129 Years of Family Serving Family: Pat Pinto, JBMDL

One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 129 years of family serving family.

Who she is: Pat Pinto, logistics assistant at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

Years with the Exchange: 42

Military connections: Pinto’s high school sweetheart and husband of 48 years retired from the Air Force after 20 years of service. Pinto comes from an Army background. Her father served for 20 years and retired as a master sergeant. Her son served for 10 years in the Army. Her father-in-law served in World War II in the Pacific.

What brought her to the Exchange: Pinto started as a temporary hire during the holidays in 1980 at Camp Zukeran, Okinawa (now Camp Foster) when she and her family were stationed there.

Her Exchange career: After her temporary role, she stayed on as a customer service representative. She has held many roles at the Exchange.

“I worked at the Bentwaters, England, location (controlled by the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1993, now under Royal Air Force control) at the Sights and Sounds store as a supervisor. Moved to Arizona, where I was hired as a supervisor. I worked as a sales area manager and then as a stockroom manager at Luke Air Force Base. When my husband retired, we moved back to New Jersey and I was hired at the McGuire main store. I worked as a sales area manager there, stockroom manager, branch store manager, operations manager, and retired in 2010 as a Military Clothing sales manager. I was hired back as a logistics assistant in 2011.”

Memorable moments: Pinto was part of the Exchange’s response team after 9/11. “Three others and I went to set up a mobile field Exchange in Battery Park in New York City. I stayed in Brooklyn until the day before Thanksgiving.

“I was in the store the day the attacks happened. An associate came from the stockroom and said, ‘Pat, did you see the TV? A small plane just hit the tower.’ Oh God, how bad is that? I ran to my manager and asked I said, ‘I think we’re under attack.’ Everyone was sent home. The base got involved. I got a call from my manager and was asked if I’d take a group of people and go to the Fort Hamilton store in Brooklyn.

“At that time, they were getting ready for a grand opening. During the first few days, we weren’t allowed at Ground Zero. We spoke with rescue workers, doctors and nurses. … It was a very emotional couple of months. In downtown Brooklyn, around 6 p.m. one night, we all stood outside with candles, shut down the lights, and everyone just prayed. It was very sobering. I feel so honored to have been there.”

Realizing potential: “I have had a wonderful 42 years with an organization that saw something in me that I never realized. When supervisor positions were being converted to sales area managers, my boss brought me into the office and let me know I probably wouldn’t get the job, due to the fact I didn’t graduate high school. It was a slap in the face because I knew I worked hard. So, I signed up and took a class to receive my general education diploma. I brought it in and showed my boss, and said, ‘Now I have that diploma.’ She stated to me that it was exactly what she wanted me to do. I want to say thank you to Vicky English for opening my eyes and helping my career.”

Family Serving Family: “Basically, it would be me serving my family. When I see a young GI or retiree coming in, I look at it as my husband or my dad in the military. When I go to the food court and see families sitting down and eating together, I remember the times I’d meet my husband at the cafeteria and have lunch. I look at my family when I see that and beam with joy.”