
female forklift drivers.<br />
Visitors to the cold rooms<br />
sometimes wear arctic parkas<br />
w<br />
25
provided to them in the office.<br />
Sometimes they try to be macho<br />
about it and go inside in their<br />
street clothes, never able to last<br />
as long as their seasoned escorts<br />
in light jackets. Photographers<br />
with video or still cameras shoot<br />
quickly, challenged by the cold<br />
or the enormity of the rooms<br />
swallowing the light, never giving<br />
it back.<br />
Many local nationals have<br />
devoted their entire work lives<br />
to this place. In 2000, Klaus<br />
Brandstaedter was the last of<br />
the “’59ers” to retire, having been<br />
among the very first employees<br />
to open the operation in 1959.<br />
By the time the 50 th anniversary<br />
26 27 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
celebration was held, no member<br />
of this elite group attended as they<br />
had the 40 th anniversary party,<br />
having passed away or be<strong>com</strong>e too<br />
ill to attend.<br />
Hidden away from the hustle<br />
and bustle of receiving and<br />
shipping in a workshop at the<br />
back of the building is a group of<br />
four talented mechanics devoted<br />
to keeping the materiel handling<br />
equipment in top operating<br />
condition. This includes 57<br />
forklifts and 23 walker-riders<br />
and order pickers. A mechanic<br />
is assigned on each shift and<br />
stands ready to address any<br />
other mechanical problems on<br />
equipment such as dock levelers,<br />
Forklifts from a fleet of 57 hustle to select requested items<br />
from the shelves in the cold storage facility. DeCA photo:<br />
wallyimages.<strong>com</strong><br />
spin-wrap machines and highspeed<br />
doors.<br />
In the lower level of the<br />
building, past the KCS polar<br />
bear sculpture, sits the Germanoperated<br />
“Kantine,” dishing<br />
out hot lunches of homemade<br />
food like schnitzel and fries with<br />
salad, meatloaf with potatoes<br />
and vegetables, or spaghetti with<br />
meat sauce and salad; hardy<br />
food for hardy workers, cooked<br />
by Heinrich and Maike Frick<br />
for the past eight years. Midday<br />
finds workers young and old<br />
shedding part of their many layers<br />
of clothing to warm up, fill their<br />
stomachs, or occupy their minds<br />
with television or a game of cards.<br />
The administrative offices<br />
modernized along with the<br />
warehouse over the years with<br />
<strong>com</strong>puterization and modern<br />
furniture, but, as in the past,<br />
the makeup of the staff is still<br />
primarily local national. In the<br />
front office, only the chief is<br />
American, supported by a team of<br />
four German women with a total<br />
of 140 years of <strong>service</strong>.<br />
The sense of family is as<br />
strong here as the refrigeration<br />
system is cold. The old-timers<br />
train the new<strong>com</strong>ers and bring<br />
them into the fold by a regimen of<br />
well-learned teaching and goodhearted<br />
teasing. They proudly<br />
show off their facility and skills<br />
to the many visitors touring KCS<br />
every year. To be escorted by<br />
the chief, Austin Romesburg,<br />
with 49 years of experience in<br />
the logistics field, or his deputy<br />
Wiltrud von Wallis, a German<br />
local national who started at KCS<br />
in 1972, or the facilities project<br />
manager Agron Mece, is to get<br />
a true sense of the family ties this<br />
international group of employees<br />
has developed and nurtured over<br />
the years.<br />
They know what they do is<br />
important and they do it well.n
Kevin L. Robinson<br />
Office of <strong>com</strong>munication<br />
T<br />
here was a time when military <strong>com</strong>missaries<br />
were staffed by soldiers, sailors, airmen,<br />
Marines and Coast Guardsmen working right<br />
alongside civilians. These uniformed members<br />
served as cashiers, stockers, store officers and more.<br />
Those days are long gone. In October, however,<br />
DeCA took a page from that past by adding senior<br />
enlisted advisors to its regional offices.<br />
Joining Command Sgt. Maj.<br />
Victor M. Garcia, DeCA’s senior<br />
enlisted advisor to the director, are<br />
Army Reserve Sgt. Maj. Linda<br />
K. Ricker in DeCA Europe, Air<br />
National Guard Chief Master<br />
Sgt. Larry Fullilove in DeCA<br />
East, and Coast Guard Reserve<br />
Master Chief Petty Officer Joe<br />
L. Valdez in DeCA West.<br />
“We thought it was only<br />
Victor M. Garcia<br />
right, being that we had a<br />
<strong>com</strong>mand sergeant major at the<br />
headquarters, that we should also have some senior<br />
enlisted leadership in the regions,” said Philip E.<br />
Sakowitz Jr., DeCA director and CEO. “Fortunately<br />
we were able to do that with the cooperation of<br />
the military <strong>service</strong>s. These are our senior enlisted<br />
advisors – professional leaders, experienced,<br />
multi<strong>service</strong> and diverse.”<br />
The added manpower will help Garcia in his<br />
mission of advising DeCA’s civilian leadership about<br />
the needs of enlisted <strong>service</strong> members’ <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
benefit and connecting with the senior enlisted<br />
leaders of the armed <strong>service</strong>s. The agency’s senior<br />
enlisted advisors are also military advocates for<br />
DeCA customers – the 12 million active duty,<br />
retired and forces in reserve and their families –<br />
and responsible for increasing the awareness of<br />
the <strong>com</strong>missary benefit and its savings to these<br />
authorized patrons.<br />
DeCA’s decision to add senior enlisted advisors to<br />
its geographic areas mirrors the Army and Air Force<br />
Exchange Service, which currently employs an Air<br />
Force chief master sergeant in the senior enlisted<br />
advisor position at its Dallas headquarters, and two<br />
Army sergeants major – one in the Pacific and the<br />
other in Europe.<br />
“Since be<strong>com</strong>ing the <strong>com</strong>missary’s senior<br />
enlisted advisor almost a year and a half ago, the<br />
opportunities to talk with <strong>service</strong> members and their<br />
!<br />
peoplealways<br />
‘Back to the future’<br />
New senior enlisted advisors<br />
start region assignments<br />
Three new senior enlisted advisors expand DeCA’s<br />
military outreach: Sgt. Maj. Linda K. Ricker, Chief<br />
Master Sgt. Larry Fullilove, and Master Chief Petty<br />
Officer Joe L. Valdez. DeCA photo<br />
families have taken me around the world,” Garcia<br />
said. “However, this is not a one-man job. I want all<br />
of our uniformed <strong>com</strong>missary authorized patrons to<br />
have someone in their area who can listen to their<br />
needs and address their concerns about their benefit<br />
– someone who walks in their shoes and knows what<br />
it’s like to be deployed and away from their families.”<br />
Collectively, DeCA’s regional senior enlisted<br />
advisors have almost 90 years of military experience.<br />
Ricker, for example, has served in the Army<br />
Reserve for 27 years, and was deployed to Iraq<br />
from March 2008 to March 2009 and mobilized in<br />
support of Operation Enduring Freedom.<br />
Fullilove, a veteran of 36 years in <strong>service</strong>, was<br />
mobilized for operations Desert Shield, Desert<br />
Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, as<br />
well as support of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.<br />
Valdez is a veteran of 24 years in the Coast Guard<br />
Reserve and more than 12 years of other military<br />
<strong>service</strong> including active duty in the Air Force and the<br />
Army Active Guard Reserve program, and reserve<br />
<strong>service</strong> in the Army Reserve and the Texas Army<br />
National Guard. He was mobilized on active duty for<br />
seven years with the Coast Guard immediately after<br />
the 9/11 terrorist attacks.<br />
“As senior enlisted advisors, we are here to<br />
help connect our authorized customers with their<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary benefit,” Garcia said.n<br />
27
28 29 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4
Talent wanted for people with targeted disabilities<br />
According to Grant, the renewed effort by DoD<br />
Dr. Pete Skirbunt<br />
Office of <strong>com</strong>munication<br />
DeCA intends to hire at least 189<br />
“individuals with targeted disabilities,” or<br />
IWTDs, in the next few years.<br />
This hiring effort will be part of<br />
an overall goal mandated by the Department of<br />
Defense of ultimately having 2 percent of the entire<br />
DoD workforce made up of individuals with these<br />
disabilities. DeCA presently employs 126 such<br />
individuals, so the additional 189 would bring the<br />
agency’s total to 315 — and that is 2 percent of the<br />
agency’s 15,714 civilian employees who are not<br />
contract workers or “local nationals” working at<br />
overseas stores.<br />
Targeted<br />
‘‘<br />
disabilities<br />
include – but are<br />
not limited to –<br />
hearing or vision<br />
impairments,<br />
missing extremities, and<br />
partial or <strong>com</strong>plete paralysis.<br />
It also includes conditions<br />
such as convulsions, mental<br />
retardation, mental or<br />
emotional illness, and severe<br />
distortion of the limbs or<br />
spine.<br />
Claudie Grant of DeCA’s Equal Employment<br />
Opportunity office stressed that the agency is not<br />
simply filling an arbitrary quota with individuals<br />
who may or may not be qualified for employment.<br />
Instead, DeCA hopes to exceed the numerical goal,<br />
while making sure that all individuals hired meet all<br />
requirements for the positions into which they are<br />
placed.<br />
“Anyone with a targeted disability needs to be just<br />
as qualified as the other top candidates for a given<br />
job,” Grant said. “We will not relax our standards<br />
either in hiring or in job performance just to hire a<br />
person with a targeted disability.”<br />
Cherry Point Commissary, N.C., leads the way in<br />
DeCA in hiring the disabled. Store Director Phyllis<br />
Black calls this team, “The Magnificent Seven.” Josh<br />
Jones kneels in front; seated are Katie Wildermuth,<br />
Samantha Wynn and Tiffany Keyes; and standing,<br />
Manuel George, Grocery Manager Jozette Stewart,<br />
Travis Parker, Black, and Joshua Daugherty. DeCA<br />
photo: Maureen Burnetsky<br />
!<br />
I love working at the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary, talking<br />
to the customers<br />
and meeting people,<br />
asking them if they<br />
found everything OK.<br />
Agency provides equal opportunities<br />
and the agency has been prompted by a decreasing<br />
number of individuals with targeted disabilities<br />
employed by the department. “That means,” he<br />
emphasized, “that we have to not only do a better job<br />
of hiring such individuals, we also have to do a better<br />
job of keeping them.”<br />
While these efforts will be carried out at all<br />
levels – headquarters, regions and <strong>com</strong>missaries<br />
– several stores have already proven themselves to<br />
be remarkably proactive regarding IWTDs. Grant<br />
is especially impressed with the efforts of Store<br />
Director Phyllis Black at Marine Corps Base<br />
Cherry Point, N.C., who recently hired eight such<br />
individuals – that’s 28 percent of the 29 people hired<br />
by the entire agency in recent months.<br />
Black says of her effort,<br />
“It just took off! I got excited<br />
about it, because there’s<br />
nothing these people can’t<br />
do, and I’m glad to give<br />
them a chance to prove<br />
it. They all have positive<br />
attitudes that more than<br />
make up for any problems<br />
their disabilities cause them.<br />
I wish I had more of them!”<br />
Alan Jones, Cherry<br />
Point’s zone manager, is<br />
equally enthusiastic: “We’re thrilled to support this<br />
program that brings us employees with positive<br />
attitudes and great work ethics,” he said. Black’s<br />
efforts recently helped her achieve DeCA’s award as<br />
EEO Leader of the Year.<br />
“If Cherry Point can do it, so can other stores,” Grant<br />
said, “and we’re confident that’s what will happen.<br />
Cherry Point has given everyone an example to<br />
emulate. We’re not asking anyone to show favoritism;<br />
we’re asking that hiring officials give everyone –<br />
including targeted individuals – a fair chance.”<br />
Bob Vitikacs, DeCA East acting director, noted<br />
that stores in his region have recently hired 11 IWTDs<br />
in addition to the eight at Cherry Point. “We’re<br />
encouraging all of our stores to be proactive in this<br />
program,” he said. “Cherry Point’s success is really<br />
an inspiration to everyone. We can help improve<br />
people’s lives and simultaneously improve the<br />
agency.”<br />
Keith Hagenbuch, acting director for DeCA<br />
— Joshua Daugherty<br />
West, said he and the region fully support the<br />
w<br />
29
‘‘<br />
initiative. Chris Burns,<br />
deputy director, noted,<br />
“We’ve provided our<br />
zone managers the<br />
information they need<br />
to help them succeed in<br />
this area, including the<br />
latest statistics on our<br />
IWTD employees, listed<br />
by store. As vacancies<br />
occur, DeCA West’s zone<br />
managers and store<br />
directors work closely<br />
with DeCA EEO to help initiate the employment<br />
process.”<br />
Tom Milks, DeCA’s deputy director and chief<br />
operating officer, directed DeCA Europe last year, and<br />
he pointed out that things work differently in Europe.<br />
“While DeCA Europe totally supports the<br />
EEO initiative of hiring employees with targeted<br />
disabilities, there are obstacles inherent to the<br />
overseas theaters that make this a greater challenge<br />
than in other locations.<br />
30 31 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
I love my job.<br />
Everyone here is<br />
friendly and likes to<br />
help me out. I am learning<br />
things I’ve never had the<br />
opportunity to learn before.<br />
— Manuel George<br />
“When American<br />
personnel are<br />
considered for<br />
overseas transfer,<br />
they’re screened<br />
to ensure any<br />
unusual health<br />
considerations can<br />
be supported by the<br />
limited American<br />
medical facilities in<br />
their duty location,”<br />
he continued. “This<br />
requirement unfortunately limits the application of<br />
individuals with these disabilities for positions in<br />
Europe.”<br />
Although local national employees are not counted<br />
in DoD’s statistics on individuals with targeted<br />
disabilities, DeCA Europe currently has 50 with<br />
identified disabilities who are valued members of its<br />
