Senior Military Evaluator retires after 30-year Army career

By Ms. Sandra Gibson (ATEC)January 15, 2015

Senior Military Evaluator retires after 30-year Army career
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Chief Warrant Officer 4 Exel Mori-Candelaria, a senior military evaluator for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command Army Evaluation Center in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., sits with his wife Brenda Mori during his retirement ceremony on December ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Senior Military Evaluator retires after 30-year Army career
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Peter D. Utley, Commanding General for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Brenda Mori, wife of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Exel Mori-Candelaria, a senior military... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Senior Military Evaluator retires after 30-year Army career
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Peter D. Utley, Commanding General for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., presents a Letter of Appreciation signed by President Barack Obama to Chief Warrant Officer 4 Exel Mori-Candelaria, a senior m... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Senior Military Evaluator retires after 30-year Army career
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Chief Warrant Officer 4 Exel Mori-Candelaria, a senior military evaluator for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command Army Evaluation Center, stands with wife Brenda Mori and other family members during his retirement ceremony on December 18, 2014 ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- Chief Warrant Officer 4 Exel Mori-Candelaria, senior military evaluator for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command Army Evaluation Center retired after serving 30-years in the United States Army during a ceremony held here December 18, 2014.

ATEC's Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Peter D. Utley, presided over the retirement ceremony and praised Mori-Candelaria for being the type of leader who strived to make a difference in the lives of others. During a ceremony conducted before family, friends and colleagues at ATEC's headquarters building, Utley thanked him for always championing education, mentoring to those who needed it, and providing his exemplary brand of professionalism at every command at which he has served.

Among those in attendance were his wife of over 28 years, Brenda Mori; his oldest son, Army Specialist Exel Mori-Ramos and his fiancée, Jodie Miller; his son William Mori-Ramos and his wife Ayla; his daughter Keyla Mori-Ramos and his youngest son, Brandon Mori-Ramos; his sister-in-law Johanna Ramos and her husband, Edwin Carpio, and their two young children, Gabriel and Joel; and his father, Don William Ramos, and his mother-in-law, Doña Ramona Otero, who were both there from Puerto Rico.

Retired Chief Warrant Officer 5, Mr. George (Ted) Reno was also in attendance and gave remarks on the Warrant Officer profession. Reno became the Army's first Chief Warrant Officer 5 on October 1, 1992. Mori-Candelaria thanked him for being there and honoring him, his family, and ATEC's workforce and senior leaders with his presence.

During his retirement ceremony remarks, Mori-Candelaria spoke of the great influence his love and faith in God has had in his personal and professional life and the strength it gave him during times of weakness. He thanked his wife Brenda for being the pillar that had held their family together and for always being there when he was not, which allowed him to dedicate himself 110% percent to the Army profession he loved and the mission to which he was committed. He praised his children for seldom complaining about the constant changes and frequent moves that went hand-in-hand with military family life, and their resilience during the hardest parts of each move -- the inevitable good-byes to classmates and close friends made and left behind, and the challenges of forming new ones. He said he was most proud of their ability to stay positive even during the missed birthdays and holidays spent apart, and the baseball games and taekwondo classes he wasn't able to attend.

Mori-Candelaria, a native of Puerto Rico, joined the Army in 1984 and began his Army Career in the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Edward in Korea. In 1995, Mori-Candelaria completed the Warrant Officer Candidate Course at Fort Rucker, Ala., and the Warrant Officer Basic Course here at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. His other military education includes the Warrant Officer Staff Course, Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course, and Warrant Officer Advanced Course.

Mori-Candelaria said he owed a great deal of his success to his Army family -- a tightly knit group of senior leaders and fellow Soldiers who had contributed to his career success every day in immeasurable ways, and the thousands of nameless, faceless Soldiers who had acted quietly in support of him behind the scenes. He spoke of his first assignment to Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division and the squad leader he credits for his promotion to specialist.

"He took the time to map out a plan for me to leave my short-tour assignment as a promotable specialist," Mori-Candelaria said. "He dedicated many hours to help me achieve the milestone that we agreed to reach for my sake." Mori-Candelaria said his squad leader would often say to him, "In every assignment, improve your Soldiers, improve yourself, and improve your area of responsibility."

Since his first assignment, Mori-Candelaria has served in the Army campaigns Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and Operation Provide Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Mori-Candelaria has been a senior military evaluator in AEC's Mounted Systems Evaluation Directorate since 2012.

His many military honors and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.

Mori-Candelaria concluded his retirement speech by thanking the senior leaders, Soldiers, and Department of the Army civilians he had worked with during his two years at ATEC.

"I found true leaders, Soldiers and civilians who honesty cared about me, my family, and my career," Mori-Candelaria said. "Today, as part of the ATEC Family, I close a chapter in my life in a unique organization with a unique group of people."

He also praised his "brothers and sisters" of the ATEC System Team whom he says oftentimes had to make the tough decisions to do "the difficult right instead of the easy wrong" even in the face of strong opposition. He said the AST members' commitment to making decisions that would benefit the Soldiers in the field never wavered, but remained true. Mori-Candelaria said their dedication to the success of the mission, along with their countless acts of courage and selfless sense of duty embodied ATEC's motto, "Truth in Testing," and served as a source of daily inspiration for him.

Mori-Candelaria said he plans to stay in the local area after his retirement and will continue his 30-year commitment to serving others by assisting the Harford County Hispanic community with driver education issues.