Thanks for your service: Longtime personnel employee set to retire Published April 19, 2013 By Delanie Stafford 55th Wing Public Affairs OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- An Offutt employee who devoted his entire career to serving military members and their families will soon hang up his hat. Rick Bayne, a casualty assistance representative from the 55th Force Support Squadron, is scheduled to retire here April 30 after 52 years of combined service to the U. S. Air Force. Bayne, who is from Warrensburg, Mo., enlisted in the Air Force in 1961 to work in personnel. His first assignment, which might seem less than ideal for most, was a one-year remote tour to Thule Air Base, Greenland. He said that even though it was lonely and desolate, he enjoyed it, and his career took off from there. He moved around quite a bit, taking assignments in places such as Germany, Okinawa and the Midwest before finally retiring in 1994 as a Chief Master Sgt. with 33 years of active duty service. A year later, Bayne accepted a civil service job as a casualty assistance representative, a position he has worked in for the most of his 19 year's of civil service. He said that the biggest change from the early 1960s until now has been technologies effect on communication. "We had no idea what a computer was. If we needed to talk to someone, we either went to see them at their office or they came to see us at the office," Bayne said. "I believe computers and email have caused us, from a personnel standpoint, to not be so personable." If you've ever talked to Bayne, you'll understand why he was so successful in his career. It's because he has a way of making you feel comfortable and you can tell that he truly does care about people. "The Casualty Officer is very sensitive position," said Barry Wilkinson, who is a colleague of Bayne in the Force Support Squadron. "It takes someone with the ability to be empathetic and sympathetic in meeting the needs of a family at possibly the worst time in their life." Bayne said his work in casualty assistance was the most rewarding part of his career. He said that the best advice he could give for a successful Air Force career is to always be a mentor those below you, and to make education a top priority. "Probably the best thing about having Rick Bayne in the FSS is that everyone is his friend and he takes the time to be a mentor and share his vast expertise," Wilkinson said. As for retirement, Bayne said that he plans to travel with his wife, golf, spend more time with family and hopefully take his motorcycle on a trip to Sturgis some day. After 52 years of service, Bayne said he has no regrets, but that retirement would also be bittersweet. "It's a wonderful life that we've had in the Air Force," Bayne said. "The people here at Offutt...wherever we've been, the people make the situation. And I'm really going to miss the people here at Offutt."