JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – When was the last time have you heard of someone dedicating their life to service for over 37 years, with almost 36 of it in one place? It seems hard to imagine, but that is exactly the path Gloria Billups, who retires Jan. 31, took in her service to the Joint Base Lewis-McChord community.
“It all started in 1987 when I was hired as intermittent on-call personnel,” Billups said. “All my time on Child and Youth Services was here at JBLM.”
Originally from Columbus, Miss., Billups, and her husband landed here on JBLM through her husband’s military service. Aside from a few months stint as a General Schedule employee in Germany, all of Billups’ time of employment was through CYS.
“I’m grateful that God gave me the opportunity,” Billups said. “I’m grateful to be the first black female to be a director at Lewis North Student Age Center for over 10 years. I worked in one building at Clarkmoor Child Development Center for over 20 years before I came here.
“Just to start out as a Child and Youth Program Assistant and to work my way up the ranks, from the bottom to facility director, I’m just grateful for the opportunity, and I just pray that I’ve done my best.”
Col. Phil Lamb, JBLM commander, knows firsthand how hard it is to achieve what Billups accomplished.
“Ms. Gloria Billups was at Fort Lewis when I was a teenager living here with my parents,” Lamb said. “In the ensuing years, I moved 18 times as an Army brat and then Army Aviation officer.
“I heard somewhere that on average, an American worker takes a new job every four to six years. She has demonstrated exceeding endurance and fortitude through her praiseworthy service over these past 36 years.”
Lamb also points out the importance of supporting jobs on JBLM, such as the one Billups had, for the warfighters.
“Ms. Billups has demonstrated exceptional loyalty to JBLM service members and their children who she served daily over 36 years,” Lamb said. “Her efforts impacted the readiness of JBLM units who deployed during the Global War on Terror, and in support of global rotational missions.
“I am honored to say that we served JBLM together,” Lamb said. “This moment is bittersweet for we say both goodbye to our Lewis North School Age Center Director and congratulations on a career well served!”
As with any job, there are tough days that an employee must go through. Billups says she thinks about her purpose when she encountered those days.
“I think about my purpose of being here, and that’s making sure the kids are safe, nurtured, and having fun,” Billups said. “A lot of times I have to come in the office and do deep breathing exercises, but I have a big job as I’m responsible for every child in this building, every staff in this building, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.”
She also has some advice for those just starting out in this line of work.
“My advice is to do some soul-searching, and to really find out if this is for you,” Billups said. “You must love children. You cannot work in this career not loving children.
“And if you love children, and you want to make an impact on their lives, then this is the job for you. Because what you do now, affects them as they get older.”
The Lewis North SAC will never be the same, says Thomas Harris Jr., the youth coordinator at CYS and Billups’ supervisor.
“I will miss seeing her at the Lewis North School Age Center greeting the children and working with staff,” Harris said. “She always did it with a smile on her face. I really hope she takes the time out and enjoy retirement.”
Now that she is about to embark on a new chapter in her life, Billups says she will take it easy.
“I’m really going to retire, retire!” Billups said. “I’ve got to focus on myself, my family, and my wellness. Start eating at a decent time, and just embrace my next chapter, whatever God has in store for me because whenever we say what we’re going to do, we interfere with God’s plan. We mess it up every time. So, whatever He has in store for me in my next chapter I will embrace that for sure.”
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