HOHENFELS, Germany " Hildegard Gesell-Keil, or "Hilde," as she is more affectionately known by the Soldiers, Civilians and Family members of the Hohenfels community, retired from 42 years of service as the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) Protocol and Public Relations officer on Friday, July 29, 2011.
During those 42 years of service, Gesell-Keil has personally assisted every Commander of JMRC, "save but three of the ones pictured out there in the hallway," she said of the long row of photographs in the Command Group hallway in the JMRC headquarters building.
That very same hallway at the heart of the Command Group was christened "Hildegard Hall," on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, during a special dedication ceremony for Gesell-Keil, permanently making her part of that very same hallway she committed so many years of service to.
"I have lots of memories from here," Gesell-Keil said in reference to the photographs hanging in the hallway now named after her. She has personally been there to assist with public relations advice, translation, and administrative staff work of every Commander since she first started as an administrative clerk in January 1969.
At first she found her job difficult because she was taught formal English in school but found the Americans' slang confusing.
"I had to learn the military phonetic alphabet, Military Occupation Specialties and other Army lingo within 48 hours to learn to communicate with the Americans," she said.
She was at JMRC for one week when she decided she was not going to come back.
"I told my father it's too difficult with the language, but he said 'every new job is a challenge and you are not going to give up'," said Gesell-Keil.
She took his advice, refused to give up and has never regretted that decision.
Gesell-Keil said she's stayed at JMRC as long as she has because she loves her job and the people.
She has worked for officers like retired Gen. Charles C. "Hondo" Campbell, who wrote her a letter upon her retirement and in it said of her that she was "intelligent, engaging, and industrious…you combined a wondrous sense of selfless service with a well honed work ethic and superbly honed interpersonal skills. You served scores of leaders with unmatched loyalty and dedication." Retired Gen. D. L. Scott sent her a large bouquet of long-stemmed red roses and a personal note to thank her for "helping so many," including himself. She even knew retired Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs back when he was a Major, who specifically stopped in Hohenfels as a General Officer to have coffee at her house while his security entourage filled her small neighborhood streets.
"It doesn't matter if you're a senior military official or not though," says Dr. Ludwig Hecht, the German Army's head orthopedic surgeon and team doctor for the German boys National Team, "Hildegard is a gracious host to absolutely anyone. She invites so many families into her own home and makes the most delicious home-made sauerkraut…she's like the mother of the garrison there, she takes care of everybody. Everybody! She's sympathetic and has a big heart…she's just lovely!"
Monika Herrmann, the Hohenfels Military Police liaison has known Hildegard Gesell-Keil for 35 years. "I do not envy the person who has to try to fill her shoes," said Herrmann, "she has a true talent and it's amazing how she treats everyone with the same warmth no matter what their rank or duty title…she was and always will be simply the best."
People who get to know "Hilde" fully reciprocate the love that she has for them. At her own retirement dinner hosted at the Hohenfels Keltensaal on Tuesday, 26 July 2011, she had intentions to give an address and host a casual dinner, but the local community had other ideas. Local mayors, city officials, police officers, hospital doctors and clinical staff, both German and American military leaders all came to honor her at her retirement ceremony and filled a long gift table with tokens of their appreciation. She was presented several gifts from the JMRC Command Group, to include a Superior Civilian Service Award, the third highest award of the Department of the Army for the Department of the Army Employees. She was even surprised by a local Oompah band that performed on a stage for her before she was able to give her speech.
Gesell-Keil says she was surprised by the overwhelming display of how greatly she would be missed by the community.
"It seems like I'm part of the family," said Gesell-Keil of the Hohenfels community and her experiences with the former and current Command Group. Her Army family started off small and then expanded over the years as JMRC grew. She still remembers the tiny Commissary that used to be in the JMRC Headquarters building and barracks that no longer exist because new buildings took their place.
Gesell-Keil does not plan to be idle during her retirement. She wants to travel with her husband and finish working on a book about her experiences at JMRC. She jokingly says the book will be "the biggest After Action Review ever."
Even though her retirement will be painful for those who have come to rely on her knowledge and kindness, they don't have to say good-bye yet. Gesell-Keil plans to do volunteer work at JMRC because she's not quite ready to say good-bye either.
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