COVID-19 Heroes: Army Veteran, 44-Year Exchange Associate Keeps Outfitting Service Members During Pandemic

Though the Exchange has suspended measuring service members for uniforms to comply with physical distancing recommendations, Mary Dungan is continuing to fulfill the JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst community’s uniform needs. She holds flowers that a customer gave her last year for her exceptional service.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst associate Mary Dungan has been with the Exchange for 44 years, but she’s never experienced anything like COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is not like anything I’ve seen before,” said Dungan, who is a customer experience associate for Military Clothing Sales. “It’s the first time for all of us.”

Though the Exchange has suspended measuring service members for uniforms to comply with physical distancing recommendations, Dungan is continuing to fulfill the JB MDL community’s uniform needs.

“I’ll recommend a size for them, have them try it on and evaluate if it’s a good fit,” Dungan said. “I don’t touch them anymore, but I can still help them get what they need.”

Dungan comes from a long line of military service and served a year-and-a-half in the Army before being medically discharged. Her grandfather served in the military during World War I, where he met Dungan’s grandmother, a French citizen. They returned to the U.S. and were married, and she became a U.S. citizen.

During World War II, Dungan’s grandmother served in the Women’s Army Corps as a translator in France. Dungan’s mother served as a cook in England for the Women’s Army Corps and met Dungan’s father at a USO event while he was serving in World War II.

In 1976, Dungan joined the Fort Dix Exchange, where her mother was working as an associate at the jewelry counter. Dungan has been serving the JB MDL community since, no matter what the challenges.

The MCS store is slower these days since only mission-essential people remain on base, but there are still service members who need Dungan’s assistance.

“Just the other day, a gentlemen came in who was entering the Air Force,” Dungan said. “I was able to make sure he got everything he needed—rank, tie and all that and showed him the right way his uniform should fit.”

Mission-essential associates like Dungan are continuing to lean forward to serve service members and their families during the new circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis.