DJIBIUTI, Africa — Navy FCU has opened a new branch in Djibouti, Africa, to serve more than 4,000 military personnel stationed at Camp Lemonnier here.
The small office is a transformed mobile living unit on the military facility that's home to the Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force. Two employees run the office that has one automated teller machine inside to handle all cash transactions. An additional ATM is also located on the camp's grounds.
Kathy Ward, SVP of branch operations, said Navy's 30th overseas office, NFCU's first new location outside the U.S. this year, supports the credit union's efforts to be where its members are. "We serve where you serve is our mantra," Ward said.
Two stateside staffers volunteered to run the office for the next year. Ward said that means the employees will live the military lifestyle. Both employees, MSR Ryan Davis and Manager Bernadetta Ruch, have military families and military backgrounds.
"One was a Marine for six years," said Kara Cardona, regional manager, branch operations. "They are comfortable in a military environment. Both were happy to not only serve the credit union but members of our armed forces."
The staff will live on the base, in small containerized living units. "They will eat at the dining hall—no different than the members they are serving," said Cardona.
Ward said it is too soon to estimate the volume branch traffic, but said the first two days of operation since the branch opened in mid-December were busy. "We are serving 4,000 people on the base."
The $54 billion Navy FCU last opened an overseas office in in 2010, opening seven branches in South Korea and four branches in Japan that year.
Camp Lemonnier is positioned to support U.S. efforts in the Middle East and home to the
