‘When I retire I’ll cherish the memories,’ says former CID agent now LRC Italy employee

By Cameron Porter, 405th AFSB Public Affairs OfficerApril 29, 2022

‘When I retire I’ll cherish the memories,’ says former CID agent now LRC Italy employee
Graziella Dalle Mese is an Italian local national employee and a logistics operations support assistant with Logistics Readiness Center Italy, 405th Army Field Support Brigade. She’s responsible for coordinating work orders, translating documents and correspondence, preparing standard operating procedures, tracking actions and taskers, preparing after action reports and making recommendations, and a multitude of other administrative tasks and duties at LRC Italy. (Photo Credit: Sonia Zanfavero) VIEW ORIGINAL

Name: Graziella Dalle Mese

Job title: Logistics Operations Support Assistant

Assigned: Logistics Readiness Center Italy, 405th Army Field Support Brigade

Location: Vicenza, Italy

Experience: I’ve been working at LRC Italy for three years. Before coming to LRC Italy, I was at the Criminal Investigation Division office here in Vicenza working as a criminal investigator and interpreter for over 17 years. My first job with the U.S. Army in Italy was actually with the Directorate of Engineering and Housing in 1987, which is now called the Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Garrison Italy. In total, I have about 35 years of service with the Army, and I’m planning to retire within the next year.

Hometown: Altavilla Vicentina, Italy

Family: I’ve been married to my husband, Livio Tezze, for about 13 years. I have a son named Jeffrey Kiffer who is 37; a granddaughter, Sofia, who is almost 18; and a grandson, John, who is 6.

‘When I retire I’ll cherish the memories,’ says former CID agent now LRC Italy employee
Graziella Dalle Mese and one of her coworkers at Logistics Readiness Center Italy, Valter Florinaschi, share a laugh at work. The LRC Italy logistics operations support assistant, 405th Army Field Support Brigade, is planning to retire within the next year. She said she’ll miss all of the people she’s worked with over the years but will cherish the memories. (Photo Credit: Sonia Zanfavero) VIEW ORIGINAL

Q: Can you explain what your duties are at LRC Italy?

A: At LRC Italy I do a little bit of everything. I coordinate work orders for the organization. I’m the building manager and the key control officer. I organize events for LRC Italy. I translate documents and correspondence. I perform quality control reviews on documents and correspondence. I prepare standard operating procedures. I coordinate with local units, tenant organizations and activities. I coordinate with the LRC Italy division chiefs, and I track division actions and taskers. I prepare after action reports and make recommendations. I’m the alternate Defense Travel System manager for LRC Italy. I do the daily personnel status report for higher headquarters, and I perform a multitude of other administrative tasks and duties at LRC Italy.

Q: Why is the mission at LRC Italy so important?

A: Well, we support everybody. We support the Soldiers, mainly, but we also support all the civilian employees, family members and the entire community. From the time they arrive until the time they leave, we provide them with support, whether that’s clothing issue facility operations, food service management, supplies and services, personal property and household goods, transportation, maintenance, and more. It’s very important what we do on a daily basis. I don’t think the community here at USAG Italy would be able to fully operate and do their jobs if not for LRC Italy and all that we provide.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?

A: It’s hard to answer this question in just a few words. I’ll start by saying that I was previously married to an American, and I worked in the U.S. for about six years as a legal secretary very early in my adult life. It was my very first full-time job, and this was my introduction to American culture and my first opportunity to work with Americans. Actually, I have very little Italian work experience. Besides working at a couple of jobs here and there in Italy during the summers while I was in school, working for the U.S. Army is what I’ve done my entire life. I’ve always been treated well – with dignity, fairness and respect – and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve met a lot of interesting and nice people. To this day, I’m still in touch with many people I worked with over the years – many supervisors and colleagues. I’ve had a lot of good opportunities, and I’m grateful for everything. When I retire soon, I’ll certainly miss all of the people, but I’ll take with me many good memories, which I’ll cherish and share with my grandchildren. And we’ll keep in touch.

LRC Italy and 405th AFSB: LRC Italy is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management 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 Italy directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Italy.

LRC Italy 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 and the official Facebook site.