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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesVING Honors 30 Year Service with Retirement Ceremony

VING Honors 30 Year Service with Retirement Ceremony

After serving her country for three decades from one end of the United States to the other, Senior Master Sgt. Ramona McCormack retired Tuesday with a ceremony at the Virgin Islands National Guard Joint Force Headquarters.

Since 2012, McCormack has been the operations superintendent for the 285th Civil Engineering Squadron of the V.I. Air National Guard. Previously she served at Elmendorf Air Force Base and other military facilities in Alaska.

McCormack earned a business management degree at the University of Alaska and a master’s in business organizational management from the University of La Verne in California.

During the retirement proceedings, McCormack was presented the Meritorious Service Medal by Major Gen. Renaldo Rivera for participating in Operation Tradewinds, an annual event for hundreds of international soldiers in Antigua. The function of McCormack and the squadron was to set up and test communications between the various units, she said.

McCormack has accumulated other Air Force commendation and achievement medals, awards and decorations during her military service, including the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

She said most of her duties during her 30-year career involved computer applications, network and server set up.

“Through the years, it was not the rank or the recognition or the awards, it was the people,” McCormack said, that made her service memorable.

Rivera recognized McCormack’s son Ryan and her husband Bill at the ceremony. He commended Bill McCormack, who also retired recently, for his service in Vietnam, and said families are an important part of military service.

“Family is the center of gravity. Thank you for what you have done to prepare her for what she is,” Rivera said.

Squadron commander Maj. Michael Hinrichsen also praised McCormack’s dedication and her family’s support.

“You have to love your country and you have to be dedicated to your service,” he said. “You are an inspiration to me and anybody who wears a uniform.”

Others who spoke at the ceremony included Chief Master Sgt. Neville Lee, who presented McCormack with a U.S. flag from Alaska that also was flown over the VING facility on St. Croix.

“Thirty years is a major feat,” Lee told the retiree and the audience that included fellow soldiers.
“A lot of you guys are younger than 30 years-old.”

McCormack received cards and letters from other military staff and Lee announced she would receive a letter from President Obama recognizing her service.

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