10-year employee earns Meritorious Service Award

Thursday, August 21, 2008

By Lance Cpl. Skyler Tooker

Combat Correspondent

Photo by Lance Cpl. Skyler Tooker

Col. Charles A. Dallachie, Marine Corps Base Quantico base commander, presented Hannah Yi with the Meritorious Civilian Service Award on Thursday during a ceremony at the Civilian Human Resource Office.

Yi, who serves as the Injury Compensation Program administrator for Marine Corps Base Quantico and for Marine Corps Combat Development Command, received the award for a job well done while working aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico..

Yi’s husband, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ken Yi, and daughter,

surprised her by showing up for the presentation of the award.

‘‘I wanted to keep this ceremony a low key event, so I did not ask my family to come,” Yi said. ‘‘Then I was surprised when they showed up. Now I’m glad that they came, especially my daughter who needs all the inspiration and motivation to emulate. I think my receiving the high level award will be an indelible event for her.”

Yi’s family sat in the front row and behind them were her co-workers who may now look up to her for guidance and wanted to show their appreciation.

‘‘It means a lot to me because English is my second language, and I immigrated to the U.S. in 1982,” Yi said. ‘‘Having served less than 10 years as a civilian employee, I am very honored and humbled to receive such award.”

Yi was called front and center to receive her medal by Dallachie who said he has worked with Yi on numerous occasions where she as got the job done.

‘‘I served with a customer oriented mind, and stay always motivated and excel in any tasks assigned to me,” Yi said. ‘‘First, enjoy what you do and focus on the mission. Provide employee, (customer) oriented service.”