LRC Stuttgart employee who grew up in communist Romania now living the ‘American dream’

Photo By Cameron Porter | Corina Cruceanu, a plans and operations specialist at Logistics Readiness Center Stuttgart, grew up in Romania in the ‘80s during communism. Pictured here is Cruceanu (far right, standing) with her kindergarten class. Cruceanu said the school uniforms were only provided to them for the official school photo as a form of propaganda, and the same is true for the books they are holding. “The books were given to us only for the picture. After, they took them away,” she said. “And the dolls in the back – we were not allowed to touch them. Few girls had dolls back then.” (Courtesy photo)  

STUTTGART, BW, GERMANY

01.17.2024

Story by Cameron Porter 

405th Army Field Support Brigade - Europe & Africa

STUTTGART, Germany – Corina Cruceanu was 11 years old when her parents left her and her sister and brother in Romania and moved to the United States. For her first nine years, Cruceanu grew up in a communist society, but in the mid ‘90s her parents established official residency in the U.S. and Cruceanu and her siblings were able to join them in Virginia.

“We left Romania with one piece of luggage each, in search of the American dream,” said Cruceanu, a plans and operations specialist at Logistics Readiness Center Stuttgart.

Now, her parents are retired and living in Florida after running a successful construction business for 30 years, her brother owns his own construction business, and her sister has a criminal justice degree and works in the security arena.

Cruceanu, herself, is a retired Air Force master sergeant with 21 years of active-duty service, and since last April, she’s also an Army civilian employee with the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s LRC Stuttgart.

“When I look back, I try to imagine what would have happened to us if we would have stayed in Romania,” she said. “We definitely would not have enjoyed all the opportunities the U.S. has afforded us over the years.”

For example, Cruceanu was stationed in Norway at the U.S. embassy there for three years, and when she retired from the Air Force in 2021 at Aviano Air Base, Italy, she was the flight chief for a Logistics Readiness Squadron.

“Definitely no country in the world affords you these kinds of opportunities – opportunities only the U.S. can give you,” said Cruceanu who has an associate’s degree in logistics from the Community College of the Air Force and is currently working on her bachelor’s degree in contracting and acquisition from Strayer University.

“Every day I’m thankful my family and I have experienced what it’s like to live the American dream,” she said.

And when it comes to working at LRC Stuttgart, Cruceanu said she’s equally thankful.

“At LRC Stuttgart, we have a small team of Department of the Army civilian employees who are all amazing,” Cruceanu said. “Most of them are prior military so we all speak the same language. For me, it was an easy transition into the government civilian world because of all my experience and the lingo we use.”

LRC Stuttgart also has a robust local national workforce who make up the core of the team and are absolutely invaluable to the mission, said Cruceanu.

“Our local national workforce is comprised of people from around the world. I love all the diversity they bring to LRC Stuttgart,” she said.

Cruceanu said she also loves the workload. At LRC Stuttgart, Cruceanu manages all the day-to-day operations, working directly with the division chiefs and the director establishing unit policies while providing guidance and direction for logistical plans, programs, resourcing and objectives.

“I can say LRC Stuttgart is at the State Department level of operations,” she said. “It’s similar to what I learned as a member of the Air Force and what I learned when I worked for the State Department at a U.S. embassy.”

In addition, Cruceanu is in the process of assuming more responsibility at work. She’s in training now, learning all there is to know about the additional programs she’ll be taking over as well as her responsibilities representing LRC Stuttgart in the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart Emergency Operations Center.

LRC Stuttgart is one of eight LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, and transportation as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management, and property book operations. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Stuttgart directs, manages, and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Stuttgart.

LRC Stuttgart reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.

• Date Taken: 01.17.2024
• Date Posted: 01.17.2024 03:25
• Story ID: 461925
• Location: STUTTGART, BW, DE