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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - For the average 16-year-old, a day’s activities might range from hanging out at the mall, going through the early years of high school and playing video games – anything to kill time before graduation. There are very few who know what career path they will follow, let alone becoming a Department of Defense employee as a high school sophomore.
Yet this is what Pat McClellan, deputy fleet manager of Base Motor Transport aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, did in 1963 as a 16-year-old. Today, she has an astounding 48 years of civil service for the DOD under her belt.
McClellan, along with three other ladies with equally impressive records, were the subjects of a mass retirement ceremony held at the Paradise Point Officers’ Club aboard the base, Aug. 30.
“These ladies were 16, 17, 20 years old when they started working in the civil service,” said Nancy Kalm, assistant chief of staff with Marine Corps Installations – East. “As such, their combined service totals 158 years, in which time they touched the lives of thousands of people aboard the base, both civilian and service member alike.”
The other DOD personnel who retired were Lina Parker, management assistant with the Business Performance Office; Ollie Carroll, supervisor with the Process Analysis Branch with the BPO and Linda Bender, business manager with the BPO, who tallied up 35, 38 and 37 years of civil service, respectively.
Although unusual for a civilian retirement ceremony, a color guard was present for the event as well as Col. Daniel J. Lecce, commanding officer of MCB Camp Lejeune, and Sgt. Maj. Robert G. VanOostrom, sergeant major of MCIEAST.
“This is a tremendous tribute to these retirees here today,” said Lecce. “This base is huge, but these four ladies have had a great impact here and the individuals aboard it. They all started at the bottom and worked their way up, and the passion they showed in their work speaks volumes for the kind of people they are.”
Following a lunch prepared by the staff of the Officers’ Club, the four ladies were presented with their certificates of appreciation and retirement as well as the folded national ensign; each one flown above Building 1. Following the official presentations, each of the ladies was given farewell gifts by their respective sections, after which the audience floor was opened for public comments toward the retirees.
When the ceremony was concluded, hordes of friends and coworkers descended upon each of the retirees, an act which speaks even more for their character and reputation they have built during their decades of service aboard the base.
However, one question still remains. What drove these ladies to working aboard the base for all those years?
“A lot of things have changed since I first came here,” said McClellan. “But my overall mission never changed, and that was to support the Marines to the best of my ability.”
| Date Taken: | 08.30.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2011 10:35 |
| Story ID: | 76746 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Four retirees, 158 years of civil service, by GySgt Jonathan Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
