November 11 is Veterans Day and Remembrance Day. A time for us to pay our respects to those who have served. In the US, today is Veterans Day and across the Commonwealth countries, today is Remembrance Day. Today we stand united in respect for our veterans and those who have died in the line of duty.
This day is a time to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on November 11 to mark the Armistice signing that ended World War I.
Across Chemring, it’s our mission to protect people, platforms, missions, and information against constantly changing threats. It’s this mission that attracts many veterans to come and work at Chemring when they leave military life. We work hard to support the Armed Forces and those colleagues who have served.
Today we meet veterans Steve and Matt, who both work in our Chemring Countermeasures USA (CCM USA) business in Toone, Tennessee. We asked them to share a bit about their service on this special day.
Which branch of the Armed Forces were you in?
Steve: I served in the United States Marine Corps.
Matt: I also served in the United States Marine Corps.
What attracted you to military life?
Steve: The challenge and the opportunity to see the world.
Matt: I always had a calling to serve my country. I had multiple family members and friends that served, and it was their stories about their time in the service that helped me in deciding to join.
What was your career journey in the military?
Steve: My career progression was pretty typical for an enlisted Marine. I started out with no responsibility for anything other than myself. As I gained experience and rank, I began to lead more and more, ultimately finishing my career as the production supervisor and quality inspector for my shop.
Matt: I left for boot camp in May 2005. I enlisted as a CH-53E Helicopter flight line mechanic. I was responsible for all aspects of maintaining the helicopter. Towards the end of my service, I was a fully qualified mechanic who oversaw and inspected all maintenance actions performed. I left military service in July 2014.
Tell us about some of your memorable experiences.
Steve: Japan was a really cool place to be stationed as it is a completely different culture.
Matt: One of my most memorable experiences was being on the USS New York. It was made from some of the steel from the World Trade Centre. I also remember flying food and water into Bangladesh after they were hit by a typhoon. That was one of the more humbling missions I was a part of during my service. Just seeing how devastated the people of Bangladesh were and knowing that we were helping them.
What did you enjoy most about military life?
Steve: Travelling and being stationed near the beach.
Matt: I enjoyed the travel the most.
What did you find challenging?
Steve: Being away from home and my family and friends.
Matt: The physical aspect was challenging and learning how to lead people from all walks of life posed a challenge.
What do you miss most?
Steve: The camaraderie and Esprit de Corps of a large group all working with the same goals.
Matt: I miss the people I served with the most. I also miss seeing those helicopters taking off on a flight.
How did you get involved with Chemring?
Steve: I was hired as a Product Engineer and I’m now an Advanced Development Manager. I enjoy working with cross-functional teams to successfully execute internal and external development projects.
Matt: I applied for an open maintenance position and was able to get the job mostly due to my military and technical background. I am now a Controls Technician and enjoy troubleshooting and figuring out problems with the machines and processes.
What skills/experiences/knowledge from the Armed Forces serves you well in your current role?
Steve: The primary skill I use from my military experience is the ability to develop and leverage personal relationships in mutually beneficial manners to accomplish tasks and goals.
Matt: The technical background that I got from the military serves me daily in my job. Having the ability to figure out how or why something isn’t functioning correctly is directly related to my time in the service.
Would you recommend Chemring as an employer to other veterans?
Steve: I would recommend Chemring as a place to work after leaving the military. For us as former Service Members, it is an opportunity to continue to support the warfighters and continue to protect our brethren.
Matt: I would definitely recommend Chemring to veterans as an employer.
What does Veterans Day / Remembrance Day mean to you?
Steve: Veterans Day to me is a day where I reflect on the brothers and sisters I’ve served with and the memories we’ve made together. I also think about those who have come before me and those who will come long after I’m gone and who have been willing to answer the call to service.
Matt: It is a day to reflect on your past experiences in the military as well as a day to honour those veterans who served before you.
"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." – Joseph Campbell