127 Years of Family Serving Family: Doris Graham, Fort Sill
One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 127 years of family serving family
Who she is: Doris, a stocker at the Main Store on Fort Sill, marked 40 years of family serving family in 2022. She’s worked her entire Exchange career (so far) at Fort Sill, where her first position was as a sales associate in April 1982 (known as a salesclerk back then). “I started out at less than $4 an hour. At first it wasn’t about money, it was about having a job and getting to know everyone.”
Military connections: Her ex-husband Leroy Graham and her son Reginal Jevon Graham both retired from the Army after 21 years.
Favorite job: Doris has worked as a sales associate in linen, housewares, stationery, Power Zone and softlines, as a laborer and now as a stocker, but her favorite job (so far) is receiving. “They called me the ‘Queen of Receiving’; I would come in at 4:30 in the morning, get everything out, and have all the computers turned on. I enjoyed doing all my jobs; you have to make a little fun out of it.”
Favorite location: “Working in Iraq—I enjoyed working with the local nationals there, it was like a big family. The 82d Airborne sergeant major was wonderful. I had to go out and get merchandise, and we lived and worked in Conex boxes.” (20- or 40-foot-long standardized steel shipping containers).
Over the years, Doris has been recognized for her service with multiple awards, including the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Civilian Service Medal.
Family serving family: “It’s a good job—I get to help the customers. It’s outstanding to work in a place like this, to serve the people who serve our country, knowing what the Soldiers have been through, and give back to them as much as we can, to be here for them and assist them. I’ve always felt like it’s the place I should be.”
