SPRINGFIELD, IL (08/10/2015)(readMedia)-- Friends, family, and colleagues gathered at the Illinois Military Academy's auditorium on Camp Lincoln to celebrate the career of Maj. Gen. Daniel M. Krumrei August 7, 2015.
During the ceremony, Krumrei was presented with his retirement papers and the Illinois Distinguished Service Medal. He also presented flowers and gifts to his wife, his daughter, and to his support staff.
When Krumrei began his career in the military, he had no intentions of turning it into a 38-year journey.
"When I enlisted as a young telecommunications specialist in 1977, I had no intention of staying for so long," said Krumrei. "Back then I had an 'attitude problem'. It wasn't until an assignment in the supply section that changed my perspective and my career."
Krumrei said that assignment was with a chief warrant officer that was a highly decorated special forces Soldier that had seen combat in Viet Nam.
"When I walked in, I said, 'yo, I guess I'm supposed be in supply'," said Krumrei. "A very large CW3 in his Class Bs stood up from behind the desk. He had Native American features and was huge. He slowly turned and put his jacket on, it was then that I noticed his awards and decorations. My posture immediately went from slouching to standing straight up."
Krumrei said that the warrant officer unceremoniously welcomed him to supply and gave him some advice.
"Once he had welcomed me he said 'I'll treat you with respect, and you'll treat me with respect'," he said. "'If you don't, I'll break your legs' and I believed him."
Krumrei was later directly appointed as a chaplain candidate with the Oklahoma National Guard and received his appointment as a chaplain in the Iowa National Guard. As a chaplain, Krumrei touched the lives of the soldiers around him. In 2005 he was appointed as the Illinois command staff chaplain, where he continued to influence the Soldiers around him.
"He grabbed me up back when I was still a chaplain candidate and kind of pulled me through my career," said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Steven H. Cooper of Rockford, Illinois' command staff chaplain. "Sometimes his guidance was gentle, other times, not so gentle, but it was all appreciated and I owe much of my career progression to him and his influence."
Brig. Gen. Richard J. Hayes, Jr. of Chatham, Illinois, Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, said Krumrei leaves a legacy of interaction with the field that is unrivaled.
"He served many years as a chaplain in the Illinois National Guard," said Hayes. "He had a huge impact working directly with people and supporting them. He coupled that with an innate ability to take very complex issues and pare them down so that everyone could understand them and work through them."
Krumrei retires with an accomplished career, finishing as the 38th Adjutant General of Illinois and the only Adjutant General in history to also have been a chaplain.
Krumrei said he is ready for retirement and there is nothing he fears or worries about.
"I think every day is an adventure, and I've always thought that," said Krumrei. "I'll do something."
Krumrei went on to say that he looks forward to being able to exercise a little bit more free will during his retirement too.
Krumrei said what he will miss the most about the military was also his favorite part of the job.
"Taking care of Soldiers and Airmen was the best part of the job," he said. "It was great knowing that no matter where I went, I represented them and was able to fight on their behalf."
During his retirement speech, Krumrei left the Soldiers and Airmen in attendance with a lesson that he learned throughout his career.
"At the end of the day, it's about people," said Krumrei. "The Soldiers and Airmen that you serve and that serve you are people, and their families are people, don't forget that. People are the most important part of this job."