workforce.<br />
“DeCA Europe also has one U.S. employee<br />
hired under the ‘disabilities’ guidelines, plus 66<br />
U.S. employees and one U.S. student hire with<br />
self-identified medical issues who were not hired<br />
under the disabilities authority,” said Milks. “These<br />
employees contribute greatly to the mission of<br />
serving the American military. They bring a special<br />
aspect to the workplace, making us all more aware<br />
and appreciative of how varied our lives are. We<br />
are grateful to have them on our team and in our<br />
<strong>com</strong>munity.”<br />
At DeCA headquarters, Beverly Cannady, chief<br />
of the contract policy and systems division, currently<br />
employs one employee with a targeted disability<br />
and hopes to soon get another. “We’ve seen a severe<br />
shortage of qualified individuals in contracting<br />
and acquisition over the past few years, and the<br />
disabilities initiative has provided an additional<br />
avenue for recruiting,” she said. “It’s been a very<br />
positive experience that helps both the agency and<br />
the employee.”<br />
The initiative has the full support of DeCA Director<br />
and CEO Philip E. Sakowitz Jr. “DeCA supports<br />
the Individuals with Targeted Disabilities program<br />
100 percent, and will work toward meeting and<br />
exceeding the 2 percent goal,” he said. “It only<br />
makes sense that all people have job opportunities.<br />
That includes not only accessible workplace and<br />
equal opportunities in being hired, but also in<br />
opportunities for training and promotion. We’re<br />
going to do everything we can to make sure this<br />
initiative succeeds.”n<br />
Left, Manuel George places a newly arrived load of<br />
items in the chill box at Cherry Point Commissary,<br />
N.C. DeCA photo: Phyllis Black
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The world's best customers salute the world's best employees<br />
Fort Gillem<br />
I knew Store Director<br />
Jim Black, Fort Gillem<br />
Commissary, Ga., while<br />
stationed at Fort McPherson, Ga.,<br />
and was always appreciative of<br />
the <strong>service</strong> he provided to both<br />
Gillem and McPherson. Imagine<br />
my surprise after I retired in<br />
Chattanooga, Tenn., that Jim and<br />
his crew were providing quarterly Jim Black<br />
<strong>service</strong> to the local Guard armory.<br />
I attended his first on-site sale and could not believe<br />
the number of people that attended. I haven’t<br />
missed a single one of his visits. The time and effort<br />
Jim and his staff devote to these extended visits<br />
are tremendously appreciated by retired military<br />
personnel as well as Guard and Reserve families. It<br />
lets us know we are not the forgotten members of our<br />
military family. Each time Jim and the delightful,<br />
hard-working, friendly crew from Atlanta shows up,<br />
it is a dream <strong>com</strong>e true. I do not know whose idea it<br />
was to provide this <strong>service</strong> to our <strong>service</strong> members<br />
and retirees in the Chattanooga area. What I do know<br />
is it is greatly appreciated, and Jim’s effort in making<br />
this happen is a great credit to him, the <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
agency and the thousands of employees that make<br />
our <strong>service</strong> personnel’s lives a little easier.<br />
Lt. Col. Donald L. “Lee” Norris, U.S. Army, retired<br />
Fort Hood I<br />
Patrick Clayton, <strong>com</strong>puter-assisted ordering<br />
specialist at Fort Hood I Commissary, Texas,<br />
was very helpful and polite. He walked across the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary to find an item for me since I walk with<br />
difficulty. He also got me a second cart, taking my<br />
full one to the front. He could see I was struggling<br />
(Editor’s note: Letters are edited for length and clarity.)<br />
with my overly laden, heavy cart. He is an exemplary<br />
employee and should be <strong>com</strong>mended.<br />
Karen Lisowski<br />
Walter Reed<br />
I am writing to let you know of an outstanding<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary employee at Walter Reed<br />
Commissary, Md. I recently placed two very<br />
large orders in preparation for an overseas move<br />
to Ethiopia. Zella Carver, store associate, had my<br />
order rung up and ready to go when I arrived. She<br />
was incredibly helpful and provided <strong>service</strong> with a<br />
smile. I placed another order two weeks later. She<br />
called to let me know a couple of items had not<br />
arrived, but that she was working to fill the order.<br />
She was true to her word. She called to say the order<br />
was <strong>com</strong>plete. I hope the <strong>com</strong>missary management<br />
realizes what a gem of an employee they have in<br />
Ms. Carver. She made my bulk order a very pleasant<br />
experience.<br />
Lee Malone, spouse of Capt. Joseph Malone,<br />
U.S. Navy, retired<br />
Luke<br />
I would like Silvestre<br />
Chaco, support clerk at Luke<br />
Commissary, Ariz., to be<br />
properly recognized for his day<br />
in, day out professionalism. I am<br />
cognizant of the fact that it’s his<br />
job; however, he goes above and<br />
beyond, not just pointing (when<br />
I ask for the location of an item).<br />
Silvestre Chaco My wife is handicapped and<br />
has a lot of difficulty walking. If<br />
she can’t find something, Silvestre will go get it. He<br />
checks the price and makes re<strong>com</strong>mendations. He is<br />
also so congenial with all customers. We look forward<br />
w<br />
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The world's best customers salute the world's best employees<br />
to Thursdays – he is always there with a smile, ready<br />
to help. Please recognize him for the outstanding job<br />
he does. He’s a definite asset to the <strong>com</strong>missary. He’s<br />
a keeper.<br />
Robert Kaan, U.S. Air Force, retired<br />
Langley<br />
On numerous occasions, when I visited Langley<br />
Commissary, Va., I’ve met Judy Banks, store<br />
associate in produce, through her well-kept area<br />
and helpfulness. She always has a smile and is<br />
very knowledgeable of the items. She has always<br />
taken time to stop whatever she’s doing to assist<br />
the customers, not only me. I highly suggest this<br />
employee be <strong>com</strong>mended among her colleagues.<br />
Daniel Smith Jr.<br />
Kirtland<br />
As the outreach chairperson<br />
for the Kirtland Air Force<br />
Base, N.M., Catholic chapel<br />
<strong>com</strong>munity, I plan monthly<br />
events for our parish. For these<br />
events, I always shop at the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary because of the<br />
convenience, the good prices, and<br />
the wonderful customer <strong>service</strong>.<br />
Recently, I coordinated our<br />
Robert Bernstein<br />
parish picnic for 200 participants,<br />
and Robert Bernstein,<br />
merchandiser, was in charge of my special order. I<br />
<strong>com</strong>mend him for his superior customer <strong>service</strong>. I<br />
gave him a list of items I needed, and he e-mailed<br />
information detailing the specific brands, package<br />
sizes, surcharge amount and total cost. Mr. Bernstein<br />
deserves kudos for being a bargain shopper. He<br />
found low-cost, high-quality items, allowing me to<br />
buy extra snacks because I had funds remaining. He<br />
had everything set aside for me on the morning of the<br />
picnic. It was a very busy day, and I really appreciated<br />
being able to quickly pick up and purchase my order.<br />
I also would like to <strong>com</strong>pliment Mr. Bernstein for<br />
his prompt responses to phone calls and e-mails. In<br />
32 33 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
particular, his willingness to <strong>com</strong>municate made<br />
picnic planning much easier.<br />
Vivian Dep Maheu<br />
Portsmouth<br />
I <strong>com</strong>mend Annette Roberts, store<br />
administrator for Portsmouth Commissary,<br />
Va., for her outstanding <strong>service</strong> by going the<br />
extra mile in such a courteous manner. I was<br />
shopping in the <strong>com</strong>missary when I spotted a<br />
cappuccino product I had been searching for.<br />
Only vanilla and mocha were on the shelf, however,<br />
not the hazelnut I had been searching for everywhere.<br />
I had the box top, so I asked for the manager and was<br />
introduced to Ms. Roberts. She immediately looked<br />
up the cappuccino and told me they did not carry<br />
it, but she would be happy to order it from a larger<br />
area <strong>com</strong>missary. Three cases were available, and I<br />
happily bought all three.<br />
Jean West<br />
Nellis<br />
The finest of your<br />
fine employees at Nellis<br />
Commissary, Nev., cashier Yu<br />
Chen Cato, has been extremely<br />
courteous, polite and helpful,<br />
far beyond my expectations. For<br />
example, if an item is weighed<br />
but looks like the price is too<br />
much, she reweighs it. If a sack is<br />
Yu Chen Cato torn or something is crushed, she<br />
brings the matter to my attention,<br />
thus saving me time, money and aggravation. Ms.<br />
Cato always displays an enthusiastic personality<br />
and concern, with a warm, caring and professional<br />
attitude.<br />
Maj. Paul Thompson, U.S. Air Force, retired<br />
Yongsan<br />
My wife and I visited<br />
Yongsan Commissary, South<br />
Korea, and while approaching<br />
the checkout line, we ran into<br />
Charlie Cho, store manager.<br />
What a pleasant man! While we<br />
were talking, we mentioned that<br />
we were looking for a cheese<br />
slicer. Mr. Cho searched for a<br />
Charlie Cho slicer, and he also had another<br />
employee look in the warehouse.<br />
He returned to us and said he would try to have<br />
some ordered quickly. What a great response! I hope<br />
all your employees take the same customer <strong>service</strong><br />
approach. Mr. Cho is a pleasure to be around, and<br />
you can be sure we will always stop by and say hello.<br />
Russ Fisher
Patch Barracks<br />
Sarafin Cortez, sales store technician, is far<br />
and away the best employee at Patch Barracks<br />
Commissary, Germany. He is consistently friendly,<br />
efficient and fast. He helps the baggers so customers<br />
can get on their way quicker. He is extremely<br />
respectful to every customer, and he knows his<br />
business. I go out of my way to go through his lane<br />
when I check out. He is the model for others to copy.<br />
I have shopped at <strong>com</strong>missaries my entire life – 50<br />
years – and he’s in the top 1 percent I have seen.<br />
Craig Ross<br />
Port Hueneme<br />
I congratulate Port Hueneme Commissary,<br />
Calif., for employing store associate Maria<br />
“Yhoyie” Espirita. Every time I go to the office<br />
to request help or I have a problem with the cash<br />
register accepting my debit card, Ms. Maria is so<br />
cordial and helpful. She always has a warm smile on<br />
her face. This lady is a wonderful troubleshooter and<br />
customer <strong>service</strong> representative, and she has been so<br />
every time I needed help in the past one and a half<br />
years. If I still had my small business, I would try to<br />
hire her away from you.<br />
Senior Master Sgt. Jeff Russell, U.S. Air Force,<br />
retired<br />
North Island<br />
I have shopped at practically<br />
all <strong>com</strong>missaries around the<br />
world; however, none measure up<br />
to North Island Commissary,<br />
Calif. I shop here nearly every<br />
day, and the shelves are always<br />
well stocked; each department<br />
offers outstanding quality, variety<br />
and freshness; displays are<br />
appealing to the eye, with sales Thomas Testerman<br />
prominently marked; and the<br />
store is impeccably clean, with easy access – most<br />
<strong>com</strong>forting. Last but not least, is customer <strong>service</strong> –<br />
courteous, above and beyond, with an “ask and you<br />
shall receive” attitude. Energy and teamwork among<br />
the staff permeate the atmosphere. It’s evident that<br />
under the leadership of Store Director Thomas<br />
Testerman, employees are inspired to give their<br />
very best. I have friends who travel to North Island<br />
Commissary from other towns to shop here. Please<br />
know how grateful I am to have the privilege to shop<br />
here.<br />
Yoshi Tiffany<br />
Menwith Hill<br />
I live in Scotland, and I contacted Store Director<br />
Ricky Potteiger, Menwith Hill Commissary,<br />
England, about the store and the requirements for me<br />
!<br />
to use it. Ricky<br />
came back<br />
straight away<br />
and provided<br />
me with the<br />
information I<br />
needed. He also<br />
volunteered<br />
to escort me<br />
and my family<br />
if we had any<br />
problems<br />
getting on the base. He was friendly and helpful prior<br />
to our arrival, then he made himself and his deputy,<br />
Janice Johnson, available to us during our visit.<br />
These two representatives made our trip down from<br />
Scotland very enjoyable and stress-free – and as<br />
your slogan says, they made it “worth the trip.” Ricky<br />
and Janice’s enthusiasm was evident in the friendly,<br />
helpful staff throughout the <strong>com</strong>missary.<br />
Petty Officer 1st Ricky Potteiger Janice Johnson<br />
Class Joseph Burns, U.S. Navy,<br />
retired<br />
Lackland<br />
I thank the great employees you have working at<br />
Lackland Commissary, Texas. Petra Martinez<br />
and Belinda Connell, store associates, do an<br />
outstanding job helping customers select produce.<br />
Every time I shop at the <strong>com</strong>missary, these two ladies<br />
not only help me, but also all the other customers,<br />
selecting the best fruits and vegetables. We are very<br />
lucky to have dedicated employees like this, who go<br />
out of their way to assist <strong>service</strong> members and their<br />
families. Thanks again, and keep up the good work.<br />
Col. Peter Wojcik, U.S. Army, retired<br />
Vilseck<br />
For Rose Barracks Youth Services, we send a<br />
big thank you to Deputy Store Director Terry Ford<br />
and Michael Maier in the bakery at Vilseck<br />
Commissary, Germany. Thanks to their continued<br />
support and outstanding customer <strong>service</strong>, our<br />
National Kids’ Day has been a huge success, and the<br />
cake was delicious and beautifully decorated. Vilseck<br />
Commissary is the best. Keep up the good work.<br />
Tammy Weightman<br />
Fort Worth<br />
We routinely visit the Fort Worth<br />
Commissary, Texas. On our visit today, we had<br />
the pleasure of again having store associate Patrick<br />
Arredondo serve our needs at the self-<strong>service</strong><br />
checkout. He has been at that position many times<br />
