Tuttle honored

Sgt. 1st. Class Craig Tuttle
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    Sergeant First Class Craig Tuttle has retired from the United States Army after 23 years of service. Tuttle was honored during a ceremony held Sept. 20 at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida.
    “Throughout my career, I have been truly blessed with great leadership and a loving family,” said Tuttle. “The military life is not an easy one. I raised my hand and swore to serve, but the journey was not just my own. My wife and children had to endure the sometimes long separations, moving to a new location every three or four years, uprooting friends, and schools to start over again and again.
    “Although I was on stage at my retirement, it truly was not my day, it was theirs,” he added. “Without their love and support, my career in the Army would not have been possible.” 
    Tuttle’s retirement ceremony opened with the playing of the National Anthem, followed by the invocation and guest speaker SFC Eric Krone and Presiding Officer LTC Vance McLeod. After Tuttle spoke, the “Army Song” was played and the ceremony concluded.
    Tuttle joined the U.S. Air Force in 1989 after serving his enlistment in RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, Tuttle returned to the Shiretown where he worked as a business manager for Hannaford Brothers Associates.
    In 1994, Tuttle joined the Maine Army National Guard as a 13B Cannon crewmember. Two years later, he joined the U.S. Army as a 63T, Bradley Fighting Vehicle mechanic. His assignments have included, HHC 2-7 CAV Fort Hood, Texas and the 1-81 Armor, Fort Knox, Ky. where he taught both Advanced Individual Training and Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course.
    Other assignments were: 3-67 Armor, 4ID, Fort Hood; 108th ADA BDE and XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.
    Tuttle was deployed twice, once in the support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the other in support of Operation Iraq Freedom.
    Upon his retirement, Tuttle was serving as an Equal Opportunity Adviser/Facilitator/Platform instructor. He provided instruction to all resident Equal Opportunity programs/courses.
    Tuttle is a non-commissioned officer in charge of the Army Service Specific portion of all resident Equal Opportunity courses.
    Through a distinguished career, SFC Tuttle has received numerous commendations. He earned the Meritorious Service Medal; Army commendation medal (5); Army Achievment Medal (4); Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (3); Army Good Conduct Medal (4); National Defense Service Medal  (2); Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; NCO Professional Development Ribbon (3); Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; Army Reserve component Overseas Training; Air Force Overseas Long Tour; and the Air Force Training Ribbon.
    Tuttle also earned the Distinguished Honor Graduate of Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute in 2007.
    Attending Tuttle’s retirement ceremony were his mother Minerva Buxton; his sister Billie Jo and her daughter Emily; Tuttle’s son and daughter, Brian and Mikaela. Tuttle and his wife, Susan, have two children, Kenneth and Christopher. They reside in Corpus Christi, Texas.
    Tuttle is a 1988 Hodgdon High School graduate. He is pursuing his bachelor’s of art in social science with Ashford University.