127 Years of Family Serving Family: Darien Mallard and Gwendolyn Guy, Keesler AFB

Darien Mallard, left, and her grandmother Gwendolyn Guy both celebrated one year with the Keesler Air Force Base Exchange in December.

One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 127 years of family serving family

Who they are: Grandmother-granddaughter duo Gwendolyn Guy, menswear associate, and Darien Mallard, jewelry associate, both at Keesler Air Force Base.

Years with the Exchange: They celebrated their first anniversaries at Keesler together in December 2021.

What brought them to the Exchange: They had been working for a cleaning crew at Keesler, which led to their being hired at the BX, where the general manager speaks highly of them. “These two ladies, they come to work and you can see the commitment on their faces,” said Keesler GM Madeline Salazar. “They’re happy all the time. You can tell they like what they’re doing. I expect them to be here for the longest time, working for the Exchange and providing that service.”

Military connections: One of Guy’s daughters is a retired Air Force senior master sergeant.

What they like most about working for the Exchange: “I like the people here,” Guy said. “I like putting stuff on shelves. I like it a lot. I have a lot of good teammates.”

“I like the associates and the customers,” agreed Mallard. “It’s a nice feeling to serve those who serve.”

What they do when they’re not working: Guy likes cooking with her sisters.

Family serving family: “It’s the give-back for the men and women who serve us,” Guy said. “I’m honored to do that.”