w<br />
33
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The world's best customers salute the world's best employees<br />
when we shopped at the <strong>com</strong>missary. Today, he was<br />
again the helpful, cheerful attendant that we have<br />
<strong>com</strong>e to recognize. No matter how busy or stressful<br />
his day has been, he is always quick to see customer<br />
needs, and he helps with his friendly manner. He<br />
is knowledgeable and well-trained, and we are<br />
appreciative of that. It can be very stressful when<br />
there is a problem at checkout and others are waiting<br />
in line. He resolves the issues so quickly that they are<br />
hardly noticeable. We appreciate him every time we<br />
shop.<br />
Tech. Sgt. Earl Croy<br />
Croughton<br />
I ordered a cake for my son from Croughton<br />
Commissary, England, two weeks in advance.<br />
The cake was not there when I went to pick it up.<br />
Secretary Julie Romine went over and beyond<br />
her duty. I was upset, and she tried to sell me<br />
another cake, but I told her that was not what I<br />
wanted, I wanted the cake my son picked out. She<br />
was going to let me speak to the manager when she<br />
returned from lunch, but we came up with a better<br />
idea. Rasheedah Young, <strong>com</strong>missary support<br />
technician, was in the store, and she volunteered to<br />
decorate the cake and make it look like the cake my<br />
son had chosen. Julie volunteered to buy me a cake,<br />
without even asking me if she could. She paid for the<br />
cake, and Ms. Young decorated the cake just like the<br />
cake my son had chosen. I was very pleased.<br />
Tech. Sgt. Veronica Murphy, U.S. Air Force<br />
Fort Lewis<br />
I thank store associate Katie Schiappacasse<br />
for her help at Fort Lewis Commissary, Wash.<br />
She went out of her way to provide outstanding<br />
customer <strong>service</strong>. I was purchasing clementines that<br />
came in a mesh bag instead of the usual crate, and<br />
I grabbed them without checking a price. I couldn’t<br />
find a price at checkout, so I decided not to bother<br />
with them. In the meantime, Katie went to the<br />
produce department to check the price, but she was<br />
34 35 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
given the price for the 5-pound bag instead of the<br />
2.5-pound bag. She returned to produce a second<br />
time and got the correct price. She then offered<br />
to ring up my extra purchase at her register so<br />
I didn’t have to wait in line again. It seems like<br />
a small gesture, but she really did go out of her<br />
way to help. She was very sweet as well, making<br />
the words “customer <strong>service</strong>” really stand for<br />
something. Thanks so much, Katie.<br />
Mary Rice<br />
MacDill<br />
My husband and I arrived<br />
early at MacDill Commissary,<br />
Fla., but there weren’t any<br />
handicap scooters. A storeworker,<br />
Darryl Chapman, heard my<br />
husband tell me to sit on a bench<br />
and wait. He asked if he could<br />
help me, and I told him I recently<br />
had back surgery and couldn’t<br />
Darryl Chapman possibly walk around the store.<br />
Mr. Chapman went all through the<br />
store and parking lot, trying to find a scooter, with no<br />
luck. Another shopper gave me his scooter when he<br />
was finished shopping, but it was low on power, so<br />
Mr. Chapman said he would keep looking. My scooter<br />
quit in the meat department, and Mr. Chapman told<br />
me to sit right there, and he returned a few minutes<br />
later with a fully charged scooter. He went above and<br />
beyond to help me. Thank you, Mr. Chapman.<br />
Marjorie Merrill<br />
Randolph<br />
What a terrific shopping<br />
experience! I arrive at the<br />
Randolph Commissary, Texas,<br />
and see a number of vendor<br />
contractors, all in good spirits<br />
and full of smiles, trying to sell<br />
their products. I buy a lot of their<br />
products, then go inside. The<br />
store is clean, well-stocked and<br />
Tony Reyes in excellent order. The produce<br />
area employee is whistling his<br />
heart away while he restocks. He pauses to greet me<br />
and asks if I need help. I continue to shop, shop and<br />
shop some more. In the market, the butcher brings<br />
me the best, freshest cuts of beef. Oh yum! Contract<br />
vendors are giving away samples of sausage and<br />
coupons. So good. I added some to my basket. I’ve<br />
been in the store at least three hours – better go<br />
check out. Cashier Tony Reyes is friendly, courteous<br />
and so professional – it’s a pleasure to go through<br />
his checkout. Wow – it’s $389.91, he says, and I tell<br />
myself, “I can’t wait until my next trip here.”<br />
Kenneth Jenkins
Redstone<br />
Arsenal<br />
On numerous<br />
occasions during my<br />
shopping trips to<br />
Redstone Arsenal<br />
Commissary,<br />
Ala., I have been<br />
helped by Dwayne<br />
Hayes, <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
storeworker. He is<br />
very helpful, patient<br />
and kind, not only to me, but to other<br />
patrons as well. I thought you should<br />
know about the great job he is doing<br />
and that we appreciate it. Keep up the<br />
good work, Mr. Hayes, that continues to<br />
make for a very satisfying shopping trip<br />
to our Redstone Commissary.<br />
Specialist 1st Dwayne Hayes<br />
Class Leroy Pugh,<br />
U.S. Army, retired<br />
Little Rock<br />
Grocery manager Adrian<br />
Carranco and storeworker lead Bobby<br />
Fowler, Little Rock Commissary,<br />
Ark., have worked with me several<br />
times now with food items for large<br />
cookouts. Mr. Carranco makes me feel<br />
like whatever problem I have, it’s his<br />
problem, too, and he wants to help get<br />
things figured out. Mr. Fowler helped<br />
me through the checkout process and<br />
loading the meat, then taking all the<br />
empty cases back into the store so<br />
I didn’t have to worry with them. I<br />
know this was just part of his job, but<br />
throughout the work, he was smiling<br />
and so pleasant. I also feel that Mr.<br />
Carranco’s leadership is one reason why<br />
Mr. Fowler is such a great employee:<br />
Leading by example is shown to the<br />
highest here.<br />
Specialist 1 st Class Garry Odom,<br />
Arkansas Army National Guard<br />
Grafenwoehr<br />
I just want to submit a short<br />
<strong>com</strong>pliment to the entire staff at<br />
the Grafenwoehr Commissary,<br />
Germany. I always receive excellent,<br />
friendly <strong>service</strong> from the bakery-deli,<br />
the store workers stocking or doing<br />
various jobs, the cashiers and the<br />
baggers. I am always greeted with a friendly smile,<br />
even from the youngest bagger in the store. The<br />
management is very visible and approachable.<br />
!<br />
Zone 36 Manager Wayne Walk shares a letter he<br />
received about Charles Harris, manager, Osan<br />
Central Distribution Center, South Korea.<br />
I want you to know what kind of person Charles<br />
Harris is. He really cares and supports all his<br />
employees. He takes care of his people. If it were not<br />
for him, I might not be here, or at a minimum, would<br />
be on a kidney dialysis machine.<br />
On<br />
June 30, I<br />
literally could<br />
not move – I<br />
felt like I was hit by<br />
a Mack truck. Mr.<br />
Harris came to my<br />
house and took me to<br />
the Camp Humphreys<br />
Clinic. They ran tests<br />
and said I had major<br />
<strong>com</strong>plications they<br />
could not treat because<br />
they are a small clinic.<br />
My DeCA family<br />
Brian Mercer<br />
Charles Harris<br />
They immediately placed me in an ambulance and<br />
took me to Dankook University Hospital, Chonan,<br />
South Korea, where I was placed immediately in the<br />
intensive care unit.<br />
The doctor said my kidneys were shutting<br />
down. By the grace of God, I pulled through and<br />
spent the next eight days in the hospital. Mr. Harris<br />
and Timothy Estes, assistant CDC manager, came<br />
by many times and brought me things I needed.<br />
Mr. Harris continued to call me while I was on<br />
convalescent leave to make sure I was OK.<br />
I wish there was a way to recognize him, so I<br />
wanted you to know. And yes, I checked with the doc<br />
and I can still smoke cigars.<br />
Brian Mercer, foreman<br />
Osan CDC<br />
Want to thank a DeCA colleague for treating you like<br />
family? Send your story to your store director for<br />
inclusion in decavision.n<br />
35
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Mail<br />
The world's best customers salute the world's best employees<br />
Thanks for such good <strong>service</strong>.<br />
Angie Hood<br />
Charleston<br />
It’s refreshing, to say the least, to find someone<br />
who actually enjoys their job and goes above and<br />
beyond to help a customer. That’s exactly what<br />
store associate Allison Tucker did for me at<br />
the <strong>com</strong>missary at Naval Weapons Station<br />
Charleston, S.C. The store had been out of the dog<br />
food that we buy for nearly a month. I saw Allison<br />
and asked her about it. She went to the back, and<br />
when she returned, she said they expected a truck in<br />
and would put my name on two bags if I gave her my<br />
phone number. Awesome!<br />
Ann Yingling<br />
Fort Sill<br />
Storeworker Christine<br />
Browne took care of my needs,<br />
going above and beyond to make<br />
sure that my lunch hour wasn’t<br />
spent waiting in a long line to check<br />
out at Fort Sill Commissary,<br />
Okla. While I was waiting in line<br />
to check out, she asked if I was on<br />
my lunch hour, and I answered<br />
yes. She asked me to follow her Christine Browne<br />
to the self-checkout line and she<br />
would ring me up. I was so impressed with her. She<br />
should be recognized as a valuable employee to your<br />
organization, because she goes the extra mile and does<br />
it with a friendly smile and positive attitude.<br />
Trisha Lett<br />
Camp Humphreys<br />
I was at Camp Humphreys Commissary,<br />
South Korea, and enjoyed shopping at your location.<br />
Your staff at that time was very professional and<br />
always so helpful. I’m looking forward to my next<br />
deployment to Camp Humphreys.<br />
Bobby Hernandez<br />
Schofield Barracks<br />
On Monday, I had the best shopping experience<br />
in the Schofield Barracks Commissary, Hawaii.<br />
36 37 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
I entered the <strong>com</strong>missary in a bad mood; nothing<br />
was going right for me. I was in the self-checkout<br />
line nearly ready to check out when I realized that<br />
I had forgotten an item. I asked the attendant,<br />
Tracy Stack, if she could tell me where I could<br />
find a specific kind of protein bar. She said, “Just<br />
one minute,” and next thing I knew, this employee<br />
brought me one of each of the different flavors,<br />
allowing me to choose the one I was looking for.<br />
Man, I felt special! She even continued helping me<br />
with the produce codes on items I was purchasing.<br />
She made my day. Thanks.<br />
Sunnta’e Flowers<br />
Yongsan<br />
I want to take this time to express my gratitude to<br />
one of your meatcutters at Yongsan Commissary,<br />
South Korea. Kwon Han-Min, a Korean national<br />
employee, has been very helpful and courteous while<br />
attending the meat display case. He is young but very<br />
knowledgeable in his profession and takes the time<br />
to explain various cuts of meats and how to prepare<br />
them. Being of Korean heritage, I don’t know the<br />
name of meats in English. Mr. Kwon, as always, takes<br />
the time to explain what cuts to use to prepare a<br />
certain Korean dish. I have heard the same from my<br />
friends, and I think he is the best meatcutter that’s<br />
ever worked behind the meat display case. Thank you<br />
for having him here.<br />
Song Soska<br />
Andrews<br />
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for<br />
the excellent work of store associate Irene Cohen<br />
at Andrews Commissary, Md. She was working<br />
the express line when a couple came up with about<br />
40 items in their cart, just ahead of me. Irene pointed<br />
out the excessive number of items when they started<br />
putting items in the counter, but they kept putting<br />
them on. When Irene rang up more than 20 items,<br />
she totaled them out and refused to ring up anymore<br />
items. She was firm, but not disrespectful, in telling<br />
them that 20 was the limit on that line. The couple<br />
paid for their items, then got back on the end of the<br />
line without any argument. I was very impressed.<br />
Way to go! I've seen people go through express lines<br />
in a variety of establishments, military and civilian,<br />
and have never seen anything done about it. Thanks<br />
for a job well done, Irene!<br />
Lt. Mark Ethridge, U.S. Navy Reserven
!<br />
Yofthebenefit<br />
‘Heart of the Benefit’ celebrates the winning work philosophies<br />
of three outstanding DeCA team members.<br />
What do you like best about your job as a sales store checker?<br />
Meeting and interacting with people. It’s amazing<br />
that people will remember you when they are<br />
satisfied with your <strong>service</strong>.<br />
How do you help make the <strong>com</strong>missary worth the trip?<br />
By providing the exceptional level of <strong>service</strong> my<br />
customers expect and go one step beyond. I want my<br />
customers to feel that they are appreciated and that<br />
it is my privilege to provide them their <strong>com</strong>missary<br />
benefit.<br />
What’s your professional history?<br />
I worked in a manufacturing <strong>com</strong>pany as a quality<br />
inspector and as a casual clerk at the post office as a<br />
seasonal carrier. I also worked at the Fort Belvoir golf<br />
pro shop as a cashier.<br />
What are your professional goals?<br />
To continue my current position within DeCA in the<br />
customer <strong>service</strong> department and pursue a career as<br />
a medical records clerk.<br />
Who has had the most influence on your career?<br />
My parents, though they were not well educated<br />
and came from poor families, were able to send me<br />
to a good local public school in the Philippines and<br />
instill in me the principles of hard work, humility and<br />
patience. The other people who have influenced my<br />
career are my department managers, by putting their<br />
trust and confidence in me and providing the tools for<br />
me to ac<strong>com</strong>plish my job to the best of my ability. w<br />
Josie is the epitome of customer <strong>service</strong>.<br />
She exemplifies dedication and always<br />
makes the customer feel that she is<br />
doing more than just a job, but truly<br />
