Photo By Sgt. Emily Dawson | Members of 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) gathered to celebrate the retirement of...... read more read more
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1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. – After 35 years of dedicated government service Ms. Billie Williams, the executive secretary of 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), has retired.
Ms. Billie grew up in Prosser, a small town in south-central Washington. As a teenager, she received a scholarship to Mr. Lee's School of Cosmetology; after graduating, she received her cosmetology license from Washington State. She later returned to college to study business at Yakima Business College and, upon graduation, immediately began work at Preston L. Shepherd & Associates, a survey and engineering firm.
Ms. Billie has worked in government service since May 1988, when she started as an administrative assistant at the 98th Hospital in Nuremberg, Germany. She would go on to serve at two other units while in Germany including-- the 69th Signal Battalion, as the administrative assistant, and at the 69th ASG Signal Brigade DOIM Regional Service Center as the Secretary to the Director. In 1994, Ms.Billie and the late Staff Sgt. Arthur Williams moved to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where she became the executive secretary at 1SFG(A) and has been here for a total of 30 years. She was selected out of a pool of thirteen other General Schedule professionals. When asked what the most rewarding part of being in 1SFG(A) was, she replied, "Being the first GS Civilian hired at 1st SFG(A) and as the Group Commander's secretary. However, no one told me that it was such a fast-paced environment."
Ms.Billie quickly became a fundamental member of the 1SFG(A) command team. Known for her fantastic style, killer smile, and her informational emails famously known across Group as 'Billiegrams'. At her retirement ceremony, a myriad of 1SFG(A) members, past and present, spoke on the impact Ms.Billie has had, not only on their careers but the friendships they've shared with her over the years. The current 1SFG(A) Commander, Col Benjamin Jahn, stated in his speech, "You will meet three or four people outside of your family, who will feel like family…" He cited Ms.Billie as the first person he had met upon arriving at 1SFG(A) in 2007. He stared at her in awe as he recounted how she became a mother to him during his military career at 1SFG(A), "My mother raised me for the first 18 years of my life and Ms. Billie has raised me for the past 17." 1SFG(A) has a running joke that has quite a bit of truth to it, "Ms. Billie is the kindest person on this planet, and she runs 1SFG(A). She is the head honcho, and nothing will get past her. That statement runs true, as every speaker continues to state that the reason we are still standing today is mostly due to Ms. Billie's tenacity and ability to learn the past 16 commanders' pet peeves and ticks and saving you more times than not from a court martial."
Ms.Billie, the longest-standing member of 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), served with a total of 16 Group Commanders and 18 Group Command Sergeant Majors-- who continue to try to make her list of favorites. Her retirement was earned over a decade ago, but because of the love she received and poured out to 1SFG(A) she stuck around for as long as she could. When asked what she has planned for her retirement she told Specialist Lee, "Plant more roses in my yard, play dominoes with the old veterans, fish for crappies or whatever takes my bait, try my hands at changing out the baseboards in my house, and avoid babysitting whenever possible." Her shoes will be hard to fill and, not just because they are 6-inch stilettos, but because she had set the bar of being an executive assistant so high.
Ms. Billie was awarded the Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of the Army, Certificate of Retirement, Superior Civilian Service Medal, the retirees' American Flag that was flown over Fort. Liberty and most importantly the Green Beret Brotherhood Certificate. Thus, making her the only woman inducted into the brotherhood for life.
As Ms. Billie stood with four generations next to her, she bid the members of 1SFG(A) a final goodbye, "To all the Soldiers of 1SFG (A) past and present, it was my pleasure and an honor to be the Secretary of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) for 30 years."
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2024 19:10 |
| Story ID: | 472656 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Hometown: | PROSSER, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 351 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Honorary Special Forces Member retires after 35 years of Government Service, by SPC GaoZong Lee, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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