Bio: Awe, Roger R. (Retirement - 2011)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt

Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surname: Awe

----Source: The Marshfield News - Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., Wisconsin) Tuesday, July 12, 2011, online edition

Central Wisconsin native honored upon retirement

Roger Awe, son of Royal and Irene Awe of Marshfield, was honored June 2 at a retirement ceremony held in Washington, D.C.

The following career highlights were provided by the military:

"Roger R. Awe has more than 42 years of distinguished service with the Department of Defense, to include four years of military service with the Air Force, over a year of civilian service with the Department of the Navy, and more than 37 years with the Department of the Air Force."

"Awe was born September 1, 1948, in Wausau, and grew up on a farm near Colby. After graduating from Colby High School, he attended Northcentral Technical Institute and received an associate degree in computer programming."  

"He entered active duty with the U.S. Air Force on June 3, 1968. After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, he was stationed at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan, and then at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, as a computer programmer. He attained the rank of staff sergeant (E5) and was honorably discharged in June 1972." 

"After relocating to the Washington, D.C. area, he began his civil service career as a computer programmer with the Department of the Navy, Accounting & Finance Center, Crystal City, Arlington, VA., in February 1973. In April 1974, he transferred to the Air Force Data Services Center, Pentagon, where he spent the next 37 years."

"In Awe’s long career, he has been involved in every aspect of information technology to meet the complex needs of the Headquarters Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. He has managed, supervised and trained civilians, military and contractor personnel. He did extensive programming in support of the Directorate of Logistics, Real Property Division, designed and developed some of the first remote access systems for the Military Construction Program, and in conjunction with the Office of Secretary of the Air Force, led the implementation of the early office automation environment." 

"In recent years, he has overseen the annual multimillion dollar budget of the Enterprise Business Solutions Division. Additionally, he supervised the replacement and upgrade of the Division’s software development environment which grew from three servers to 35, supporting more than 35 projects and 90 personnel. His spirit of caring and his strong sense of patriotism are reflected in each of this many contributions over the years."

Awe and his wife, Phyllis, reside in Fredericksburg, Va. They have two children, Jason and Heather.