providing a <strong>service</strong> and making the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary worth the trip. Thank you,<br />
Josie, for making our customers feel<br />
special and appreciated.<br />
Tony Matthias<br />
Store director<br />
Josephine Siack<br />
Fort Belvoir Commissary, Va.<br />
Josephine Siack DeCA photo: Rick Brink<br />
37
Juri Kouda DeCA photo: Ronald Yoder<br />
Juri Kouda<br />
Sagamihara Commissary, Japan<br />
What do you like best about your job as a sales store checker?<br />
What I love best about my job is our customers.<br />
Seeing them smile makes a world of difference in<br />
my life. Watching our customers leave happy makes<br />
me happy.<br />
How do you help make the <strong>com</strong>missary worth the trip?<br />
I help make it worth the trip by knowing my<br />
customers’ needs. To help them save even more, I<br />
take the time to find and clip coupons and attach<br />
them to products. I view my customers as if they<br />
were my family, and I want to help them in any way<br />
I can.<br />
38 39 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
What is your professional history?<br />
I am a Japanese local national, and I graduated<br />
from college in 1997. Upon graduation, I saw an<br />
opportunity to work with Americans and accepted<br />
a waitress position with Morale, Welfare and<br />
Recreation. I worked at MWR from 1997 until 2003<br />
when I accepted a great opportunity to work with<br />
DeCA.<br />
What are your professional goals?<br />
My goals are to better serve the military, civilians<br />
and their family members by continuing to learn<br />
American ways of living. I want to further my<br />
knowledge of the products we sell and the <strong>service</strong>s<br />
we provide. I would love to learn more about the<br />
accounting aspects of DeCA and to increase my<br />
knowledge of <strong>com</strong>puters.<br />
Who influenced your career most and how?<br />
The person who influenced and continues to<br />
influence me most is Ronald Yoder, our store<br />
director. Since Mr. Yoder became our store director,<br />
he always has a smile on his face; you won’t catch<br />
him without one! He is a great teacher and mentor,<br />
and he is always there to pick me up when I need<br />
it the most. He encourages me to keep trying and<br />
never give up. Bell Watson, our customer <strong>service</strong><br />
manager, has also influenced me by teaching me<br />
how to work in a team and reminding me how<br />
important it is to work as one team, not individual<br />
departments.<br />
Juri Kouda’s dedication to the store and<br />
the customers we serve is truly amazing.<br />
The energy and enthusiasm she brings<br />
to providing outstanding <strong>service</strong> to<br />
our patrons and her co-workers is<br />
contagious and makes everyone around<br />
her strive to be better. Whether she is<br />
running a register for 10 hours straight<br />
in the freezing cold at an on-site sale at<br />
Camp Fuji, or using her personal time to<br />
clip, sort and hang coupons on products<br />
in the store, Juri is focused on going<br />
the extra mile to support our mission,<br />
and she does it all with a smile. Juri<br />
truly is the face of world class customer<br />
<strong>service</strong> at our store, and she makes the<br />
<strong>com</strong>missary worth the trip for everyone<br />
who walks through our doors.<br />
Ronald Yoder<br />
Store director
Cathylin San Nicolas DeCA photo: Ingrid Ruiz<br />
Cathylin<br />
San Nicolas<br />
Grafenwoehr Commissary, Germany<br />
What do you like best about your job as a store associate?<br />
I work in all departments, however my favorite<br />
department is grocery. There are many challenges to<br />
conquer and find resolutions for while working with<br />
team members and management. Working in this<br />
department, I have learned to stock shelves correctly,<br />
do ordering and receiving, and set up end caps and<br />
floor displays. I enjoy greeting and assisting all our<br />
customers, whether it’s for a special order, finding<br />
a particular product in the store or just talking with<br />
them. Working in the grocery department lets me<br />
learn something new every day. I also like helping<br />
the customers, and when I am stocking on the floor,<br />
this gives me the chance to interact with them and<br />
ensure they are satisfied when they leave the store. I<br />
like building displays, and aside from winning a best<br />
display <strong>com</strong>petition, I find the most gratification from<br />
the positive <strong>com</strong>ments I get from the customers.<br />
How do you help make the <strong>com</strong>missary worth the trip?<br />
I think it is important to provide a great place to<br />
shop for all our soldiers and family members. At<br />
Grafenwoehr Commissary, we do all we can to help<br />
!<br />
our most valuable customers. I treat all my customers<br />
with utmost respect, greet them with a smile and ask<br />
how their day has been. Whether I am at the register<br />
or stocking the shelves, I am sensitive to the needs of<br />
our customers and make sure they get the best <strong>service</strong><br />
ever. I research products for them, if they cannot<br />
find them in the store, and I will make sure that the<br />
next time they <strong>com</strong>e, the products are available. I<br />
treat my customers the way I want to be treated. I am<br />
a military spouse, and I know how hard it is when<br />
spouses are down range. I put smiles on their faces by<br />
greeting and helping them.<br />
What’s your professional history?<br />
Before I started with DeCA, I worked for Army and<br />
Air Force Exchange Service at Fort Hood, Texas, as a<br />
sales clerk in the car care center. Before that I worked<br />
for an auto parts and <strong>service</strong> center as a branch<br />
manager back home in Guam. I also worked for Navy<br />
Exchange as a cashier in the NEX car care center and<br />
progressed to be<strong>com</strong>e shift leader. My career is based<br />
on working with customers to the fullest.<br />
What are your professional goals?<br />
I want to be a DeCA store director.<br />
Who influenced your career most and how?<br />
My store director here, Jimmie Holzhauser, and<br />
store administrator, Ingrid Ruiz, have been very<br />
helpful to me in my first DeCA work experience. Mr.<br />
Holzhauser has given me the opportunity to learn all<br />
aspects of the store. He advises me on certain areas of<br />
the job that I am having a hard time with, and his 35<br />
years of experience are beneficial to me and the whole<br />
store. Mrs. Ruiz inspired me to follow a management<br />
career path with DeCA. She showed me how I can<br />
move up in the business. Both Mrs. Ruiz and Mr.<br />
Holzhauser are very good in training their employees<br />
and they create a very positive work environment.<br />
They both make it fun to work here.n<br />
Mrs. San Nicolas is a very dynamic<br />
individual; she is willing to accept any<br />
challenge that <strong>com</strong>es along. I strongly<br />
believe that if she continues the way<br />
she is going, she will be an outstanding<br />
store director one day. In the years to<br />
<strong>com</strong>e, DeCA will need highly qualified<br />
and motivated employees like Mrs. San<br />
Nicolas.<br />
Jimmie Holzhauser<br />
Store director<br />
39
Robert Allen (40)<br />
obituaries<br />
JACK FIELD, Fort Riley, Kan. (Aug. 13)<br />
KARL TAKENAKA, NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
(Aug. 23)<br />
* Pictured<br />
retirements<br />
* DANIEL ADAMS,<br />
Fort Huachuca,<br />
Ariz. (40)<br />
VERDER DANIELS,<br />
NAS Whiting<br />
Field, Fla.<br />
ROSE FOSTER, HQ<br />
DeCA, Va.<br />
DIANE HARRIS, HQ<br />
DeCA, Va.<br />
DELORIS JORDAN,<br />
HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
GERDA LENEAR,<br />
Fort Carson,<br />
Daniel Adams (40)<br />
Colo.<br />
DELBERT PARSONS,<br />
Tinker AFB, Okla.<br />
ELAIDO RIVERA, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.<br />
YI HAE-CHOL, Yongsan, South Korea (40)<br />
anniversaries<br />
(Mug shots wel<strong>com</strong>ed for those with 40+ years<br />
of <strong>service</strong>)<br />
45 years<br />
* GERALD PEREZ, NAS Key West, Fla.<br />
40 years<br />
* DANIEL ADAMS, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.<br />
* ROBERT ALLEN,<br />
Tyndall AFB, Fla.<br />
* PETER BANSCHER,<br />
Germersheim<br />
CDC, Germany<br />
ANTHONY<br />
ERDOLINO, NAS<br />
Patuxent River,<br />
Md.<br />
* STEVE PAROS,<br />
Tyndall AFB, Fla.<br />
* FRANK RUDOLPH,<br />
Fairchild AFB,<br />
Wash.<br />
Gerald Perez (45)<br />
Peter Banscher (40)<br />
40 41 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
frontandcenter<br />
35 years<br />
CRUZ ALEMAN JR., Beale AFB, Calif.<br />
RALPH ALLES JR., Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio<br />
PETER AMNOTT, Bangor ANGB, Maine<br />
SHARON BLACK, Scott AFB, Ill.<br />
DEBORAH CRAIG, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.<br />
RITA EHLENZ, Spangdahlem, Germany<br />
JOHN GARRISON, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
ROY GASKIN, Edwards AFB, Calif.<br />
INGRID LITSCH, Germersheim CDC, Germany<br />
JOHN MAFFEI, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
JAMES MILES, NAS Patuxent River, Md.<br />
MAUREEN O’CONNOR, Fort Knox, Ky.<br />
FRANK PENN JR., HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
PYO YANG-PAE, Yongsan CDC, South Korea<br />
MELVIN SIMMONS, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.<br />
ALEXANDER VARELA, NS Great Lakes, Ill.<br />
RENÉ VITIKACS, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
PETER WILHELM, Kaiserslautern CDC, Germany<br />
30 years<br />
AHN JUN-SHIK, Yongsan CDC, South Korea<br />
REYNALDO ANDRES, Hickam AFB, Hawaii<br />
GISELA BAKER, Hunter AAF, Ga.<br />
CALEB BISER, Fort Detrick, Md.<br />
RONALD BLACK, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
LESLIE CALDWELL, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
ALBERTO CENTENO, NSB New London, Conn.<br />
WAYNE CORREIA, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
CONRAD CRAYTOR III, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
REBECCA CROWDER, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
WILLIAM DORMIRE, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho<br />
GWENDOLYN DUNCAN, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
JOYCE EDWARDS, Fort Lee, Va.<br />
GENE FEAGANES, Bolling AFB, D.C.<br />
JOHN GAY, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
CHARLES GOODROE, MCLB Albany, Ga.<br />
JANET GOODWIN, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
TOMMIE HARRIS, NB Norfolk, Va.<br />
VIVIAN HASTIE, Patrick AFB, Fla.<br />
JOAN HENDERSON, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
EARNEST HICKS JR., MCLB Albany, Ga.<br />
MICHAEL HOWELL, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
TIMOTHY JUNE SR., Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
KIM KWAN-SOK, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
PHILLIP LAMB, Fort Lewis, Wash.<br />
MARIE LEONARD, Fort Bragg North, N.C.<br />
PHILIP LOPEZ, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas<br />
BRENDA MATTHEWS, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
JAMES MIRABAL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.<br />
JOSEF NEIDIG, Germersheim CDC, Germany<br />
SIAKI PENITITO, Ord Community, Calif.<br />
MARY ANN PENROD, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
DARYL PERRIN, NBK Bremerton, Wash.<br />
KEVIN PIGRAM, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
Steve Paros (40)<br />
Frank Rudolph (40)<br />
THOMAS POWELL, Fort Knox, Ky.<br />
JOSEPH RAGLAND, Fort Belvoir, Va.<br />
EMILY REDDINGTON, Travis AFB, Calif.<br />
JUDITH RING, Offutt AFB, Neb.<br />
ARTHUR ROBINSON, Fort Eustis, Va.<br />
FRED SANCHEZ, Andersen AFB, Guam<br />
LORETTA SANDERS, Fort Hood I, Texas<br />
CAROL SAUNDERS, Fort Gordon, Ga.<br />
WOLFGANG SCHEIBER, Ramstein AB CMPP,<br />
Germany<br />
BEVERLEY SHERARD, MacDill AFB, Fla.<br />
ANGELA SMITH, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
CURTIS SMITH, NB Norfolk, Va.<br />
GEARLDEAN SMOLDT, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
ELDEN TRITCH, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska<br />
JUANITA TRUJILLO, McClellan, Calif.<br />
CARL WEINSTEGER, NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
KAREN WRIGHT, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.<br />
25 years<br />
JUDY AQUINO, NAS Mayport, Fla.<br />
EVELYN ATRERO, NAS Miramar, Calif.<br />
RICKY BEAVERS, Fort Wainwright, Alaska<br />
TWILA BEDWELL, Fairchild AFB, Wash.<br />
GREGORY BOWMAN, Fort Bragg North, N.C.<br />
KRISTINE BROCKES, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.<br />
GLORIA BROOM, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
LAVERN BROWN, MacDill AFB, Fla.<br />
LEANN BURTON, NAS Mayport, Fla.<br />
MYONG BYROM, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii<br />
JUDY LEE CHERRY, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
ROBIN CLARK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio<br />
LORENZA COLLIER, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
LISA DEGRACE, NAS Miramar, Calif.<br />
WANDA DOTSON, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.<br />
PATRICK DOWDELL, NAS Mayport, Fla.<br />
MAGNOLA EBANKS, Patrick AFB, Fla.<br />
ELAINE ECCEL, McClellan, Calif.<br />
GWENDOLYN EDWARDS, Fort Gordon, Ga.<br />
RUBEN FONTANILLA, NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
ROBERT GAINEY, Dover AFB, Del.<br />
TERRI GEFFERT, Fort Campbell, Ky.<br />
SHIRLEY GOBA, MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.<br />
JOHN GONGORA, Goodfellow AFB, Texas<br />
SUN GUTHRIE, NAS Pensacola, Fla.<br />
ROBERT HARRIS, Fort Belvoir, Va.<br />
JUANITA HIGGINBOTHAM, Fort Sam Houston,<br />
Texas<br />
SUBRINA HILL, Fort Knox, Ky.<br />
MADALENE HUDDY, Schofield Barracks,<br />
Hawaii<br />
FRAN HUDSON, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.<br />
CARMEN HUGHES, Langley AFB, Va.<br />
DIANA HUNTER, Hill AFB, Texas<br />
CLAUDINE JACKSON, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
PERRY JOHNSON, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
LILLIE KING, Fort Hood, Texas<br />
DUNDUAN KONDO, MCB Kaneohe Bay,<br />
Hawaii<br />
HENRY MANDUJANO, Fort Sam Houston,<br />
Texas<br />
JOYCE MANNING, Maxwell AFB, Ala.<br />
SUE MARCUM, NBK Bremerton, Wash.<br />
JOHN MARTINEZ, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.<br />
MAGGIE MATTOCKS, MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.<br />
HAROLD MAY, Spangdahlem AB, Germany<br />
PETER MAYES, Fort Stewart, Ga.<br />
JAMES MESSINEO, Fort Meade, Md.<br />
GREGORY MILLENDER, Scott AFB, Ill.<br />
ELEANOR MINOR, Guam CDC<br />
HANS PETER MOLTER, Kaiserslautern CDC,<br />
Germany<br />
LINDA MOORE, Beale AFB, Calif.
