ARPC celebrates 60 years with video series - ARPC member reflects on her 42 years

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Belinda Petersen
  • Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
(This feature video is the first of a monthly series celebrating ARPC's 60th birthday. Each month will highlight a member reflecting on their time at ARPC until March 1, 2014 which is ARPC's birthday.)

A senior human resources assistant from the Air Reserve Personnel Center retired here recently.

Darcy Blair retired from civil service June 30 after more than 42 years at ARPC. Blair began her career in 1971 at the original building on York Street in Denver, Colo. ARPC officials opened those doors March 1, 1954, and were responsible for 434,000 personnel records by the end of the year.

The original building on York Street was a World War II-era warehouse facility and was deteriorating rapidly. As a result, Blair and all ARPC employees moved to the former Lowry AFB, Colo., in September 1976.

In August 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission did not vote for the Department of Defense proposal to realign ARPC with the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas. Instead, commissioners voted to relocate ARPC to Buckley AFB, Colo. Six years later, Blair and her coworkers moved to Buckley AFB where ARPC resides today.

Click on the video to hear Blair talk about her time at ARPC in all three buildings.

"I am very thankful to Darcy and her dedicated service to thousands of Guard and Reserve members spanning four decades," said Brig. Gen. Jay Flournoy, commander of the Air Reserve Personnel Center. "We are sad to see her leave, but we wish her all the best as she transitions to a new chapter in her life. And we hope to see her again soon for our 60th anniversary reunion."

Current and former ARPC members will celebrate their 60th anniversary Feb. 28, 2014, with several events including tours and an evening banquet in Aurora, Colo.

ARPC is responsible for personnel support to nearly 1 million Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and retired members, ensuring they are ready to deliver strategic total force war-fighting capability for the Air Force. ARPC is a direct reporting unit of the Air Force Reserve Command with technical and policy guidance provided by the Chief of Air Force Reserve.