USAFMSA honors Croall's 50 years of service

Fort Belvoir, Va. (May 15, 2014) - Past and present employees of the U.S. Army Force Management Support Agency recognized Steve Croall for his 50 years of service to the agency during a luncheon at the Embassy Suites hotel in Springfield, Va, Friday.

Croall has been the USAFMSA Tables of Distribution and Allowances, and Special Programs Division Chief since 1982. Employees thanked Croall for his leadership, mentorship and ability to get the people around him to understand the organization's mission.

"As a young captain in the Army in 1985, Steve Croall is the first government civilian I met," said Steve McManus, former USAFMSA Manpower Survey Division member. "I immediately understood why he was called the 'Boy Wonder.' He has a great ability to get people to understand what they don't want to understand."

The information or decisions Croall was able to make people understand had to do with decreases and increases in resources and operational ability, according to Dr. Harry M. West, Global Solutions Network, Inc. Founding Partner. According to West, Croall's presentation of his ideas is one reason he was able to get unit commanders to understand his decisions.

"He put it together in a package that had the data he analyzed to make his decision," said West. "So, because of that, he was able to get unit commanders to see why he made the decision he made."

His longevity at USAFMSA helped new employees, particularly division chiefs, ease into their new position. Croall's experience also helped new division chiefs, who were not used to working with civilians, according to Gerald B. O'Keefe, USAFMSA Deputy Director from 2004 to 2008.

"I had been in operational units in the Army for a long time," said O'Keefe. "There were no civilians in those units, but USAFMSA is made up of almost all civilians. He really helped me understand managing civilians and their value."

Croall's federal career started on May 9, 1964. To spend 50 years in the government is the result of circumstances more than a plan, according to Croall.

"The 50 years comes at you a few years at time," said Croall. "But, you just keep building on it.

Something comes up and you are like, 'OK, we are not ready to walk away from this.'"

His original goal when joining the federal government was really simple, according to Croall. He just wanted to be a solid citizen and move up the federal pay grade scale.

"My goal was, 'What job will give me the opportunity to contribute more and effect change for the better?'" said Croall.

The list of accomplishments Croall has compiled during the last 50 years is too long for one news article. One of those accomplishments was being inducted into the Force Management Hall of Fame last year. However, individual accolades are not what Croall remembers most about the last 50 years.

"We sent people to Afghanistan and Iraq to help build equipment sets for our armed forces to use what they didn't bring with them," said Croall. "We got involved in President Reagan's decision to ratchet down the nuclear foot print in Europe and destroy some of the missile launchers they had. So, sending a group into Russia to be a part of that effort was extraordinary."

The development and improvement of the Army's capabilities during the last 50 years is what Croall is most proud of when he thinks about his career.

"You don't get any happier when you see where the Army and nation has come, what our capabilities are and how the nation views its armed forces," said Croall. "I was there when we built that and said, 'Why don't you think about this?' Being involved in those things is an honor as well as a privilege."