SCOTT MOOREHEAD, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
YOLANDA MURRAY, Lackland AFB, Texas<br />
DIANE NICHOLSON, NAB Little Creek, Va.<br />
RONALD PATTERSON, C.E. Kelly SF, Pa.<br />
CARL PETERS, NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
HECTOR RAMOS, Fort Wainwright, Alaska<br />
ANA RARANGOL, NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
SHARON MARIE RAY, Fort Knox, Ky.<br />
GWENDOLYN SCOTT, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
ALZINA SKINNER, Fort Eustis, Va.<br />
LAURA SLEIGH, Fort Lewis, Wash.<br />
JEANNETTE SNIPE, Hunter AAF, Ga.<br />
SONG KWI-TAE, Taegu CDC, South Korea<br />
CHRISTINE SPAIN, NSA New Orleans, La.<br />
ROGER TEW, Camp Lejeune, N.C.<br />
FLOYD THIGPEN, NAS Jacksonville, Fla.<br />
JAMES THOMPSON JR., Fort Hood I, Texas<br />
HILARY TOVES, NS Orote, Guam<br />
TODD ELLIOTT TRIMMER, NAS Brunswick, Maine<br />
UN SUK TRUITTLEE, Fort Gordon, Ga.<br />
BENJAMIN WAINWRIGHT, Hickam AFB,<br />
Hawaii<br />
!<br />
SHERRI WALDEN, Charleston AFB, S.C.<br />
BARBARA WALKER, Seymour Johnson AFB,<br />
N.C.<br />
MYONG WALKER, Fort Hood I, Texas<br />
STEVEN WHEELER, Edwards AFB, Calif.<br />
BARRY WHITE, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
SHELIA WILLIAMS, Fort Hood II, Texas<br />
YI MUN-U, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
20 years<br />
JERE AMIDEI, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
RAYDELLA ANDERSON, NAB Little Creek, Va.<br />
TODD ANDERSON, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.<br />
ANGELES BAISA, Fort Rucker, Ala.<br />
THOMAS BERAK, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
BETTYE JOYCE BLACKWELL, Elmendorf AFB,<br />
Alaska<br />
SUN BOHN, FAF Moffett Field, Calif.<br />
MARIANNE BRANDT, Nellis AFB, Nev.<br />
ANDREW BROOKES, Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
ESTRELLITA BURTON, March ARB, Calif.<br />
MICHELLE BYRD, Fort Sill, Okla.<br />
pTREATS FOR TROOPS: Store Director Ruby Ervin, Randolph Commissary,<br />
Texas, and Postmaster Gerardo Coronado prepare six 70-pound boxes of<br />
items donated by industry partners to send to local airmen deployed to<br />
EMILIA CAROC, Bolling AFB, D.C.<br />
CAROLYN CARR, NWS Charleston, S.C.<br />
MARY CARRINGTON, Fort Gordon, Ga.<br />
ROBERTA CHEATHAM, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
CHONG TAE-HYON, Camp Humphreys, South<br />
Korea<br />
JULIE COLE, Hill AFB, Utah<br />
ALSO CONGIU, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
EDNA CRADDOCK, Bolling AFB, D.C.<br />
CLAUDIA CROCKER, MCLB Barstow, Calif.<br />
WILLIAM CROMBLIN, Maxwell AFB, Ala.<br />
MARK CRUMP, NAS Pensacola, Fla.<br />
ISAAC CRUZ, Guam CDC<br />
BEVERLY DAVIS, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
DONNA DEABLER, Offutt AFB, Neb.<br />
LARRY DEAN, Columbus AFB, Miss.<br />
JEFFREY DEWEY, MCRD Parris Island, S.C.<br />
ALEXANDRA DIETZEN, Spangdahlem AB,<br />
Germany<br />
STEFAN DOLL, Sembach AB, Germany<br />
UTE DOLLT, Germersheim CDC, Germany<br />
JEFFREY DONALDSON, Hans<strong>com</strong> AFB, Mass.<br />
ANDREAS DRECHSEL, Ramstein AB CMPP,<br />
Germany<br />
KELEMATINA DUNKLEY, McClellan, Calif.<br />
MARIA ESTRADA, Langley AFB, Va.<br />
IVA FELTON, NS Newport, R.I.<br />
KELLY FLETCHER, DeCA East, Va.<br />
REGINAL FLOWERS, NAS Patuxent River, Md.<br />
LEON FOUNTAIN, Fort Bliss, Texas<br />
DIANA GANT, Buckley AFB, Colo.<br />
JO GARCIA, Hill AFB, Utah<br />
MICHELLE GARRARD, Walter Reed AMC, Md.<br />
WILLIAM GIBSON, NAS North Island, Calif.<br />
PAUL GUNN, Travis AFB, Calif.<br />
TERESA HALE, Eglin AFB, Fla.<br />
DEBBIE HALSEY, NAS Oceana, Va.<br />
VIVIAN HAMLET, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
YONG CHA HEMPHILL, Fort Meade, Md.<br />
DARNELL HICKS, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
JEFFREY HODGES, Fort Sill, Okla.<br />
LaVON HOLLAND, NAS Oceana, Va.<br />
HELEN HOOVER, ARDEC Picatinny Arsenal,<br />
N.J.<br />
FLORENDO IGNACIO, NAES Lakehurst, N.J.<br />
SCOTT JAMES, Camp Lejeune, N.C.<br />
SALVADORA JELINEK, NAS Patuxent River, Md.<br />
SARAH JENNINGS, Hill AFB, Utah.<br />
JANET JOHNSON, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.<br />
MATTIE JONES, Bolling AFB, D.C.<br />
RAMONA JONES, Luke AFB, Ariz.<br />
GERLINDE KAISER, Germersheim CDC,<br />
Germany<br />
RON KELLY, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
THERESA KELLY, Hickam AFB, Hawaii<br />
COLLEEN KEMP, Fort Bragg South, N.C.<br />
CAROL LAKEY, Whiteman AFB, Mo.<br />
IDETH LATIMER, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
DIANA GANT LEAD, Buckley AFB, Colo.<br />
GEORGE LEE, NSB Kings Bay, Ga.<br />
GERDA LENEAR, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
JANA LITTLETON, Fort Hood I, Texas<br />
REBECCA LOOK, Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif.<br />
DIANNE MARSH, March ARB, Calif.<br />
PETE MARTINDALE, Camp Lejeune, N.C.<br />
MAUREEN MATTHEWS, RAF Lakenheath,<br />
England<br />
NORMAN MAYER, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.<br />
BARBARA McCARTY, Camp Lejeune, N.C.<br />
VIRGINIA MILLER, White Sands MR, N.M.<br />
YASUHISA MIYAZAKI, Camp Zama, Japan<br />
FLORENCIO MORENO, NAS Kingsville, Texas<br />
DEBORAH MUNDT, Fort Rucker, Ala.<br />
NORMAN MYERS, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.<br />
Kuwait. DeCA photo: Bobby Brooks w<br />
41
MARIA NASCHKE, NAS Oceana, Va.<br />
CARLITA NAUTA, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.<br />
CARL NEELY, Fort Belvoir, Va.<br />
CHRISTA NEIDIG, Germersheim CDC, Germany<br />
PREMEDIA OSBORNE, Fort Hood II, Texas<br />
TRACY O’TOOLE, Fort Polk, La.<br />
SANDRA PABST, NS Great Lakes, Ill.<br />
ELLIS PALOMO, Fort Sam Houston, Texas<br />
LOUISE PETRIZZI, Sheppard AFB, Texas<br />
EDWARD PORTO, NSF Dahlgren, Va.<br />
HAESUK QUINNAN, Fort Lewis, Wash.<br />
EDWARD RATCLIFF, NS Port Hueneme, Calif.<br />
BARBARA REID, Fort Bragg North, N.C.<br />
FELICIA RICHARDSON, Altus AFB, Okla.<br />
WILLIAM ROBERTIN JR., West Point USMA, N.Y.<br />
SHERI RODAHL, Minot AFB, N.D.<br />
JOEY SANTIAGO, NS Orote, Guam<br />
DOMICIANA SAUNDERS, NAS Jacksonville, Fla.<br />
CAROLE SESSIONS, Hill AFB, Utah<br />
SEONG SHEEHAN, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
ROSA SILVA, Eglin AFB, Fla.<br />
VASQUEZ SOMBOON, Ord Community, Calif.<br />
RICHARD STILLIE, Fort Greely, Alaska<br />
MICHELLE SWIFT, NSB Kings Bay, Ga.<br />
TORSTEN TINNEY, Ramstein AB, Germany<br />
PATRICIA TORRES, Fort Bragg North, N.C.<br />
RUBEN TRONCOSO, Fort Bliss, Texas<br />
ROLINDA UMAYAM, SC Smokey Point, Wash.<br />
ROBIN VINCENT, Fort Riley, Kan.<br />
KRISTINE WATSON, MCB Quantico, Va.<br />
GLORIA WORTHAM, Hurlburt Field, Fla.<br />
GLORIA WUNZ, Patrick AFB, Fla.<br />
JOY YOST, Hurlburt Field, Fla.<br />
42 43 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
pPRODUCE ‘KID ZONE’: San Diego Commissary, Calif., knows produce<br />
can be a “kid magnet” with the right merchandising. DeCA photo:<br />
Bill Vick<br />
15 years<br />
KATIE ADKINS, Barksdale AFB, La.<br />
KIM ALSTON, Charleston AFB, S.C.<br />
GREGORY ANDERSON, NAS Jacksonville, Fla.<br />
ANGELITA BALICAO, Hickam AFB, Hawaii<br />
ELENA BALISI, NSB Kings Bay, Ga.<br />
BLESILDA BOLDEN, NAS Key West, Fla.<br />
DIANE BOSS, NCBC Gulfport, Miss.<br />
PHILLIP BRADY, Eglin AFB, Fla.<br />
NERISSA CAMPOSAGRADO, NCBC Gulfport,<br />
Miss.<br />
MAMERTO CAPIL, NOLF Imperial Beach, Calif.<br />
ANNA MARIA CAPORAL, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
MARNIE CASTANEDA, NAS Jacksonville, Fla.<br />
MARIO CATEIL, NAS Fallon, Nev.<br />
MADOLINE CHAMBERS, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
DEBORAH DAVIS, Randolph AFB, Texas<br />
MYONG AE DeBEVOISE, NAS Patuxent River,<br />
Md.<br />
GRAZIANO DEL TURCO, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
MARIO DE LUCA CEROS, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
NICOLETTA DE POL, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
RICHARD DEROUIN, McClellan, Calif.<br />
DENISHA DORSEY, NAS New Orleans, La.<br />
GIANNA MAZZEGA FABBRO, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
STEFANO FANNA, Aviano AB, Germany<br />
MARIA GALVAN, MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif.<br />
MARIANNE HARLOS, Vogelweh, Germany<br />
ANNETTE HARRUS, Germersheim CDC,<br />
Germany<br />
MARTINA HEILMANN, DeCA Europe, Germany<br />
ELVIRA HERNANDEZ, MacDill AFB, Fla.<br />
CONNIE HICKS, NAS Lemoore, Calif.<br />
GARY HILL, Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
TEJAUNIA HILL, Seymour Johnson, N.C.<br />
SIRIRAT HOSKING, Nellis AFB, Nev.<br />
BRIAN JOHNSON, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.<br />
LINDSEY JOHNSON, Travis AFB, Calif.<br />
MARIE LUISE JONES, Vogelweh, Germany<br />
GOEKMEN KARAISMAILOGLU, Germersheim<br />
CDC, Germany<br />
VICKI LAHNE, Scott AFB, Ill.<br />
CLIFFORD LASTER, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio<br />
HELGA LISING, Fort Campbell, Ky.<br />
BENJAMIN LOCKHART, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.<br />
SANDRA LOMELI, McClellan, Calif.<br />
CATHERINE MAPIES, Sheppard AFB, Texas<br />
OLGA MARTINENKO, Germersheim CDC,<br />
Germany<br />
BENJAMIN MATUTINO, Schofield Barracks,<br />
Hawaii<br />
MERLITA McCARTY, Tinker AFB, Okla.<br />
MICHAEL MENA, Fort Bliss, Texas<br />
LEONARD MICKLE, Fort Riley, Kan.<br />
EMILY MONTEMAYOR, NAS Miramar, Calif.<br />
MARIA ROSA MORETTI, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
TERESA NEGRON, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico<br />
DONALD O’KEEFE, Scott AFB, Ill.<br />
GEORGE PAGE, Fort Riley, Kan.<br />
JOYCE PARISH, NAS Mayport, Fla.<br />
KIMBERLY PAULSON, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
FERNANDO PENULIAR, NAS Jacksonville, Fla.<br />
JENNIFER PETTY, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
JOCELYN PETWAY, NB San Diego, Calif.<br />
VERONICA PRICE, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas<br />
