HONOLULU -- A retirement ceremony for Command Sgt. Maj. Tuileama Nua, senior enlisted advisor, Western Region Medical Command and former senior enlisted advisor, Pacific Regional Medical Command, and his wife, Anita, was held at Tripler Army Medical Center, April 27.
Nua joined the Army in July 1977 and will retire May 31 after 35 years of service to the U.S. Army.
Brig. Gen. Keith Gallagher, commanding general, PRMC and TAMC, hosted the ceremony as Nua and his wife stopped over in Hawaii on their way home to the islands of American Samoa.
Maj. Gen. Philip Volpe, commanding general, WRMC, presided over the ceremony. Nua and Volpe have served together multiple times throughout Nua's career. During Volpe's remarks, he listed off key events in history that showed just how much of the Army's evolution Nua witnessed during his service to the nation.
"During (Nua's) first term of enlistment, the President was Jimmy Carter and the first Apple computer went on sale; the cost of a gallon of gas was 65 cents and our Army was rebuilding from the strains of the Vietnam War and our biggest threat (was communism)," Volpe explained.
But through the changing of the nation and the Army, Nua, seeming always larger than life, stayed true to his Army values. Most importantly was his commitment to Soldiers.
"Nua has been a role model for Soldiers and a staunch advocate for their success and development as men and women of character," Volpe said. "He was all about Soldiering and 'service above self.'"
Volpe made sure he acknowledged the 25 years of service that Nua's wife, Anita, also contributed.
"Anita gave much more than she ever received," Volpe said. "She is the epitome of an Army wife and a shining example of selflessness."
When Nua and his wife arrived back in Hawaii, he was asked what he would miss most about his military career. Nua commented that it was very easy to answer.
"I did not hesitate to say the Soldiers, the camaraderie, the big family atmosphere, caring for our service members, their families, and most of all ... looking out for each other while serving this great nation," Nua explained.
Over the years, Nua supported many Army initiatives overseas. He deployed to Grenada in support of Operation Urgent Fury and he also participated in Operation Desert Storm/Shield in Southwest Asia.
Now, Nua is returning to the islands of American Samoa and taking his life and military experiences with him. Nua said he plans to enter a life of public service with political focus on healthcare and education for the people of American Samoa.
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