MTMC says farewell to most senior transporter.

At long last, it was Maxine Bonniwell's turn to receive a MTMC plaque.

The process had come full circle Feb. 1. Bonniwell helped design that very plaque, with its large green MTMC seal on white marble.

It was one of many, many projects she had worked on during 36 years of service at the Military Traffic Management Command. In all, she worked a total of 42 years of federal government service.

Now, the command's most senior employee received the plaque from Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky, Commander.

"My very best friends are here," said Bonniwell.

"I will miss each one of you."

So many MTMC employees jammed the ceremony that it had to be moved from a conference room to a large, vacant work area.

Bonniwell started work at MTMC Headquarters in September of 1965 at the time the command moved to the Nassif Building, in Falls Church, Va. She worked there for each of the next 35 years until the command relocated to Hoffman II, in Alexandria, Va., in June 2000.

She was always known to report for duty--even in the toughest of weather conditions.

Over the years, Bonniwell worked in numerous MTMC offices--International Traffic, Personal Property, Public Affairs, Inspector General--finally, working in the Distribution Analysis Center.

"We didn't need to carry keys for the office," said Frank Galluzzo, Director.

"Maxine was always the first one in to work in the morning."

Over the years, she also worked with each of MTMC's 12 commanders. What has life been like at MTMC for so many years?

"It changes--then it goes back again," said Bonniwell.

What about computers, which started to populate government offices in the late 1980s?

"The computer was a revolution," said Bonniwell, whose first government career assignment was with the U.S. Army Air Force at War Eagle Airfield, in Lancaster, Calif., in 1944.

What about her own future?

MTMC has not seen the end of Bonniwell. She is putting together a resume and may seek transportation-related employment.

"I intend to work part-time," said Bonniwell. "I have some industry contacts working."

At the end, Bonniwell drew lots of praise, awards and recognition--including the U.S. Army Transportation Regiment's Honorary Order of Saint Christopher.

Those last days and hours, she treasures two poignant recognitions above all.

Several days before her last day of work, she was the luncheon guest of retired Lt. Gen. Edward Honor, President, National Defense Transportation Association, and MTMC commander in 1986-1987; and retired Col. Denny Edwards, NDTA's Marketing Director, and a former MTMC Inspector General.

And, as her hours faded at MTMC, she said, there was another very meaningful recognition: A huge corsage arrived from retired Maj. Gen. Clarence Lang, MTMC's second commander, who served from April 1969 to July 1973.

The next evening, she wore that corsage proudly at a Fort Myer reception. She was surrounded by many, many friends--and bountiful memories.