MERLINDA RAMOS, Hickam AFB, Hawaii<br />
FLOYD RAPIER, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.<br />
YOLANDA RAQUENO, NB San Diego, Calif.<br />
GEORGE RASHIDI, Ramstein AB, Germany<br />
BOBBY REYNOLDS, NBK Bremerton, Wash.<br />
MIN SUK REYNOLDS, Fort Meade, Md.<br />
VIRGINIA RICHMOND, MCB Quantico, Va.<br />
JULIE RODRIGUEZ, MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif.<br />
RONALD ROUX, Moody AFB, Ga.<br />
IMELDA ROWE, Patrick AFB, Fla.<br />
MARIA SAUCEDO, Randolph AFB, Texas<br />
IRENE SCHEPP, Germersheim CDC, Germany<br />
FAYE SCOTT, NNSY Portsmouth, Va.<br />
ENEDINA SPENCER, Fort Hood II, Texas<br />
FABRIZIO TUBELLO, Aviano AB, Germany<br />
WALENTINA ULRICH, Germersheim CDC,<br />
Germany<br />
MELVIN WAGNER, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska<br />
SONIA WEST, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.<br />
ROBIN WHITE, Fort Stewart, Ga.<br />
DONNIE WILLIAMS, Scott AFB, Ill.<br />
FREDERICK WILSON, Cannon AFB, N.M.<br />
JEANNETT WINKLEY, Dyess AFB, Texas<br />
JAMES YONKER, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
10 years<br />
LEA ACAMPORA, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
LOURDES ALBA, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
SHELLY ANDERSON, Tinker AFB, Okla.<br />
MARCIANA ANTON, SC Smokey Point, Wash.<br />
DENISE ATKINS, NBK Bremerton, Wash.<br />
QUIRINO BAMBA, Fort Sill, Okla.<br />
LOIS BANKS, Fort Sam Houston, Texas<br />
WILLIE BARNES, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
WALTER HEINRICH BERGMANN,<br />
Kaiserslautern CDC, Germany<br />
HEIKE BINZ, Spangdahlem AB, Germany<br />
RICHARD BIONDO JR., NSB New London,<br />
Conn.<br />
LOIS BONDS, Fort Sam Houston, Texas<br />
CARLA BOOKMAN-TEMPLE, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
KIMBERLY BOULAND, NCBC Gulfport, Miss.<br />
ANDREW BROOKES, Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
GREGORY BROUS, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.<br />
FREDA BROWN, NSA Memphis, Tenn.<br />
MAUREEN BURNETSKY, MCAS Cherry Point,<br />
N.C.<br />
TERESA CALLINS-ARMSTRONG, Fort Sill, Okla.<br />
MARIA CAMACHO, Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
GRETA CARLON, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
EMANUELA CATTARUZZA, Aviano AB, Italy<br />
JAMES CHAPMAN, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas<br />
KAREN COON, Eglin AFB, Fla.<br />
DONALD CRAIG, NSA Memphis, Tenn.<br />
EUGENE DEL ROSARIO, NAS Oceana, Va.<br />
DIVINA DUCHESNE, Dyess AFB, Texas<br />
JEFFERY EWERT, Buckley AFB, Colo.<br />
KRISTI FARRIS, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.<br />
WILFREDO FERNANDEZ, Langley AFB, Va.<br />
DOMINGO FERRER JR., Langley AFB, Va.<br />
CELESTINE FINNEY, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
BÄRBEL FISCHER, Vogelweh, Germany<br />
WALTER FORD, NSF Dahlgren, Va.<br />
LORY FRANCO, Nellis AFB, Nev.<br />
PATRICIA FRENCH, Fort Knox, Ky.<br />
VIOLETA GALANTE, Nellis AFB, Nev.<br />
BARBARA GRAY, Sheppard AFB, Texas<br />
KIM GREEN, Eglin AFB, Fla.<br />
SUNGVIEN HAACKER, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
JOY HAWKINS, Lackland AFB, Texas<br />
TED HAYES, McClellan, Calif.<br />
ERMIES HERNANDEZ, Maxwell AFB, Ala.<br />
!<br />
CHONDA HEWLETT, NAS Patuxent River, Md.<br />
BETH HOLDEN, NIOC Sugar Grove, W.Va.<br />
ROBERT HOOKER, Scott AFB, Ill.<br />
ALLYN HUNT, Buckley AFB, Colo.<br />
MAXIE JACKSON, NB Pearl Harbor, Hawaii<br />
STROTHER JACKSON, Fort Sill, Okla.<br />
RICHARD JONES, Fort Bragg North, N.C.<br />
AMBER LAWRENCE, Fort Drum, N.Y.<br />
VELDA LEBRON, Patrick AFB, Fla.<br />
EVANGELINA LEHMAN, NOLF Imperial Beach,<br />
Calif.<br />
JULIE LOFTUS, Hill AFB, Utah<br />
VENUS MAGSINO, Luke AFB, Ariz.<br />
LORRIE MARTINEZ, Hill AFB, Utah<br />
DAVID McFANN, NAWS China Lake, Calif.<br />
MITHAT MERCAN, Izmir, Turkey<br />
MARIA MIQUI, MacDill AFB, Fla.<br />
ODILLE MITCHELL, Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
JERRY MOORE, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas<br />
MARIA MORADA, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
MALIA MUENNIG, MacDill AFB, Fla.<br />
SHINJI NAGATA, FA Sasebo, Japan<br />
ESTRELLA NAMIT, Fort Bliss, Texas<br />
VICKI NARLOCK, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.<br />
JON NEWBERRY, Hurlburt Field, Fla.<br />
RICHARD O’CONNOR, MCB Kaneohe Bay,<br />
Hawaii<br />
MARIANN PADAYAO, Walter Reed AMC, Md.<br />
PAK CHIN-U, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
ANGELA PAYNE, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
ROSA PEREZ, Fort Sam Houston, Texas<br />
DAWN PITTMAN-MACON, HQ DeCA, Va.<br />
ROBERT PRESTO, Andersen AFB, Guam<br />
DONNA PRYOR, Fort Detrick, Md.<br />
OFELIA RAMOS, Randolph AFB, Texas<br />
YONG RITCHIE, Fort Bragg North, N.C.<br />
ANGELA RODRIGUEZ, Fort Buchanan, Puerto<br />
Rico<br />
MARGARET RODRIGUEZ, Fort Sam Houston,<br />
Texas<br />
MARIE SANTILLAN, Buckley AFB, Colo.<br />
RICHARD RAY SAPP, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.<br />
GLADYS SAUNDERS, Langley AFB, Va.<br />
ANJA SCHWEHM, Vogelweh, Germany<br />
GLENNIE SCOTT, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
FRED SELF, Randolph AFB, Texas<br />
KAREN SHORB, NCBC Gulfport, Miss.<br />
DAWN SINGLETON, Fort Jackson, S.C.<br />
HARYN SINGLETON, Bolling AFB, D.C.<br />
KARY SOTO, NS Great Lakes, Ill.<br />
ANITA STEPHENS, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio<br />
CHERYL SUITER, Langley AFB, Va.<br />
ANTONIO TAGUD, Andersen AFB, Guam<br />
DENNIS THOMPSON, Fairchild AFB, Wash.<br />
PETRA TITTEBRANDT, Spangdahlem AB,<br />
Germany<br />
MICHAEL VELEZ, Fort Hamilton, N.Y.<br />
SANDRA GABRIELA VIEIRA, Lajes Field,<br />
Portugal<br />
MELITA WALKER, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
CAROLYN WASHBURN, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
DENNIS WATSON, Fort Carson, Colo.<br />
DONALD WILLIAMS, Fort Campbell, Ky.<br />
VALERIE WOODS, NS Great Lakes, Ill.<br />
GINA YATES, Fort Gordon, Ga.<br />
5 years<br />
CHARLES CHO, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
KIM NAK-KYUN, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
YUN HWA-SIK, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
DeCA warriors<br />
Cathy Blair<br />
Isela Hernandez<br />
Rita Norris<br />
DeCA West:<br />
CATHY BLAIR, sales<br />
store checker, Offutt<br />
Commissary, Neb.<br />
Military rank,<br />
specialty, <strong>service</strong>:<br />
Petty officer 1 st<br />
class, medical/<br />
licensed prosthetistorthotist,<br />
U.S. Navy<br />
Duty location: Balad<br />
AB, Iraq, November<br />
2008-June 2009<br />
ISELA HERNANDEZ,<br />
sales store checker,<br />
Offutt Commissary,<br />
Neb.<br />
Military rank,<br />
specialty, <strong>service</strong>:<br />
Specialist, supply<br />
specialist, U.S. Army<br />
Reserve<br />
Duty location: Camp<br />
Bucca, Iraq, January<br />
2008-January 2009<br />
RITA NORRIS,<br />
customer <strong>service</strong><br />
supervisor, Offutt<br />
Commissary, Neb.<br />
Military rank,<br />
specialty, <strong>service</strong>:<br />
Sergeant, personnel<br />
administration, U.S.<br />
Army Reserve<br />
Duty location: Camp<br />
Ashraf, Iraq, January<br />
2003-March 2004;<br />
Camp Bucca,<br />
Iraq, January<br />
2008-January 2009<br />
top employees<br />
Tetsuya Ikeuchi<br />
Motokazu Ishikawa<br />
Employees of the Year 2009<br />
* TETSUYA IKEUCHI, NFA Yokosuka, Japan<br />
* MOTOKAZU ISHIKAWA, Camp Foster, Okinawa<br />
Employees of the Quarter<br />
4 th Quarter 2009<br />
YUKO ARCHER, Okinawa CDC<br />
JACKSON FRAZIER, March ARB, Calif. w<br />
43
HIROMI HIGA, Okinawa<br />
CDC<br />
TETSUYA IKEUCHI, NFA<br />
Yokosuka, Japan<br />
MOTOKAZU ISHIKAWA,<br />
Camp Foster,<br />
Okinawa<br />
DEBORAH JOYCE,<br />
Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
TADASHI MATSUMOTO,<br />
Iwakuni CDC, Japan<br />
EDWIN O’DELL, Los<br />
Angeles AFB, Calif.<br />
PETER ROACH, Holloman<br />
AFB, N.M.<br />
NICOLAS RODRIGO,<br />
NAF Atsugi, Japan<br />
ERI SHINDO, Misawa AB,<br />
Japan<br />
HIRONORI SUNAGAWA,<br />
Okinawa CDC<br />
TETSUYA TAKIGUCHI,<br />
Sagamihara, Japan<br />
SHOTA YAMASHIRO,<br />
Okinawa CDC<br />
3 rd Quarter 2009<br />
YONG BISHIR, Yongsan,<br />
South Korea<br />
CHOL BLEVINS,<br />
Anchorage Area,<br />
Alaska<br />
RUFUS BOGAN,<br />
McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
CHRISTINA BOYD,<br />
McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
KYLE BROGDON,<br />
McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
PATIJO BURDEN, Fort Irwin, Calif.<br />
LISA CAMPBELL, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
ALBERTO CARAGAN, NAWS China Lake,<br />
Calif.<br />
BRANDI CRAIG, MCLB Barstow, Calif.<br />
DAYNE CRAYTOR III, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
KENT CUFFEY, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.<br />
HELEN FLEISHER, Taegu Camp Walker, South<br />
Korea<br />
MARGARET GLASSNER, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.<br />
LYNN HILL, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
TOGUCHI HITOSHI, Camp Foster, Okinawa<br />
AMY HULETT, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.<br />
VICKI KASK, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.<br />
KIM AE-SOP, Kunsan AB, South Korea<br />
KIM HYE-I, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
KIM MIN-TAE, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
KIM YANG-KYUN, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea<br />
JURI KOUDA, Sagamihara, Japan<br />
LEONA LAMAR, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
MARILYN LATADA, Eielson AFB, Alaska<br />
JOHN LEONARD, Yongsan CDC, South Korea<br />
EVELYN MALIC, Fort Irwin, Calif.<br />
BERNIE MESA, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
BEVERLY MILLER, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
ROBERT MORGAN, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
