RICHMOND, Va. –
“Marrying Millions,” “Married to Medicine” and “Married at First Sight.” Just a few of the reality shows on television these days that follow the everyday lives of married couples and their families.
Given the large number of married couples at Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, they should have their own reality show. We will call it, “Married to DLA.”
Of the nearly 390 folks working at DLA Aviation on Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 36 of them are married to other aviation employees. That’s a total of 18 couples.
So, let’s kick off this first episode of, “Married to DLA” by introducing you to four of these couples.
We begin with Steven and Karen Eggleston. He’s a general supply specialist in the Storage and Distribution Division. She’s a sustainment specialist working in the Planning and Support Division.
The Eggleston’s have been married 15 years, so working together doesn’t seem to bother either one of them. When I asked what they both like most about working in the same general area, here is what they had to say.
“We’ve been married and working together for so long, it just seems normal at this point,” Steven said.
“I really like it. We spend a lot of time together outside of work, so it’s not that much different,” Karen said.
Steven said another benefit of working with his spouse is commuting to work together. He said it saves on miles and gas for their vehicles. Karen says she enjoys another benefit.
“Having someone who knows your job and all the people you work with. We can vent or laugh about something that happened at work and we both know exactly what [we’re] talking about,” she said.
So now that you know the Eggleston’s, let’s move on to married couple number two, Candace and Anthony Tubens.
Anthony, a management and program analyst with Command Support Staff, said he and his bride of almost 13 years met in 2007 while they were both serving in the Army stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.
“We worked together while in the service, so seeing her around the office here and there is no biggie. It doesn’t feel weird working with or around her,” he said.
Candace is a supervisor inventory management specialist in the Material Management Division. She said working the same job has been perfect for them. They get the same federal holiday’s off, can ride into work together and meet for lunch occasionally.
Moving on and stay with me. We’re almost done.
Let me introduce you to the Hawkins, Chris and Faith. They have enjoyed marital bliss for just over two decades. Like Anthony Tubens, Chris also works in Command Support Staff, but as lead management analyst, while Faith is an inventory management specialist in the Material Management Division.
“I think we have really worked well together because we relate to each other’s job easily because of common office similarities, even though our duties are different,” Chris said.
“Before COVID-19, we worked in different offices, and technically still do, but have been teleworking from the same home office for the past two years.” Faith said. “Somedays it’s like being stuck with that annoying co-worker, but most days it has brought us even closer together.”
And last but not least, couple number four, Tim and Brooke George. She’s the section chief of the Material Support Branch within the Material Management Division. They are coming up on their 11-year anniversary.
“I have enjoyed having my husband working in the same agency.” Brooke said. “We know a lot of the same people at work and when talking about the notorious “how was your day” question, we can sort of relate to what the other is saying, almost as though we speak the same language in this world of acronyms and abbreviations.”
Tim is a material expeditor working within the Storage and Distribution Division.
While some may think it’s strange working in the same location as their significant other, he doesn’t see it that way.
“It has not been weird working for the same agency. It’s been fantastic working with my wife.“ Tim said.