Editor’s Note: The following article was first published in the November 2001 Defense Contract Management Agency EastSide Edition, a magazine that covered the agency’s East District. When DCMA moved its headquarters to Fort Lee, Virginia, in 2011, the combat support agency named its new building Herbert Homer Hall. The article is presented unedited as it was originally published.   

In the brutal terrorist attacks of September 11, the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) lost a beloved and trusted employee, Herbert Homer. He was a passenger aboard the United Airlines Flight 175 that crashed into the south tower of New York’s World Trade Center. Herb served his entire 27 years of Federal service with DCMA, beginning in 1974 as a Northeastern University co-op student working at the Defense Contract Administration Services Plant Representative Office Raytheon in Burlington, Mass.  

A Loyal Employee  

“Herb has been a loyal employee of DCMA for 27 years. In that time he gained the respect and admiration of many both inside and outside the agency,” said Brig. Gen. Edward M. Harrington, DCMA Director. “He was a man we could count on for support and assistance when needed. He was a giving man, a joyous man, and he is irreplaceable. He will be missed by all of us.” 

Herb played an integral part at DCMA Raytheon as the Defense Corporate Executive. At the time of his death, Herb was working with Raytheon's corporate restructuring, involving a merger between Raytheon, Texas Instruments, and Hughes Aircraft. Herb was instrumental in assisting Raytheon implement a cost savings approach in the restructuring. He worked out an approach that allowed Raytheon to save $2 for every $1 they would spend on the restructuring effort. Herb was a critical team member, working with Rodger Christiansen, Don Dowd, and Pat Byrne to monitor and complete the analysis of the restructuring effort.  

“Herb Homer was one of the finest people I have ever known. He loved his God, his country, and for certain his wife and family,” said Linda Rusk, senior vice president of acquisition reform, Raytheon Company. “He certainly exhibited the highest professionalism and dedication. But it was more than that. No matter how busy he was, he always took time to make sure you knew he cared about you as a person.” 

According to Rusk, Herb had a unique way of making everyone feel special, no matter whom they were or what position they held. '”Herb will certainly be missed; we are all better people for having known and for having the privilege of working with him,” she added.  

“I remember sitting down with Herb once and saying to him, ’you got a lot of responsibility dealing with these high-paid, well-trained individuals,’ and I said ‘really for what you're doing, you're kind of under-paid’,” according to Steve Bogusz, deputy commander, DCMA Raytheon. “Herb looked at me and said, ‘yeah, well maybe you're right, but I really love my job.’ How many people can say that? That's just the kind of guy he was,” Bogusz emphasized with obvious pride.  

A Giving Man  

Herb was involved in a variety of community activities and charities, including the Special Olympics and Junior Chamber of Commerce (JC's). He donated his time generously to help these organizations help others, and always invited others to join. Herb never expected thanks or recognition for his charitable service.  

“Herb was a genuinely nice guy, great personality, great friend,” said Edward Giangrande, program manager for field support, East District. “I remember a day when my kids were small and we went shopping at a local mall. Herb lived in the next town over and saw us there. He came up to us and greeted my wife and kids.” 

Giangrande recalled that for some reason the scene just stuck in his mind.  

“One weekend when the JC's were having an event, Herb told me to bring my kids over. I remember my wife telling me that morning, ‘Come on, we need to get ready to go to Herb's event.’ He was just great to everyone he knew.'” 

“Herb was a very generous guy,” Bogusz said. “Every year he would give the maximum amount to the Combined Federal Campaign, and every year he would get the Eagle award for his contribution; but he didn't want it known that he was giving this kind of money. He would send Rodger Christiansen or Pat Byrne to the ceremony to accept the award and bring it back – that’s just the kind of guy he was.” 

“Herb always made time for his coworkers no matter how busy he was,” Giangrande said. “He always made himself available if you needed to talk. I remember Herb and I were working late at the office discussing different issues. When we were done, he would always ask about my family and talk about his. He had no children of his own, but bis brother had kids. Herb used to love to tell me stories about them and what he was getting them for their birthdays or Christmas. I always told him, ‘Herb you're spoiling those kids,’” Giangrande recalled with pride.  

During the winter holiday season, Herb would give gifts of wine to his coworkers and indulge in the holiday treats, according to Giangrande.  

As a man of good taste, it wasn't a surprise to see Herb sharing a decadent slice of the latest cheesecake with his friend Pat Byrne. “Herb bought me this book one year with all these cheesecake recipes in it. I liked to cook them and we both loved to eat them. We would try all the different kinds,” said Byrne. 

Man of Integrity  

As a long time DCMA employee, Herb's tenure was marked by extraordinary dedication and a profound concern for the agency's success in executing its mission. He was never satisfied until the job was done and done right.  

“Herb always had a worried look on his face, especially if he was working on a new cost issue. Once he thought about the issue and researched it though, that look would turn into confidence and he would always settle the issue,” said Giangrande.  

“Herb had the ability to take a couple of pages and turn them into volumes, and when he did it, he was able to support every statement in them,” Giangrande said. “If you would take a look at any of the negotiations he did you would understand that, every question would be answered. When he would be away and I would need to go into his office for something, I would walk in and it would be clean as a whistle, nothing lying around at all. When you would open the cabinets or drawers everything was neatly folded and alphabetized, you could always find whatever you were looking for,” he added.  

“Herb was one of the good ones and will certainly be missed,”' Harrington said. “My heart goes out to his wife, and his family. He was a fine man and will never be forgotten. We lost a good one.”