Angela Crowell’s Journey From the Jewelry Counter to Fort Stewart SBM

One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 130 years of family serving family

Who she is: Angela Crowell, Fort Stewart Exchange service business manager

Years at the Exchange: 35 years

Military connections: “My husband was in the Army. He retired as an E7 (sergeant first class) with the 3^rd Infantry Division after 22 years. My brother-in-law has also served.”

What brought her to the Exchange: “I was hired in January 1991 in Baumholder, Germany. I worked at the jewelry counter. It was the only job available on the installation. I didn’t want to work in the local economy, so the only choice was to be at the Exchange.”

Her Exchange career: After starting as a store associate, Angela became the lead customer service representative, then operations clerk at Baumholder Sport store in 1992. She PCS’d to Fort Lewis in 1994, where she worked as a customer service representative and later became an associate at the Military Clothing Store. In 1997, she PCS’d to Fort Stewart, where she worked as a telephone operator, office assistant and visual merchandiser.

“It seems like I’ve been a service business manager forever since I became the service business manager in 2008. Before that, I was a visual merchandiser, which I thought was the most perfect job in the world for me.

“My general manager at the time saw something in me that she wanted to nurture and develop. She decided to temporarily give me the service business manager job and after 2½ years, it became permanent. Being a service business manager is the best job in the Exchange because we have the opportunity to grow business. Our team has opened lots of new businesses, and we’ve had numerous opportunities to really grow at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. It has truly been a blessing to provide these services, like our laundromat, tattoo studio and car wash.”

Everything she needs: “It’s really great to be a military spouse because the Exchange can carry you to your retirement years. We don’t have to constantly go from new job to new job with our spouses moving from place to place. After my husband retired, we decided to stay in Georgia. I’ve been offered other positions as an SBM at other installations, but I finally got my mom, brother and sister to move here. My kids are here. My grandkids are here. I have the best job. With that, I have everything I need.”

Family serving family: “When you’re on a military installation, we know what brings us all together. My husband was deployed five times, and what kept me sane was the military families around me that were in the same situation. Outside civilians don’t understand it. Family serving family is that we understand each other and know what we’re going through. There is more understanding between us.”