Combat camera icon Ralph Anderson passes
I have sad and unfortunate news to pass. An icon of Combat Camera passed away last night. Ralph Anderson, Director of Combat Camera Quantico passed yesterday evening after suffering a heart attack. I’m sure that there were few that did not know Mr. Anderson, he was well liked and respected. Many of us had grown up under his tutelage and direction as young Marines. He will be missed. Details on the services will be passed along when we get word. -Michele A. Kurland, Deputy Director, CVIC, MCB Quantico
(Note: We will publish more details as we get them… below is a story about Anderson published in the January 15, 2009, Quantico Sentry)
Base pauses to honor civilians’ service
By Lance Cpl. Christopher Duncan
Combat Correspondent. republished from the January 15, 2009, Quantico Sentry
Civilian employees received recognition for their length of government service during ceremonies conducted at Lejeune Hall in October and November.
“The recipients are being awarded for more than the time they’ve spent working here at Quantico,” said Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery Frank, base operations chief. “These recipients are being recognized for the time they have spent working with the military altogether.”
For civilians who served in the military there are also options for putting time spent to good use in their new job fields.
“I spent two years in the Army,” said Ralph Anderson, top recipient of the 30-year length of service award for November. “If you are ex-military and haven’t retired you can buy back your time, and it will count toward your time served as a civilian Department of Defense employee and your civilian retirement.”
“I feel fortunate to have seen so much change occur here on base,” said Anderson. “I can remember the days of chemical processing of photos and now we’ve completely transitioned to the digital age of high definition.”
“Having worked here so long I’ve seen a lot of things change on this base, some good and some bad,” said Robert Garner, recipient of the 35 year length of service award for October. “None of the changes I’ve seen have been enough to ruin the experience for me.”
It is important for these civilians to be recognized for the time they spend supporting service members and the different jobs they do here, said Frank. These award recipients come from a variety of shops and many different job fields on base.
“I came here in October 1973 and I’ve moved from the central heating plant to the Camp Barett heating plant and have been a lower equipment mechanic, a boil plant operator, and have even worked in a preventative maintenance shop,” said Garner, shop planner for facilities maintenance.
“You can have one person get an award over in security battalion and another recipient from maintenance,” said Frank.
Having served so many years these individuals have seen a great deal of change on installations such as Quantico.
“I remember when my shop was called the Training Audio and Visual Support Center back in 2001,” said Anderson, director of the Combat Visual Information Center. “It’s called CVIC now and I love my business; I love audio visual work and I’ve made a lot of friends in this business.”
For some recipients the value of these occupations is enough to motivate them to continue working until retirement, for others it’s the different elements they experience while on the installation.
“I am greatful that I have had the opportunity to work so many different jobs and get training for all of them,” said Garner. “It has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life.”
Additionally, there are civilian of the quarter and civilian of the year awards, said Frank.
Whether is a love for what they do or a yearning for different experiences, in the end it’s about dedication, appreciation and recognition, said Frank. “It’s great to see all of these people get recognized for their dedicated service in different areas; we just wish we could do more for them.”