JOHN NEVINS, NSB Kings Bay, Ga.<br />
LORNA NEWTON, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.<br />
PAK SUN-HO, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
ILMA RECASAS, NOLF Imperial Beach, Calif.<br />
CATHY RENSHAW, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
ANGELA RIVERA, NSB Kings Bay, Ga.<br />
IRMA ROBLES, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
THURGOOD ROGERS, McConnell AFB, Kan.<br />
SON KWANG-YON, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
SONG PYONG-KWON, Camp Humphreys,<br />
South Korea<br />
EDEN SULLIVAN, NFA Yokosuka, Japan<br />
44 45 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
!<br />
pWINNING STREAK CONTINUES: Mountain Home Commissary, Idaho, set an<br />
unprecedented winning streak in the Heinz Golden Ketchup display contest,<br />
winning in Sales Band 4 for the sixth consecutive year. DeCA photo: Mike Howell<br />
HITOSHI TOGUCHI, Camp Foster, Okinawa<br />
ANGILA TORRES, Camp Zama, Japan<br />
SUN CHA WALLACE, Hannam Village, South<br />
Korea<br />
DEBBIE WHITE, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.<br />
NORIAKI YAMAMOTO, Camp Kure, Japan<br />
YANG SUNG-HWAN, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
YIM CHONG-NAK, Camp Humphreys, South<br />
Korea<br />
3 rd Quarter Safety Award<br />
DEBORAH CRESTONI, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.<br />
GARY GALUSHA, Vance AFB, Okla.<br />
BRENDA PIERCE, McChord AFB, Wash.<br />
CAROL SINCLAIR, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.<br />
2 nd Quarter 2009<br />
TERESA CARTWRIGHT, USAF Academy, Colo.<br />
MICHAEL CASKEY, Fairchild AFB, Wash.<br />
GREG GILSTRAP, Eielson AFB, Alaska<br />
LORI BELL HORTER, NB San Diego, Calif.<br />
1 st Quarter 2009<br />
IDA GAPAS, Minot AFB, N.D.<br />
TRACY HOLDAWAY, Minot AFB, N.D.<br />
JOSE ORNELAS, NB San Diego, Calif.<br />
Employees of the Month<br />
September 2009<br />
ANGELA BOWING, Offutt AFB, Neb.<br />
TAKASHI CHINEN, Okinawa CDC<br />
JENNA COLEMAN, NAF Atsugi, Japan<br />
MONIQUE FUETTLER, Offutt AFB, Neb.<br />
MIKE HARTMAN, Kanto Plain CDC, Japan<br />
ERIC HENDERSON, Kanto Plain CDC, Japan<br />
HIROMI HIGA, Okinawa CDC<br />
MOTOKAZU ISHIKAWA, Camp Foster,<br />
Okinawa<br />
BRANDON MOHLER, Iwakuni CDC, Japan<br />
IRMA PEREZ, Yokota AB, Japan<br />
KIMBERLEY REGLER, Offutt AFB, Neb.<br />
FRANK SAMPSON, Offutt AFB, Neb.<br />
CARL SMITH, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan<br />
DANE STILWELL, Misawa AB, Japan<br />
QUINTON STOVALL, FA Sasebo, Japan<br />
HIRONORI SUNAGAWA, Okinawa CDC<br />
TETSUYA TAKIGUCHI, Sagamihara, Japan<br />
NORIAKI YAMAMOTO, Camp Kure, Japan<br />
LILLIAN YAMASHIRO, MCB Camp Kinser,<br />
Okinawa<br />
SHOTA YAMASHIRO, Okinawa CDC<br />
August Cashier of the Month<br />
KAREN PLANT, FA Sasebo, Japan<br />
ZANES PULLIN, NFA Yokosuka, Japan<br />
August 2009<br />
JAMES BUHLER, NFA Yokosuka, Japan<br />
CLYDE CEARNEL, Camp Courtney, Okinawa<br />
CHOE SUNG-WON, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
CHONG SUNG-KON, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
NICOLE CONOLLY, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
RICHARD DUNCANSON, FA Sasebo, Japan
HIROMI HIGA, Okinawa CDC<br />
CHUN IM, Kunsan AB, South Korea<br />
CURTIS JONES, NAF Atsugi, Japan<br />
KANG CAHAE-HUI, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
KIM HYONG-CHUNG, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
KIM MYONG-SU, Camp Red Cloud, South<br />
Korea<br />
EDWARD KING, Hario Village, Japan<br />
MAKOTO KINJO, Camp Kinser, Okinawa<br />
KUM HONG-SOP, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
MASAKO MATSUMOTO, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan<br />
PAK CHIN-U, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
HYUN PARK, Camp Stanley, South Korea<br />
CHRISTINA QUESADA, Kadena AB, Okinawa<br />
SUSAN RICKER, Hannam Village, South Korea<br />
SUSAN RILEY, Edwards AFB, Calif.<br />
SATSUE SASAKI, Misawa AB, Japan<br />
SIN CHU-HYON, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
SONG HAE-CHUN, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
SONG HO-KYONG, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
HIRONORI SUNAGAWA, Okinawa CDC<br />
TOMOMI TAKAO, Yokota AB, Japan<br />
RIKA TOMA, Camp Foster, Okinawa<br />
MICHAEL TRUJILLO, Sagamihara, Japan<br />
RIE UTSUGI, Kanto Plain CDC, Japan<br />
MAIE WYCHE, Camp Humphreys, South Korea<br />
NORIAKI YAMAMOTO, Camp Kure, Japan<br />
SHOTA YAMASHIRO, Okinawa CDC<br />
HIROTOSHI YASUI, Okinawa CDC<br />
YI UI-YONG, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
July 2009<br />
NOZOMI AKAMINE, Kadena AB, Okinawa<br />
AN CHONG-HWAN, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
YUKO ARCHER, Okinawa CDC<br />
CHANG SONG-YIM, Kunsan AB, South Korea<br />
CHOE SUNG-WON, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
CHONG SUNG-KON, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
CHRIS CRUZ, FA Sasebo, Japan<br />
!<br />
JASMINE DAVIS, Peterson AFB, Colo.<br />
LAURA DUNN, NBK Bremerton, Wash.<br />
MELANIE GARDNER, Yokota AB, Japan<br />
WILLIAM GRAHAM, Kanto Plain CDC, Japan<br />
KIYOTAKA GUSHI, Okinawa CDC<br />
IMELDA HEADRICH, Yokota AB, Japan<br />
NAEKO HIGA, Okinawa CDC<br />
SHINTETSU ISA, Camp Foster, Okinawa<br />
ANWAR JONES, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan<br />
JUNEI KAWAKAMI, Camp Courtney, Okinawa<br />
GREGORY KELLSTROM, Yongsan CDC, South<br />
Korea<br />
KIM MYONG-SU, Camp Red Cloud, South<br />
Korea<br />
KIM TAE-YON, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
KIM UN-CHONG, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
MAKOTO KINJO, Camp Kinser, Okinawa<br />
DOLORES MAGALLANES, Kanto Plain CDC,<br />
Japan<br />
TAITO MIYAZATO, Okinawa CDC<br />
RODORIGO NICOLAS, NAF Atsugi, Japan<br />
NORMAN OKADA, Hario Village, Japan<br />
ROSEMARIE OSBORNE, NBK Bremerton,<br />
Wash.<br />
PAK SIN-KYU, Hannam Village, South Korea<br />
DAMON RAUH, Iwakuni CDC, Japan<br />
ROSIE SALDIVAR, Edwards AFB, Calif.<br />
ERI SHINDO, Misawa AB, Japan<br />
SIN CHU-HYON, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
APRIL STUCKEY, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
SUE THOMSON, Camp Stanley, South Korea<br />
NORIAKI YAMAMOTO, Camp Kure, Japan<br />
SATOSHI YOGI, Kadena AB, Okinawa<br />
Cashier of the Month July<br />
DEAN BLAISDELL, NFA Yokosuka, Japan<br />
AURORA REYES, Hario Village, Japan<br />
AMY RODNEY, Hario Village, Japan<br />
ROSE VANCE, FA Sasebo, Japan<br />
pBACK TO SCHOOL: For their annual school supply donation to local children,<br />
staff at Whiteman Commissary, Mo., joined industry partners to raise more than<br />
$1,800. DeCA photo: Debbie Dilbeck<br />
June 2009<br />
AN CHONG-HWAN, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
KANG CHAE-HUI, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
KIM CHOL, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
KIM CHUNG-HWAN, Hannam Village, South<br />
Korea<br />
KIM UN-CHONG, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
KUM HONG-SOP, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
CLARA LATKA, Osan CDC, South Korea<br />
JOHN LEONARD, Yongsan CDC, South Korea<br />
YONG LONG, Taegu Camp Walker, South<br />
Korea<br />
PARK HYUN-YI, Camp Stanley, South Korea<br />
MARY JANE SAMONTE, NAS Fallon, Nev.<br />
SIN CHU-HYON, Yongsan, South Korea<br />
SONG HAE-CHUN, Camp Casey, South Korea<br />
YI CHI-HYONG, Osan AB, South Korea<br />
pro honors<br />
(Other winners from listed contests may have<br />
been published previously)<br />
Alder Foods “Every Penny Counts” Contest<br />
DeCA East: McGUIRE AFB, N.J.<br />
Coca-Cola NASCAR Display<br />
DeCA East: C.E. KELLY, Pa.; LANGLEY AFB,<br />
Va.; ROBINS AFB, Ga.<br />
DeCA West: NSB BANGOR, Wash.<br />
General Mills Cinco de Mayo Display<br />
DeCA West: YOKOTA AB, Japan; MOUNTAIN<br />
HOME AFB, Idaho, honorable mention<br />
General Mills Just Add Milk Display<br />
DeCA East: FORT McCOY, Wis.; LANGLEY<br />
AFB, Va.; NAS PENSACOLA, Fla.<br />
DeCA West: CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa;<br />
VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.<br />
General Mills Warm Up America Display<br />
DeCA West: PORT HUENEME, Calif., honorable<br />
mention<br />
Heinz Golden Ketchup Display<br />
DeCA East: FORT MEADE, Md.; HURLBURT<br />
FIELD, MacDILL AFB, NS MAYPORT, PATRICK<br />
AFB, Fla.; NSB KINGS BAY, Ga.; LANGLEY<br />
AFB, Va.; LITTLE ROCK AFB, Ark.; WRIGHT-<br />
PATTERSON AFB, Ohio. Honorable mention:<br />
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.; FORT LEE, Va.; NAS<br />
KEY WEST, NAS PENSACOLA, Fla.; McGUIRE<br />
AFB, N.J.; SCOTT AFB, Ill.<br />
DeCA Europe: INCIRLIK AB, IZMIR AS, Turkey.<br />
Honorable mention: VINCENZA, Italy<br />
DeCA West: LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas;<br />
MOUNTAIN HOME AFB, Idaho (six<br />
consecutive). Honorable mention: FORT<br />
HOOD I, Texas; FORT LEWIS, Wash.; ORD<br />
COMMUNITY, Calif.; PETERSON AFB, Colo.;<br />
YONGSAN, South Korea<br />
Kashi Top Gun Award<br />
DeCA East: FORT MYER, Va.; NSB NEW<br />
LONDON, Conn.<br />
DeCA West: DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB, Ariz.;<br />
McCHORD AFB, Wash.; NAS NORTH ISLAND,<br />
Calif.<br />
Keebler Hollow Tree Display<br />
DeCA East: ARNOLD AFB, Tenn; NAS<br />
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; NSA MEMPHIS, Tenn.<br />
w<br />
45
DeCA West: NAF ATSUGI,<br />
Japan; NAF EL CENTRO,<br />
MCAS MIRAMAR, NB<br />
SAN DIEGO, TWENTYNINE<br />
PALMS, Calif.; FORT RILEY,<br />
Kan.; FORT SILL, TINKER<br />
AFB, Okla.; NB PEARL<br />
HARBOR, SCHOFIELD<br />
BARRACKS, Hawaii<br />
Kellogg’s Case Cutter Display<br />
DeCA West: KADENA AB,<br />
Okinawa<br />
Kellogg’s Crystal K<br />
DeCA East: ARNOLD AFB,<br />
Tenn.<br />
Kellogg’s NASCAR Display<br />
DeCA East: EGLIN AFB, Fla.;<br />
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.<br />
