MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- As the year ends, so does the career of well-known and loved civil servant Robert "Chip" Schwartz. Chip has served the federal government for over 41 years. Spending a total 29 of those years in Barstow, California, where he has served as the Plant Manager for Marine Depot Maintenance Command's Production Plant Barstow since 2015.
Thirty-six years ago, Chip arrived in California with his wife, Rosemarie. He was five years into his Air Force enlistment when he was assigned to George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, only 40 miles southwest of Marine Corps Logistics Base, Barstow.
The couple's first thought when they took in the vast and open desert landscape was, "Where did they send us?" To any newcomer visiting the Mojave Desert, the sandy pediments, plains, and rock formations, surrounded by mountain vistas, can feel isolating and maybe even like you are on another planet.
"I expected to see the Mars rover driving by." Chip joked when asked about his first impression of the area. "It's not a place we would've picked based on what you see on paper. If we just looked at it in isolation, from a distance, we would've said we're not going to move there. It just doesn't look like it's for us."
It didn't take long for their apprehension to quickly evaporate and be replaced with an appreciation of the weather, the desert culture, and a career and lifestyle dedicated to a critical mission where individual service impacts the nation.
Chip joined the Air Force in 1982 after completing his studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After being stationed at George Air Force Base, he started his civilian career at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow working in the Repair Division Calibration Laboratory.
At the time, he was focused on finding career opportunities overseas, which eventually led him to Guam in August of 1990. He worked as an electronic technician on NAS Agana for Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Aviation Depot Operation Center for four years. He then received a transfer to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan where he continued working for the Naval Aviation Depot Operation Center in Marine Calibration Complex 1.
In the spring of 1997, a change in management and reorganization was implemented to reduce costs; the result was a compression of the civilian structure and number of labs. As part of this change, many civilian positions were being reduced in grade. This left the couple with a difficult decision: take a chance and stay in Iwakuni, risking a reduction, or return to Barstow, where Chip had return rights.
Rosemarie did the convincing that lead them back to Barstow, saying, "Why don't we go back? We liked it there. I was happy there. You were happy there. Let's go back and see what happens." So, they returned to MCLB-Barstow, and Chip resumed his position at the calibration lab in July of 1997.
The Calibration Laboratory validates the accuracy of measurements of nearly every piece of precision test or measurement equipment aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base. Chip ran the Ground Marine Corps Electronic Calibration Standards Program, supporting twelve Marine Corps calibration laboratories worldwide.
In 2010, Mr. Michael Bogdahn, the deputy commander for Production Operations at the plant, was looking for someone to assist with implementing change, and it was Chip that came to mind. Chip had declined the same offer to take on a project at the plant in 2007, but by 2010, he was ready for a new challenge. He was tasked with leading the Barstow Process Improvement Team for a four-month detail to make improvements in the plant, which Chip considers the most demanding and stressful project he has undertaken in his civilian career.
"When describing the state of the plant almost two decades ago, Chip would tell you that it has come a long way. "Back then, it wasn't a well-organized place, but now people tell us it is the cleanest and most well-organized ground equipment depot they have ever seen." Bringing order to the chaos would be a challenge, and his unfamiliarity with how everything worked made Chip nervous about the undertaking. "I couldn't sleep. I just felt completely unsure of myself. But that goes back to that whole 'you need to challenge yourself.' When you feel that way and can go through it, you've grown substantially through the process."
Chip went in knowing it was only a temporary detail, which motivated him to stick it out, knowing he could return to the familiar calibration world after it was done. What he didn't expect was to find the place where he would spend the remainder of his civil service career.
"By the end of the detail, I found it enjoyable to come into what appeared to be a chaotic environment, but really, it was just an incredibly fast-paced dynamic environment that presented new challenges every day. And you were constantly trying to solve problems on the fly to make things work. And I found I liked that.'"
Chip says what had really kept him at Production Plant Barstow was the job satisfaction that can only come from doing something that you know matters; he says it is "incredibly valuable to do something you believe in and do something that you feel has real meaning.”
By meaning, he's referring to both personal satisfaction, which he derives a great deal from this job, and the collective effort between all the organic industrial base activities. Production Plants in Albany and Barstow are crucial in providing the equipment, readiness, and support that the Marine Corps needs to execute its mission.
He recalled the words of Mike Madden, Executive Director of Marine Corps Logistic Command, from January 2005 to April 2016. Madden told him when he was selected as the plant manager for Barstow in 2015, "You have what is arguably one of the most influential jobs in the ground Marine Corps relating to readiness."
"People assume that I had some grand plan that I carefully executed to get to the point that I'm at. And really, there was never a plan. I've been grateful for every job I've ever had. The advice I give to people who ask is that you should do the best job you possibly can every single day."
Chip says the secret to his successful career is treating every day like an interview. "Remember, people are always observing you." He emphasized that in addition to determination and devotion to the work, treating others the way you wish to be treated is an essential factor in creating opportunities for yourself, saying that when you show empathy, loyalty and trust, "opportunities will tend to find you."
"Do something a little scary. Do something that causes you to wake up at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning due to your brain churning away, worried about the next day, because you'll get through that. And as you get through that process, you'll emerge stronger on the out, on the backside of that as a person and as an employee, as a manager, as supervisor."
"When I look back on my career, I feel good about being engaged in an endeavor like this at all levels from the wage grade, artisan wrench kind of turning, electronics person all the way up to running engineering and running trades all the way to being a plant manager and basically responsible, ultimately responsible for all of that."
He is proud to have contributed to building a practical and functional team that works collaboratively to solve problems without seeking excuses or blaming others. "The team at Barstow is focused on solving the problem and is accountable to each other and to the Marine Corps. Building trust is a huge factor for the team's success, as they can rely on each other to work together towards a common goal and achieve synergy."
When speaking about his next chapter, Chip said, "Everybody says, and they say it because it's largely true, retirement is a bittersweet moment because the work I enjoyed, the missions have been fantastic, but there are people that I've worked with here that I'm going to miss greatly."
In the near-term, Chip and Rosemarie are planning to take a trip to Yosemite in the spring and to the Philippines in the summer to attend a family event. The couple is excited to spend their free time exploring the outdoors by taking day trips for hiking and visiting national parks for longer trips. Their long-term plan is to spend considerable time driving to all the national parks in the western part of the United States.
Chip's absence will be felt at the plant, department, and Logistics Command, but his contributions will continue to inspire us. His exemplary work ethic, remarkable contributions, and unwavering dedication to his profession have left a significant impact on the Marine Corps.