Camp Lejeune disburser bids farewell after thirty-three years

Photo By Sgt. Paul Peterson | Jacquelyn W. Southerland, a financial technician supervisor with 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s disbursing office, thanks the assembled Marines for their support during her retirement ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, Aug. 30, 2012. The entire office assembled to bid farewell to Southerland, who dedicated more than three decades to serving the financial needs of service members. She said that her only hope is that she “touched the hearts” of some of the people she worked with over her 33 years of service.  

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES

08.30.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Paul Peterson  

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — She forged a fierce loyalty with the Marines she considers family.

Jacquelyn W. Southerland, a financial technician supervisor with 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s disbursing office, accepts no excuses. She is honest, blunt and fair. After 33 years of service to the military community, the Chinquapin, N.C., native retired here, Aug. 31, and begrudgingly bid farewell to her Marine Corps family.

It was her 61st birthday.

“I’m going to miss my work family,” said Southerland, who is known in her office as a firm but caring leader. “I have obtained children along the way. Your work family becomes your family, so I’m a grandmother and a mother to many military members.”

Southerland first came to Camp Lejeune in 1983. Her responsibilities covered key financial areas, which varied from pay and fiscal management to supervising the office’s travel section.

Her experience and intimate knowledge of the Marine Corps’ financial system made Southerland a valuable asset to the disbursing community.

One of her colleagues, Vickie Bechtel, a customer service supervisor with the office, even joked Southerland could recite the Joint Federal Travel Regulations manual with her eyes closed. She in fact took the manual home occasionally to find answers for people seeking help.

“I was just amazed to sit and watch her work some days, and she always worked past her time,” said Bechtel, who worked under Southerland’s supervision for 17 years. “What you see is what you get. She is absolutely 100 percent authentic. She’ll tell a colonel ‘no’ just as easily as she’ll tell a Pfc. ‘no’. If it can’t be paid, it can’t be paid.”

Southerland drove 110 miles roundtrip to work at Camp Lejeune every day, but she said she did it for more than the job itself.

Over the years, many Marines returned as senior leaders to thank Southerland, and many others sent similar sentiments through letters and phone calls from around the world.

“My job is constantly training, mentoring and wanting them to learn [the job],” Southerland said. “That is the continuity and the glue that holds it all together. The military personnel come and go, so I’m always in constant training mode.”

She is famous in the office for her down-to-earth, unflappable personality and disarming comments. Her colleagues still laugh over statements such as “he can call back when he puts a smile in his voice”, which highlighted Southerland’s outlook in challenging situations.

Her personality was a feature of the office, but the office’s staff also respected her dedication to the disbursing team.
Lance Cpl. James Sconyers, a travel business clerk with the office, said he considers Southerland to be a mentor, leader and a genuine friend. She was someone who helped the Marines in the office whenever they needed it.

“There is so much work she does and that goes through her that they have been trying to figure out who is going to take it over,” said Sconyers. “She has done things for so long that people have forgotten they needed to be done.”

Her blunt honesty and deep dedication to her staff created a strong, lasting bond with many of the Marines who passed through the disbursing office. Southerland says she regularly receives visits from past Marines. Many still refer to her as “mom” decades later.

“She takes no [excuses], but she will love you like you are her son,” said Sconyers. “You do not disrespect Mrs. Southerland. If one person ever did, she would have 40 or 50 Marines [backing her up].”

Southerland remains humble about her accomplishments and is unassuming about her impact on the disbursing community within the Marine Corps. She said she only hopes she “touched the hearts” of some of the people she worked with and demonstrated a strong work ethic.

Southerland plans to continue her financial work in a part-time job closer to home now that she is retired.

• Date Taken: 08.30.2012
• Date Posted: 08.30.2012 14:50
• Story ID: 94055
• Location: CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US