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Fort Drum Salutes FMWR Director Greer at His Retirement

ost people spend Super Bowl Sunday in front of a Greer had worked in government service for 30 years in
Mtelevision; for Hal Greer it was a day spent at the Europe – 17 in Germany and 13 in Italy – before arriving
Commons, Fort Drum’s all-ranks club and community center, at Fort Drum in 1999. “When I came to Fort Drum, it was
tending bar and doing his job as director of Family Morale, almost like a calling,” he said. “There was so much to do,
Welfare and Recreation. initially, but I only thought I’d stay here five years to get this
For Greer, it was one more opportunity to be among ser- plan started here.”
vice members, their families and colleagues — people to Greer employed savvy business acumen to revitalize strug-
whom he dedicated his decades-long career of military and gling FMWR facilities. He closed the Arts and Crafts Center
government service. – which he said he had been a patron of – and converted it
Greer made more than the Fort Drum community feel at into Atkins Functional Fitness Center. Romig said that the
home; hundreds of Marines visiting the base for training were Commons had been unprofitable for years before Greer tem-
bussed to the Commons for the game. Originally to be hosted porarily shut it down for restructuring.
at the Winners Circle, the event grew so large that FMWR “Mr. Greer had a great background for this – I think he ran
staff opened Buster’s Brew Pub to accommodate the crowd. about 13 clubs in Europe – but his real expertise is business,”
“He simply reaches out to everyone, all the time,” said Romig said. “He amazes me for what he has accomplished
Cindy Romig, manager at the Commons. “Pouring drinks here. He’s probably the smartest person I’ve ever worked with.”
and bartending – that’s just something that he loves to do Greer said that he loved the business side of FMWR – the
for soldiers. I think the reason for that is he gets to be right money management and financial planning needed to keep
across from you, talking to you, face-to-face. He loved that the organization thriving. He attributes every success story
interaction.” to subordinate management and staff – “the champions” as
Romig remembered when Greer helped bartend Right Arm he calls them.
Night, another busy social event, where he set up soldiers Greer was also instrumental in converting most of the
with a free tab out of his own pocket. “The look on his face, FMWR workforce into non-appropriated fund employees,
just doing that for the soldiers, it was so rewarding to see,” and he said that was important in creating a better business
she said. “That’s what he is all about.” model and having greater flexibility.
Just a few weeks after the Super Bowl, Greer retired on “You have to understand how to make a profit,” he said.
Feb. 28, 2018, after 53 years of federal service and making “You have to be a business manager and be there to back your
military people feel special. “I was going to go longer – I could subordinate managers, because they are the ones who do the
go longer,” Greer said. “It got to be, when do you retire? I had heavy lifting to make profits. You just give them the tools and
just turned 75. Am I crazy? Who else on the installation is 75, arm them so they can serve the public, and our public is the
but I still feel like I could do one-arm pushups.” soldiers and family members.”
A combination of wanting to spend more time with his Greer said there were lean years when FMWR staff did not
wife, of nearly 52 years, and having the time to catch up on have the funds to purchase new equipment for some facilities,
a checklist that was hard to make time for — things like auto but they would make do by cherry-picking used items at the
repairs — gave him cause to consider it strongly. Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office.
Since he remembers when amenities were few, Greer can
now enthuse over things like the tablecloths at the Commons

Hal Greer, Fort Drum’s FMWR director, waves goodbye
during his retirement ceremony Feb. 15 at Memorial Park
after 53 years of federal service. (Photos by Michael Stras- Maj. Gen. Walter E. Piatt, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum commander, shakes Hal
ser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs) Greer’s hand after presenting him with an American flag that had just been lowered at divi-
sion headquarters. Greer retired on Feb. 28 and served the last 19 years of his long career
at Fort Drum.

APRIL 2018 | MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY 11