RSO receives award for superior civilian service

Lois Bridwell, who had been Fort McCoy's Retirement Services officer (RSO) since Feb. 3, 1990, received the Superior Civilian Service Award for accomplishments during her career, which ran from December 1962 to Feb. 2, 2000. The award is one of the highest honorary awards a civilian employee can receive. Installation Commander Col. Roy L. Higgins presented the award at a retirement luncheon Feb. 2 at McCoy's.

Bill Byrne, installation adjutant, introduced Bridwell by saying she took care of a population of more than 300,000 military retirees.

"She took the problems out of my hands and out of the commander's hands," Byrne said. "She's been totally devoted to military retirees."

In presenting her with the award, Higgins said, "It's a joy to recognize Lois with this prestigious award from our higher headquarters. It really begins to say what Lois did for us."

Higgins also presented Bridwell with a Certificate of Retirement, a Certificate of Appreciation for Retirement and a special gold-plated Fort McCoy Commander's Coin.

Bridwell said even after dealing with so many retirees and retiree issues that "it is a little overwhelming when your day does come. I'm going to miss the people I worked with in the Military Personnel Division."

During her 37-year career, she also worked at Fort Richardson, Alaska; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Fort Sheridan, Ill.

The highlight of Bridwell's nearly 10 years at Fort McCoy was to see the Retiree Appreciation Day event grow each year to the point it attracted more than 700 people on an annual basis.

"It was a lot of work," Bridwell said. "The retirees were so appreciative of what we could give them."

Bridwell said she's confident she left the office in competent hands with Gwen Tobin-Huekels, who followed her to Fort McCoy from Fort Sheridan, Ill., in 1992, and Corky Francis, who has served as the RSO for the Nevada/California region. Immediate retirement plans include spending some time in the San Antonio area visiting members of her extended family, Bridwell said.