A Summit Hill native and 1983 graduate of Panther Valley High School is celebrating his 40th anniversary associated with the U.S. Navy this year.

Vince Krajcir retired as a senior chief petty officer in the Navy in 2007 and continues to be a Department of the Navy employee at Navy Information Operations Command Georgia, Fort Eisenhower, Georgia.

He looks back on his career with great admiration said growing up in the Panther Valley “shaped my life.”

“It’s mind blowing to think I left Summit Hill on a Trailways bus to attend Tusculum College, Greenville, Tennessee, in 1983, and now, over 40 years later, I’ve never forgotten where I came from.”

At Panther Valley, Krajcir started or lettered all four years in three sports – football, basketball and baseball – and, after picking up his diploma there, had aspirations of playing college baseball.

He developed a love for the game in his childhood days participating in the Summit Hill Little League.

Krajcir changed his mind during the spring break of 1984, enlisting in the Navy where he would spent the next four decades, including the last 17 years (post active duty) as a drug and alcohol advisor and community support liaison for a command of over 1,500 personnel. During his adulthood, he continued his passion for baseball by becoming a well-known and highly-successful collegiate baseball umpire.

Military career

Following his enlistment, Krajcir spent his first two “hitches” in submarine service as a machinist mate, until becoming a counselor. He served in a number of challenging positions as an auxiliary man, administrative assistant, command career counselor, instructor and administrative department chief.

Throughout his career, Krajcir served on a number of platforms, including the USS Seawolf, USS Richard B. Russell and Submarine Development Group 1 in Mare Island, California; the Naval Submarine Support Facility in Groton, Connecticut; USS Ticonderoga, Norfolk, Virginia, Naval Security Group Activity FortMeade, Maryland; USS Detroit, Earle, New Jersey.; and the Navy Information Warfare Activity/Navy Information Operations Command, Suitland, Maryland.

He graduated from Excelsior College with an associate degree in general studies and a bachelor of science degree in history and earned a number of civilian and military awards, including the Meritorious Civilian Service and three Navy Commendation Medals, seven Navy Achievement Medals, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two National Defense Ribbons, and two Good Conduct Awards.

Since retiring, Krajcir has served the Department of the Navy with various responsibilities, including being the program manager for all Drug/Alcohol Program Advisor issues and having control of all NIOC GA Drug/Alcohol cases including training (AWARA/ADAMS), interviewing, setting appointments, DAAR submissions, representing the command at Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) staffing meetings, all treatments and aftercare plans, mandatory breathalyzers for personnel in treatment and any/all correspondence with Chain of Command.

In his community support role, he represents the command at all In Review Progress meetings and assists and coordinates via Chief of Staff all Navy taskers from Ft. Eisenhower and community event looking for Navy volunteers to support local events on Fort Eisenhower or in Augusta, Georgia.

Local impact

Commenting on his career, Krajcir said, “Yes, a small town kid has had a very blessed career in Navy and sports. It was all based on the dreams, foundation and work value I learned in Summit Hill Little League in 1975, walking the Memorial Day Parade excited that opening day was right around the corner.”

He cited “mentors” of his from his hometown days, saying, “Just to name a few, Joe Mogilski, Joe “Chubby” Carnish and his son (Cassie), Stanley and Louise Zuber, Johnny Zuber, Bob Gelatko, Pete Radocha, Trevor Lawrence, Fenton Black and so many other great mentors who looked after this wondering child from Lehigh St. “

A son of the late Vince and Frances Marie (Hnat) Krajcir of Summit Hill, he had high praise for his parents, most especially his mother, saying, “These are all the things I learned in Summit Hill and, most of all, from my mother who was only 17 years old when God put me in her life, and was only a high school graduate who never moved more than three blocks from her homestead on Hazard Street She instilled/taught me the values of being a good Christian, a child of God, and taught me to always respect people, reminding me time and time again that your attitude towards life will always help you.”

He closed, “I am very blessed. My life and career could have easily gone a completely different direction if not for every person I ever met in Summit Hill. My hometown was small, but everyone tried to teach us respect, appreciation and Christian values. In my heart, every one of these mentors from Summit Hill and Panther Valley made a wonderful and loving impression on me. I always wanted to ensure I made them proud of me and where I came from.”

Vince resides in Grovetown, Georgia, with his wife (Chylar) and their two puppies. He is a proud life member of the American Legion and Fleet Reserve Associations for over 25 years.