ANSBACH, Germany (Feb. 25, 2013) -- U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach held a length-of-service ceremony at the Von Steuben Community Center at Bismarck Kaserne Feb. 25.
Army employees were recognized for impressive lengths of service, including 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years. The most enduring of the honorees exceeded the lengthiest of services honored by 20 years. Fred Haverly, a tax relief officer at Storck Barracks, has been a part of the Army for more than 60 years now.
Haverly's career began in 1952 when he enlisted in the military. He served in the Korean War as well as the Vietnam War. When he retired from military service in 1972, he had become a command sergeant major. He was a manager for the Class 6 store and a manager for a military clothing store for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. He has been a tax relief officer at his current position since 1994.
"Sixty years of combined service, military and civilian," said Kevin L. Griess, deputy garrison commander of USAG Ansbach. "They don't even make a certificate for that."
To remedy the lack of an available certificate design, Griess presented Haverly with a specially made plaque commemorating his long service.
Though Haverly has a significant number of years of service to his name, he still plans on continuing to serve.
"We're ready for the future financially," said Haverly, "even if I quit this job. But I won't quit this job because I love it too much."
Haverly's career includes momentous events in world history that reflect the close ties the United States has had with Germany.
"I was stationed in Berlin when President Kennedy came over and he made the statement 'Ich bin ein Berliner,'" said Haverly. "I was in that parade, standing there at port of arms with my rifle, and I heard him say that. I'll never forget it, and they were playing the 'Washington Post March.'"
During a significant birthday recently, his town's band came to his house to play the "Washington Post March" by John Philip Sousa, which Haverly claims to be his favorite tune.
Harverly made his life in Germany. He has been married since 1969, and his wife, Irmgard Haverly, is a native of Germany. They have three children and 10 grandchildren.
"I am very proud of him," said Irmgard Haverly. "He is a very special person."
Despite Fred Haverly's seemingly boundless energy for government service, the couple still plans for retirement.
"One of these days we may have to quit," said Haverly. "We've got a trip planned around the world, and we figure the next four or five years we'll have to take it."
Haverly's advice for career longevity is simple:
"Find a job you really love," he said. "You'll never ever work again."
Those with 20 years of service include Andrew Poppen, Ida Ruff-Geppert and Manfred Schübel.
Those with 25 years of service include Bruce Belknap, Vera Bernhard, Cornwin L. Reed, Michaela Euler, David E. Goforth, Jürgen Hemberger, Jose Hoes, Joseph H. Klindt, Karl-Heinz Michel, Brigitte Newton, Diana O'Brien, Rory O'Donnell, Thomas Pelzmann, Jerry L. Rinehart, John T. Strader, Clarence R. Sumpter, Detlef Szillat, Karlheinz Theiss and Roland Wystrichowski.
Those with 30 years of service include Simon Barco, Monika Burns, Constance D. Hazel, Thomas Dönhöfer, Wilhelm Dorner, Winfried Engels, Hans Engerer, Uwe Falk, Uwe Gerth, Josef Gösswald, Harald Heiselbetz, Kirk D. Herring, Heinz Jopp, Gabriele Jopp, Rudolf Kallert, Heidi Köppendörfer, Günter Korn, Helga Kryczka, Gerhard Limberger, Jürgen Mai, Patrick Mally, Conner L. Mario, Ines Martin, Manfred Meyer, Claudia Nawratil, Harald Niesser, Waltraud Schlereth, Franz Schmidberger, Gabriele Schulte Havermann-Gailer, Lockhart Simpson, Waltraut Steinbauer, William B. Swanson, Gerhard Weichert, Albert Weissenhorn and Josef Winter.
Those with 35 years of service include Fritz Blumenstock, Derrick W. Copper, Reinhold Fuchs, Marita Gardner, Joseph Gillich, Rudolf Gmelch, Uwe Goth, Julian I. Gude Jr., Raymond A. Hinch, Wilhelm Horneber, Hans Korbacher, Norberto Millet Jr., Earl C. Perkins, Klaus Reinhardt, Bernd Rosenkranz, Hans-Werner Schiefer, Peter Siebert, Gregory Anthony Stein, Erich Tanzer, Eliezer Torres, Alfred Witt, Dieter Wörrlein, John Yang and Heinz Zeitler.
Those with 40 years of service include Jimmy D. Bevins, Helga Greene, Riitta Lapisto, Marita Lorenz, Sonja Möhring, Ursula Pfefferlein and Marianne Teubner.
There was only one with the distinction of having served 60 years, and that was Fred E. Haverly.
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