There’s no place like home

Carl “Duke” Newton is the foremost expert on anything Fort Belvoir. He can tell you what buildings were built when, the exact date something was torn down and speak at length on all the different services that have come and gone over the years.
He can even provide a detailed description as to what some other buildings looked like before being renovated. Interior or exterior — take your pick. After nearly 50 years of calling Belvoir home, you would expect nothing less.
“I started here on Aug. 19, 1961. It’s funny how certain dates just stand out in your mind,” the 77 year-old Newton said. “Not many people know this, but Belvoir had the honor of training officer candidates for the Vietnam War. I still remember them running all over the place from daylight to dusk. We had to build a mess hall large enough to fit 500 soldiers in during one sitting. Of course, those days are long gone.”
Newton is right. Much has changed, including his job titles. When he arrived on post, he worked as an air conditioner mechanic. Along the way he held numerous maintenance and foreman positions and is currently material coordinator for the base contractor — Installation Support Services.
Before coming to Belvoir he worked at the Marine Corps base in Quantico for six years — first as a general helper and later as an air conditioner mechanic. When he got word Belvoir had the same position available for slightly better pay — Newton decided it was time for a change of his own.
He jokes that’s all it really took to lure him away.
“At that time, I was making $1.45 an hour at Quantico and Belvoir was offering 51 cents more an hour to do the same type of work. I decided to apply and go for it,” Newton said. “I liked the idea of not being stuck in one building all day and this was something different. I’ve been here ever since. My pay has also gotten a lot better, too,” he said with a laugh.
According to Newton, it was one of the two best things he’s ever done in life. The other being his decision to join the Navy right after high school. He spent four years at sea from 1951 to 1955 aboard the USS Lowry (DD 770). As a seaman assigned to damage control, he had the privilege of going on two world cruises. It’s also where the nickname “Duke” was perfected.
“My older brother, Pete, would kid around and call me ‘Doll Boy’ when I was a kid. One day, I told him I hated that name and that I wanted to be called Duke,” Newton said while reminiscing. “When I joined the Navy, there was a problem trying to locate my birth records. When they finally were found, I learned I never had a middle name. So, I just told people it was ‘Duke.’ That’s been my name ever since.”
A lifelong Virginia resident, Newton was born in the small town of White Oak, which is not far from Stafford. He lives in Falmouth and has maintained the same routine every morning for almost 50 years. A hearty breakfast accompanied by a strong cup of black coffee. With that recipe, he says he’s ready for the long commute north to Belvoir — where he starts work at 6 a.m.
Officially, Newton retired as a federal employee in 1985 after 34 years on the job. But, his retirement was short-lived. For the self-proclaimed “country boy from the south,” there’s just no reason for it.
“I retired on a Friday and came back to work as a
civilian contractor the
following Monday. I just don’t see the sense in sitting at home watching television when I could be putting myself to use and keeping busy,” Newton continued. “It’s my job to locate hard-to-find parts for our vehicles and other machines. I enjoy the challenges that come with the job.
“But, I most enjoy the guys I work with. Everyone treats me with respect and we all appreciate each other. It’s the best.”
In his spare time, Newton enjoys gardening and dancing. He recently attended a major outdoor concert in Dumfries, dubbed the “Woodstock on the Potomac,” and has been a member of the Eagles Club in Fredericksburg since 2007. He also looks forward to attending shop picnics in the summer and various Christmas parties, whether through work or other social functions.
As Belvoir continues to grow, Newton realizes things will change even more. Added traffic is a foregone conclusion, he says, as is additional force protection. Despite a very different installation than the one he came to many years ago, there’s no place he’d rather be.
“I’ve had opportunities to go elsewhere, but I really like where I am,” Newton said. “Anyone who doesn’t want to work at Belvoir, in my opinion, just doesn’t want to work. For me, I’m right at home.”