VICENZA, Italy –
Having a father who is American and a mother who is Italian may be the best of both worlds. Just ask Jeffrey Kiffer.
The production controller at Logistics Readiness Center Italy is proud of his dual U.S. and Italian heritage. And being selected as LRC Italy’s employee of the quarter (junior-graded) for the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2023 makes him even more proud, he said.
“It’s a real honor to be selected as employee of the quarter,” said Kiffer, who also serves as a LRC Italy additional duty safety officer. “I was awarded during a ceremony here. To show my family in the states what I’m doing with the U.S. Army, I have shivers just thinking about. It’s really special.”
Kiffer’s father, a U.S. Army veteran, served in Italy and now lives in Florida. He also has a grandmother who lives in New York and uncles living in New York and Florida.
“For me it’s a true honor to work for the U.S. Army to make my family proud,” said the 37-year-old father of two who worked for a private Italian security company before landing a job with LRC Italy in January of 2021.
“I’m happy waking up each morning for work,” said Kiffer. “I have the perfect team. Working with them is like having a second family. I don’t have work colleagues here. I have a second family.”
“LRC Italy gave me so much. I started as a welder in 2021, and now I have an amazing job in the maintenance division as a production controller,” said Kiffer, who also holds the additional duties of building manager, key control custodian and fire warden.
“All these additional responsibilities help me grow and learn as an LRC Italy employee,” said Kiffer. “There’s a lot to study and learn, and since I’m a very curious person I enjoy that.”
A resident of Creazzo, Italy, just a 15-minute drive to Vicenza where he works at LRC Italy, Kiffer said he’s fortunate to enjoy the best of both worlds – Italy and the U.S.
“Working for the U.S. Army, it’s enough for me,” he said. “I like the American style.”
LRC Italy is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, and transportation as well as central 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 U.S. Army Garrison 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.