WIESBADEN, Germany -- When Evelyn Bugla first went to work for the U.S. Army in 1970 as a data processor, large computers churned in massive server rooms that felt more like saunas because of the heat they generated. She also had to sort through trays of IBM punch cards containing data files to run through a machine -- and each had to be entered correctly or it would disrupt the whole batch.
My, how technology and information flow have advanced.
"It is unbelievable what has happened over the past 40 years in automation," she said. "When you look at that now and where we are today, it's astonishing. Everything is so much quicker. Every half a year, it's doubling in speed, and there's always something new out there."
Now the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District's deputy chief of Information Management, Bugla is calling it a career after more than four decades of service. A farewell ceremony took place Oct. 24 at the Amelia Earhart Center. Her retirement will become official at the end of the month.
"The people of my IM team -- that's what I will miss the most," she said. "It's like family. It's not just words. It really means something. I really feel that now. I'm going to miss working in here.
"If you have a good group like we have in IM, it's just wonderful to get along and work on things together and be constructive. If you have a team like that, you really, truly enjoy coming to work every day. I will miss them very much."
Bugla's entry position with the Army came at a small post in Augsburg, Bavaria, where she performed administrative duties. In 1973, she landed an information technology job in Frankfurt with Engineer Command, which became USACE the following year.
She received a letter of appreciation from President Gerald Ford in the mid-1970s for her part in developing a computer program that yielded major cost savings for the then-Europe Division. In 1982, she was named Division Employee of the Year.
Looking back, however, not all the memories are particularly fond, Bugla said. She recalls the downsizing that struck the organization in 1990, shortly before the Gulf War, when the division was reclassified as a district, its combined Army civilian and German liaison workforce shrinking from about 1,300 to 300.
"It was traumatic," she said, "and it was really sad for so many people. I felt sorry for those who actually had to pack up their bags and leave."
The district moved to the Amelia Earhart Center in 1995. In June 2008, Bugla was promoted to deputy chief. In that role, she oversaw software engineering, computer-aided design, branch budgets, administration and the mailroom.
So what kept her coming back to the office all these years?
"I love my work always. I really did," she said. "To be in IT is a constant, continuous challenge. You can't stop learning, and you can't stop advancing. You have to stay on top of things. You have to specialize in certain fields, and it's always interesting. It never gets boring."
At the farewell ceremony, Col. Peter Helmlinger, the Europe District commander, praised her exceptional ability to communicate, mentor, motivate and partner, saying she's been invaluable to the IM team and USACE.
"I personally want to thank you for the wonderful work you've done here … for all the commanders you've supported over the past 42 years. That's quite an impressive feat," he told Bugla. "Our IM office is the best in the Corps of Engineers. That's due in great order to the hard work that you've put in, working with computers long before people ever knew what they were. You've stayed cutting edge the entire time, and that's difficult in your line of work."
Bugla enjoyed working with her U.S. counterparts and says she has more American friends than German -- she maintains contact with many who have since returned to the United States. In fact, her daughter jokes that her mother should take German lessons to get reacquainted with the native language.
"I do enjoy the American way of life that I get to participate in, so I live in two different worlds -- Little America in here and Little Germany out there. I always loved that," Bugla said. "I've had wonderful colleagues."
Her immediate plans included a two-week vacation to Florida with family, she said. Spontaneous travel to places such as Spain and Morocco also are likely down the road to escape the harsh winters here.
In Germany, Bugla plans to become a "household nerd," she said.
"I have lots of work at home to do," she added. "I finally get to take care of things that I have neglected for decades."
The IM deputy chief heads into retirement professionally fulfilled, with no regrets, she told colleagues at the farewell.
"I was given so many opportunities to excel. I don't know if other companies offer that to you," she said. "But because I worked here … I was able to participate in so many committees and teams. I got the chance to go over to the States and be part of big projects that put a lot of challenge to me. I loved that -- I really enjoyed that."
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