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thedrifter
08-20-09, 08:44 AM
Marine colonel retires to Libertyville after 25 years of service


August 20, 2009
By STEPHANIE KOHL skohl@pioneerlocal.com

After 25 years of service in the United States Marine Corps, Col. Dave Aumuller retired Saturday.

Aumuller has served in Virginia, Hawaii, Japan, North Carolina and California among other locations. He deployed for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and he deployed to Iraq as a commander in 2004.

Since August 2007, he has been stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base as commanding officer of Marine Air Control Group 48.

After putting on a uniform and heading to work every day for 25 years, Aumuller, 47, said he will miss serving.

"It's a little weird to figure out what we're doing every day after 25 years of the same," Aumuller said.

Among the many things he will miss about serving, his fellow marines rank highest.

"I'm proud to be a part of people who make such tremendous sacrifices every day," he said.

The Aumuller family has lived in Libertyville since he took the position at Great Lakes and plan to remain there in their retirement. Part of the reason for Aumuller's retirement was his children reaching high school age.

His 14-year-old son will be a freshman at Libertyville High School. His 12-year-old daughter, Kate, is a student at Highland Middle School. His 7-year-old daughter, Tess, is a student at Butterfield School.

"One goal (for the kids) was wherever they started high school, they would finish high school," Aumuller said.

Another reason for retirement was that Aumuller had reached the highest rank he could achieve, and after reaching the rank of colonel, those serving are limited to 30 years of service.

"I just thought it was a good time to go out while I was on top," he said.

Looking back 20 years ago, he and his wife, Sara, a California girl, would never have guessed they'd retire to Libertyville. When Aumuller was offered the position at Great Lakes, he was offered on-base housing for his family, which feeds into the North Chicago schools.

Waiting at the bar for a table at Jimmy's Charhouse for dinner one night, they were discussing their options for schooling. A couple next to them heard their discussion and the woman offered her opinion that "you really want to live in Libertyville," and that's where the family ended up.

Aumuller said his kids love Libertyville, except maybe in February during the dead of winter.

"For us as parents, our children are just front and center in our lives," said Sara Aumuller, who added she wished she would come across the woman who pointed her family to Libertyville again so she could thank her.

She said after years of her husband serving the country, it is nice to have him home and be in one place for awhile. Since he is always on the go, the laid-back nature of retirement will be quite an adjustment for him, but Aumuller said he plans to begin a second career in a managerial position somewhere.

He is currently interviewing for positions. In the meantime, the family is really just enjoying the time they can spend together.

"If he feels like making dinner every night, we're fine with that," Sara Aumuller laughed.

Ellie