128 Years of Family Serving Family: Frederick Puryear, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 128 years of family serving family.

Who he is: Fred Puryear, Express manager, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

Years with the Exchange: 34 years

Military connections: Puryear’s mother and father served in the Air Force. “I knew active-duty military life wasn’t for me, so I wanted the next best thing. I knew what the Exchange did and wanted to be a part of that.”

Exchange connections: Puryear’s older sisters, Barbara and Patty, both retired from the Exchange. “I was a preteen when my sisters started with the Exchange. I got really familiar with the BX and the folks who worked with them before I even started.”

Where he’s worked: All 34 years of Puryear’s Exchange career have been at JBMDL.

What he did at first: He began as a part-time stocker for Audio/Photo/Visual, which was later renamed PowerZone.

Memorable moments: “In the time right after 9/11, we had a lot of emergency folks coming through at McGuire. It meant a lot to be able to serve them.

“Also, in the late 90s, during the Kosovo refugee crisis, I was part of the team that set up a store for them. Those memories stand out.”

Favorite job: Puryear has worked as a stockroom accounting clerk, inventory control associate, services business manager and now an Express manager, but his time as a sales area manager was his favorite. “I liked being in the main store. More action, larger team, lots going on. It was one big family.”

Family serving family: “The Exchange is a team. We all share the same goal, and we all take pride in what we do. Everyone I’ve worked with, we take pride. You consider it your store and your customers. I’ve worked retail outside the gates, and it’s just not the same. There’s not that personal pride in your work.”