General

Renée Citron retires after 31 years of service

April 9, 2012 Denise Romano

Photo courtesy of the Fort Hamilton Army Garrison.

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Renée Citron, deputy to the garrison commander for U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton, has retired after 31 years of federal service.

The native Brooklynite was honored at a special reception at the bases Community Club on March 29, where she received farewell wishes from Garrison Commander Colonel Michael Gould, Garrison Command Sergeant Major Sylvia Laughlin, local elected officials and community members.

Im not retiring because Im tired of work or dont want to work, Citron said in a statement. The timing just seemed to be right. I want to be young enough to enjoy the next chapter of our lives.

Citron started working for the Department of Health and Human Services at the beginning of her career, but moved to Italy in 1983 with her husband, who was offered a job there to help a news station become privatized. When she arrived overseas, she started looking for a job with the U.S. government and after a year, landed a position as director of Army community service at the U.S. Army Garrison in Vicenza.

Starting from scratch and not knowing anything about the military, Citron moved up the ranks and eventually became deputy to the garrison commander. When she found out the same position was available back home in Brooklyn in 2009, she jumped at the opportunity and the rest is history.

Its a special place, Fort Hamilton. Not only is it beautiful, but the people here, they are all terrific people, Citron stated.

This month, Citron, her husband and their Newfoundland dog are sailing to Italy and settle in their home in Conegliano, which is about an hour from Venice. They will divide their time between there and the apartment they own on the French Riviera where their children live.