50-year commitment to service earns recognition

  • Published
  • By Jennifer Brugman
  • 60th AMW Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A civilian with the 60th Comptroller Squadron was recognized by Col. Lyn Sherlock, 60th Air Mobility Wing commander, April 12 for his 50 years of federal service. 

“With 50 years service in the DoD, and 48 years of marriage, you would be hard pressed to find anyone more committed to service and family than him,” said Capt. Walter Rudd, 60th Comptroller Squadron wing budget officer. “Travis has been lucky to have had his expertise for the past 15 years. Hopefully, he will continue his service. He would be difficult to replace and certainly missed by all who work with him.” 

Mr. Robert Andrews’ career began in 1954 when he enlisted in the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Md. 

“You make a commitment,” Mr. Andrews said. “You keep it and you do your best.” 

Mr. Andrews’ commitment to the Armed Forces included 30 years of service to the Navy, which led him around the world to many ports including New Zealand, Fiji and Thailand. 

During his assignments on active duty, he went through the Cuban Missile Blockade; nuclear testing in the South Pacific; escorting Russian data collecting vessels from restricted waters; providing Naval gunfire support for Special Forces’ units in the Mekong Delta area of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Of the five ships he was stationed aboard, three were involved in collisions and one was involved in a fire. 

He came to the comptroller squadron in September 1991 and currently works as a budget analyst for 14 tenant units and is a cash verification program administrator. 

“I enjoy doing it,” he said. “It’s certainly not [for] the money.” 

Mr. Andrews is no stranger to commitment. He has been married to his wife, Martha, for 48 years. 

“He was at sea half the time,” said Mrs. Martha Andrews who also survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. “Patience and understanding are the biggest thing [to sustaining a military marriage] and just don’t dwell on things. I’m always concerned about our military wives and families. They don’t have it easy.” 

“I’d marry her all over again,” Mr. Andrews said. 

The couple has one daughter who currently lives in Green Valley. If not for their daughter, they’d move back to Hawaii where Mrs. Andrews was born and where Mr. Andrews was stationed from 1955 to 1959 and 1962 to 1964. 

Mr. Andrews says he plans to retire in the near future but he hasn’t set a date yet. 

“I’ve [always] desired to be productive and contribute to something worthwhile,” Mr. Andres said. “No one said a military career is easy. It’s not.” 

He advises young servicemembers to “always do your best, no matter how difficult the task is. It’s always about integrity and service to others. When you work with outstanding people, you get outstanding results.”