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NEWS | April 28, 2022

Born on Caserma Ederle in 1959, U.S. employee at LRC Italy with 44 years of service still there

By Cameron Porter 405th Army Field Support Brigade

Name: Ricky Hamrick

Job title: Supply Support Activity Accountable Officer

Assigned: Logistics Readiness Center Italy, 405th Army Field Support Brigade

Location: Lerino Compound, Vicenza, Italy

Experience: I’ve been working at LRC Italy for 3.5 years. Before that, I was working at Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim as a quality assurance specialist for 1.5 years. Before that, I was living in Boston working as a contracting officer for the Defense Contracting Management Agency for 2.5 years and also in Vicenza, Italy, for DCMA as a procurement technician for almost 15 years. My first job with the Army was at Vicenza in 1987. I was a cook at the club on post. I have nearly 44 years of service, total, which includes my time as an Army civilian and as a Soldier, much of it served consecutively.

Other service: I’m a retired Sergeant Major with 27 years of service. I enlisted in the Army in 1978. I served in the active Army, Alabama National Guard and Army Reserve.

Hometown: I was born right here in Vicenza on Caserma Ederle at the old Army hospital that no longer exists. I’m an Army brat so every three years or so we moved, but I would say Blountsville, Alabama, is my hometown. Most of my family on the Hamrick side lives there.

Family: I’m married to a beautiful Italian lady from Vicenza named Ivana Luciana for 40 great years. We have three children and four grandchildren. 

Q: Can you explain what your duties are at LRC Italy?

A: I have a warehouse where I receive supplies from all over the world for all the units, organizations and agencies we support in the U.S. Army Garrison Italy footprint – nearly 200 of them. I supervise more than 15 local national employees who work at the supply warehouse with me. I’m also a contracting officer representative for various contracts on the installations here, such as a dining facility kitchen repair contract I currently manage. I’m also the LRC Italy $25,000 single purchase limit government purchase card billing official for LRC Italy, and I’m the time and attendance manager for all the local national employees at the SSA, LRC Italy.

Q: Why is the mission at LRC Italy so important?

A: It’s important because we support everybody. We support the 173rd Airborne Brigade and all the other Army units here. We support the Exchange. We support the schools. We support other agencies. We even supported the local hospitals in Vicenza and Livorno last year with COVID-19 protective equipment and supplies. Using U.S. State Department funding, we purchased $500,000 worth of protective masks, gloves and personal protective uniforms and equipment – about 30 pallets of supplies – for the two Italian hospitals that provide medical support to our community members.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?

A: I love what I do. That’s for sure. I’m a Soldier for life. I was born into a family of service before self – from my grandfather to my father and my uncles to now me. I love helping Soldiers, and I care about Soldiers. My job is to make sure they receive what they ordered – what they need – to successfully complete their missions. Almost 44 years and counting – I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

LRC Italy and 405th AFSB: LRC Italy is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management, and property book operations. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Italy directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Italy.

LRC Italy reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.