Mystic — Two longtime civilian employees at the Naval Submarine Base, who combined have over 90 years of military and civil service experience, were honored Tuesday at a luncheon marking their retirements.

Former colleagues of Joe Simmons, who retired as facility planner on Jan. 2, and Mark Schultz, who retired as community planning and liaison officer on Dec. 29, took the opportunity to poke fun at the men in a dimly lit room at the Steak Loft.

Simmons and Schultz were described as detail-oriented and hardworking employees whom many relied on for their expertise, and who put their families first. It was fun to help bring Simmons, known for being reserved, out of his shell, several said. Schultz was known for his occasional outbursts but, as one colleague noted, he usually defused himself.

Simmons and Schultz were among the so-called "The Fab Five," longtime leaders in the base public works department. When Capt. Paul Whitescarver took over the base, he was told by his predecessor that he couldn't do anything with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command "until you get through The Fab Five." Both men have left their mark on the base and the community, Whitescarver said.

Simmons, 71, of Mystic, arrived to the base for a job as a facility planner just as the region was getting blasted by the blizzard of 1978. In his 40 years at the base, he became an expert on explosives safety planning, and oversaw the day-to-day planning on the base, developing military construction projects and getting funding for them. More recently, he oversaw the effort to update the sub base's master facilities plan.

Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., Simmons served with the Marines in Vietnam, earning, among other awards, the Presidential Unit Citation Medal, and went on to get a bachelor's degree in architecture from Syracuse University.

"It was time," Simmons said of his retirement. "I could've probably gone on for another couple of years if I wanted to. I certainly would've enjoyed the job, but at 71, it's time to enjoy my life a little bit."

He and his wife, Chris, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this May, have three daughters.

Schultz, 65, of Gales Ferry worked in the public works department for 30 years, most recently as community planning and liaison officer, advising the commanding officer on issues involving the local community. He served as the base's lead representative for the recently released joint land use study for the base and surrounding municipalities.

A graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, Schultz served in the Coast Guard and then the Coast Guard Reserves after he started work at the base in June 1987. He's an avid cyclist, known for riding his bike to work and stashing it in his office. He's also made several trips to Iowa, where he grew up, by bike.

He and his wife, Beth, have six children and three grandchildren, with another grandchild on the way.

Schultz said he's retiring to help take care of his grandchildren, but added, "There was a kind of a mutual agreement between Joe and myself, neither one of us wanted to keep on going without the other one."

j.bergman@theday.com