CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The Marine Corps said goodbye to one of its first sergeants after 25 years of faithful service.
1st Sgt. Kevin E. Hart, the company first sergeant for Headquarters and Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, retired during a ceremony Feb. 7, here.
Col. Gary F. Keim, the commanding officer of CLR-27, 2nd MLG thanked Hart for his years of dedicated service, and said that his Marine Corps career is an example that Marines should follow.
“You are a credit to everyone here, the Marine Corps, and this country,” said Keim. “I am 100 percent confident that you are going to go out there and do great things.”
Friends and family members gathered to show their love and support.
Hart thanked his wife Tamara for always being there for him, and staying strong through his deployments.
“To me, this was never a job, it’s something that I’ve loved to do for 25 years,” said Hart.
Since Hart’s enlistment on September 13, 1988, his overseas tours of duty include Japan, four deployments to Iraq, a deployment to Afghanistan, and his most recent deployment to Bangkok, Thailand.
His dedication to the Corps and his Marines earned him multiple medals and awards, to include a Meritorious Service Medal, three Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two of which included a “V” for valor, a Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons, eight Good Conduct Medals, a certificate of commendation, two meritorious mast and four letters of appreciation.