"I just wanted to see what was here and what I could add to or help with," said Clarence Thompson.
Thompson, a 40-year supply veteran, just finished a six-month tour in Afghanistan serving in Logistics Task Force-4, part of the 401st Army Field Support Battalion--Kandahar, 401st Army Field Support Brigade.
"It was rough," Thompson said about working with Marines for the first time in his long career. "Different branches have different ideas about equipment maintenance and accountability."
Thompson continued, "Sometimes the train of thought was hard to follow."
After 12 duty stations and 21 years in the Army, Thompson changed his green suit for black and has been working as a Department of the Army Civilian for the last 19 years.
"It's hard to do that." Thompson said about the switch from Soldier to Civilian. "It's a culture shock. Things don't move as fast as you think they should."
Thompson currently serves as a supply specialist at Red River Army Depot near Texarkana, Texas. He says not much has changed about doing supply in the Army, just the, "property accountability methods and equipment upgrades."
What is his favorite part about working for the Army? "The people," Thompson said. "I have met a lot of great people. If you don't have good people, it doesn't matter what you do, you will never have a good organization."
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