DeCA West: NOLF IMPERIAL<br />
BEACH, Calif.<br />
Kraft Excellence in Execution<br />
DeCA East: BARKSDALE AFB, FORT POLK,<br />
La.; MCAS CHERRY POINT, N.C.; FORT<br />
CAMPBELL, ZONE 27, Ky.; FORT DETRICK<br />
(second consecutive), Md.; FORT GILLEM, Ga.;<br />
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo.; KEESLER AFB,<br />
Miss. (3 rd consecutive); NAB LITTLE CREEK,<br />
NB NORFOLK (second consecutive), Va.; NS<br />
NEWPORT, R.I.; MCAS NEW RIVER, N.C.;<br />
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala.; NSU SARATOGA<br />
SPRINGS, N.Y.; TOBYHANNA AD, Pa.;<br />
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio; ZONE 26, Ill.<br />
DeCA West: DYESS AFB, Texas; FORT<br />
CARSON, Colo.; FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, NB<br />
SAN DIEGO, TWENTYNINE PALMS, ZONE<br />
16, Calif.; MCB KANEOHE BAY (second<br />
consecutive), SCHOFIELD BARRACKS (second<br />
consecutive), Hawaii; MINOT AFB, N.D.; WHITE<br />
SANDS MR, N.M.<br />
Land O’ Lakes Display<br />
DeCA Europe: SPANGDAHLEM AB, Germany<br />
DeCA West: HILL AFB, Utah<br />
Milk-Bone Canine Assistants Display<br />
DeCA East: NWS CHARLESTON, S.C.; FORT<br />
LEE, Va.; NS GREAT LAKES, Ill.<br />
DeCA West: NAS JRB FORT WORTH,<br />
SHEPPARD AFB, Texas; HILL AFB, Utah;<br />
NELLIS AFB, Nev.; NB PEARL HARBOR,<br />
Hawaii; TINKER AFB, Okla.<br />
National Apple Month Display<br />
DeCA West: VANCE AFB, Okla.<br />
Otis Spunkmeyer <strong>Customer</strong> Appreciation Display<br />
DeCA East: NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md.<br />
DeCA West: CANNON AFB, N.M.; NAWS<br />
CHINA LAKE, Calif.;<br />
Quaker-Tropicana Fuel Your Morning with<br />
Breakfast Display<br />
DeCA East: FORT MEADE, Md.; NSA<br />
MEMPHIS, Tenn.; USMA WEST POINT, N.Y.<br />
DeCA West: FAIRCHILD AFB, Wash.<br />
Red Blossom Strawberry Display<br />
DeCA West: MALMSTROM AFB, Mont.<br />
Smucker’s April Showers of Savings Display<br />
DeCA West: HILL AFB, Utah<br />
46 47 decavision 2009!Vol. 18, No. 4<br />
pSAVINGS EXPRESS: McClellan Commissary, Calif., keeps this display train<br />
busy, merchandising a variety of items year-round. DeCA photo<br />
Smucker’s Celebrating Freedom Display<br />
DeCA West: YONGSAN, South Korea<br />
Snapple Display<br />
DeCA West: CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa;<br />
VANCE AFB, Okla. (second consecutive year);<br />
YONGSAN, South Korea<br />
14 th Annual StarKist “Charlie” Display<br />
DeCA East: BOLLING AFB, D.C.; NSF<br />
DAHLGREN, Va.; FORT BENNING, Ga.; NAS<br />
PENSACOLA, Fla.; ZONE 25, Md.<br />
DeCA West: NAF ATSUGI, Japan; CAMP<br />
HUMPHREYS, OSAN AB, YONGSAN, South<br />
Korea, sales band and Far East; FORT HOOD<br />
II, Texas; TINKER AFB, Okla.; WHITE SANDS<br />
MR, N.M.<br />
Sunkist Citrus Display<br />
DeCA West: MALMSTROM AFB, Mont.<br />
Unilever Mom’s Taste of Home Display<br />
DeCA West: ANDERSEN AFB, Okinawa<br />
Webco ConAgra Crystal Truckload Display<br />
DeCA East: NAS PENSACOLA, Fla.<br />
DeCA West: FORT RILEY, Kan.; OSAN AB,<br />
South Korea<br />
Wisk Field of Dreams Contest<br />
DeCA East: FORT POLK, La.; MacDILL AFB, Fla.<br />
DeCA West: FORT HOOD I, Texas; F.E.<br />
WARREN AFB, Wyo.<br />
Organizational honors<br />
BITBURG AB, Germany, presented American<br />
flag flown in <strong>com</strong>bat aboard B-1B bomber<br />
over Afghanistan by 37 th Expeditionary Bomb<br />
Squadron, for dedication and support of<br />
Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom.<br />
NAF EL CENTRO, Calif., <strong>com</strong>mander’s coins to<br />
Velma Siler, store director, and Lisa Martinez,<br />
industry representative, from both Southwest<br />
Region master chief and installation <strong>com</strong>mand<br />
master chief, following official tour.<br />
FORT HOOD I, Texas, certificate of<br />
appreciation for outstanding support and<br />
participation, 2009 Combined Federal<br />
Campaign (CFC); Betty Carey, general<br />
manager, individual award for collecting<br />
$3,296.<br />
HEIDELBERG, Germany, <strong>com</strong>mander’s coin to<br />
Thomas Muehlbauer, deputy store director,<br />
and Edyta Verdejo, deli-bakery manager,<br />
from new Baden-Württemberg garrison<br />
<strong>com</strong>mander, in appreciation of operating<br />
an outstanding <strong>com</strong>missary with exceptional<br />
customer <strong>service</strong>.<br />
KADENA AB, Okinawa, two plaques from<br />
Misato Children’s Home, in appreciation for<br />
supporting annual Misato Fun Day.<br />
RAF LAKENHEATH, England, pasta bar<br />
won installation’s Public Health Facility of<br />
the Quarter Award, 3rd Quarter, small food<br />
facility category.<br />
PORT HUENEME, Calif., letter of appreciation<br />
from <strong>com</strong>manding officer, for support of 2009<br />
Family Readiness and Warrior Recognition Day.<br />
TINKER AFB, Okla., certificate of<br />
appreciation from Gray Eagles Retiree<br />
Association, for DeCA and industry support of<br />
annual Gray Eagles Golf Tournament, funding<br />
scholarships to military youth; plaque from<br />
Kellogg’s, for support of summer fun program.<br />
Individual honors<br />
EDWIN BACA, secretary, Kirtland AFB, N.M.,<br />
Bachelor of Arts in organizational psychology,<br />
summa cum laude, College of Santa Fe,<br />
Albuquerque, N.M.<br />
KATHY BEATTY, store director, F.E. Warren, Wyo.,<br />
<strong>com</strong>mander’s coin pin from Army and Air Force<br />
Exchange System deputy <strong>com</strong>manding general, for<br />
outstanding store presentation during tour.<br />
BILLY BENNER, store director, Port Hueneme,<br />
Calif., American flag flown over Camp Moreell<br />
and Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait, Sept. 11, 2009,<br />
from U.S. Navy Seabees, for supporting war on<br />
terrorism during Operation Iraqi Freedom and<br />
Operation Enduring Freedom.<br />
GLENN CAPISTRANT, Okinawa CDC manager,<br />
certificate of appreciation from 835 th<br />
Transportation Battalion <strong>com</strong>mander, for long,<br />
continued support for military <strong>com</strong>munity.
Top 10 <strong>com</strong>missaries in sales<br />
(Fiscal 2009)<br />
1. Fort Belvoir Commissary, Va. $104,106,301<br />
2. San Diego Commissary, Calif. $ 88,926,673<br />
3. Pearl Harbor Commissary, Hawaii $ 85,626,370<br />
4. Oceana Commissary, Va. $ 79,787,023<br />
5. Fort Meade Commissary, Md. $ 74,600,616<br />
6. Fort Bragg South Commissary, N.C. $ 72,692,277<br />
7. Fort Campbell Commissary, Ky. $ 72,475,586<br />
8. Fort Lewis Commissary, Wash. $ 72,201,857<br />
9. Langley Commissary, Va. $ 68,388,128<br />
10. Miramar Commissary, Calif. $ 67,673,619<br />
* PAM CROLL,<br />
government purchase<br />
card agency<br />
program coordinator,<br />
HQ DeCA, Va.,<br />
achieved Program<br />
Management<br />
Office Individual<br />
Contribution Award<br />
for innovative ideas<br />
and dedication to<br />
enhancing GPC<br />
program worldwide<br />
since 2003.<br />
Pam Croll<br />
VERONICA DICE,<br />
produce manager,<br />
Fort Knox, Ky., recognized by American<br />
Federation of Government Employees Local<br />
2302, for support provided to bargaining unit<br />
under her supervision.<br />
!<br />
RUBY ERVIN, store director, Randolph AFB,<br />
Texas, U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute<br />
Commendation in recognition of contributions<br />
to Army <strong>com</strong>munity; letter of appreciation from<br />
president of Kiolbassa Sausage Company,<br />
San Antonio, for efforts in getting local<br />
sausage product line in <strong>com</strong>missary; letter of<br />
appreciation and Army lapel pin from U.S.<br />
Army Freedom Salute Team, in thanks for<br />
support of Army families and <strong>com</strong>munities.<br />
GABE LUGO, store director, Heidelberg,<br />
Germany, awarded DeCA Meritorious Civilian<br />
Service Award, for long, dedicated <strong>service</strong>,<br />
departing for new store director position at<br />
NAS Pensacola, Fla.<br />
EDWARD PACKER, assistant store director,<br />
Ellsworth AFB, S.D., Master of Business<br />
Administration, summa cum laude, National<br />
American University, Rapid City, S.D.<br />
JACOB RODRIGUEZ, storeworker, Luke AFB,<br />
Ariz., Bachelor of Science in political science,<br />
Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.<br />
ALDO SANCHEZ, storeworker, Altus AFB, Okla.,<br />
Associate of Arts in radiology and science,<br />
Western Oklahoma State College, Altus, Okla.<br />
PEARLINE SELLMAN, store associate, Andrews<br />
AFB, Md., letter of appreciation for meritorious<br />
<strong>service</strong> from 464 th Transportation Company,<br />
Fort Belvoir, Va., for years of outstanding<br />
customer <strong>service</strong>.<br />
STEPHEN SESSIONS, storeworker, Luke AFB,<br />
Ariz., Bachelor of Science in business, Arizona<br />
State University, Tempe, Ariz.<br />
MARIA SIMS, storeworker, Vicenza, Italy, certificate<br />
of appreciation from garrison <strong>com</strong>mander, for<br />
participating in retiree social events.<br />
NELSON TORRES, store administrator, Fort Hood<br />
II, Texas, garrison <strong>com</strong>mander’s coin, for <strong>service</strong><br />
to military <strong>com</strong>munity as he departed to be<strong>com</strong>e<br />
store director at Ellsworth AFB, S.D.<br />
DONNA WALLS, store manager, Hill AFB, Utah,<br />
<strong>com</strong>mander’s coin from 75 th Communications<br />
Squadron, for continued support of Hill airmen.n<br />
47
DeCA DISABLED<br />
EMPLOYEE<br />
OF THE YEAR:<br />
Phillip Gregg,<br />
store associate,<br />
Fort Sill, Okla.,<br />
will represent<br />
DeCA for<br />
Department<br />
of Defense<br />
disabled<br />
employee<br />
honors in<br />
December.<br />
Gregg overcame<br />
a severe brain<br />
injury, earning<br />
his bachelor’s<br />
degree in<br />
elementary<br />
education. U.S.<br />
Army photo:<br />
Jeffrey Crawley