For U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Christopher Kaag, Veterans Day is not only one of the most significant holidays of the year, but also a reminder that he owes his life to his service.
βBeing in the military was the best way for me to grow up,β said Kaag, during ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs annual Veterans Day Recognition Program Nov. 11 at the companyβs headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania. βThe United States Marine Corps has given me the tools to overcome any challenge.β
Kaag spoke to ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ veterans and associates about his experiences and thanked fellow veterans for their service. More than 50 veterans at ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ attended the event.
In 1998, Kaag was diagnosed with a rare degenerative nerve condition. Now, he spends his time using the training he received in the military to help promote an active lifestyle to the disabled community through his two Reading-based programs, and the .
βVeterans Day means many different things to many different people,β said Kaag, who credits the Marine Corps for helping him to improvise, adapt and overcome. βBut itβs important to remember that showing appreciation sometimes takes more than just words.β
ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ employs more than 1,700 veterans at locations across the country, including 29 who have been on active military leave this year. Nearly 12 percent of ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs new hires within the last three years have a military background.
Pete Bayer, ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs area vice president and a 29-year veteran of the U.S. Army, feels that values exhibited by veterans like Kaag make them invaluable resources for not only the nation, but our workforce.
βVeterans are young men and woman who have chosen to make a difference,β said Bayer, during his speech to the veterans. βThey know how to be part of something bigger than themselves.β
Bayer highlighted many factors that empower veterans to be valuable contributors to the workforce, including their value of service.
βVeterans truly understand the value of service,β said Bayer. βAnd to a veteran, service simply means to give more than you receive. I see that every day here at ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½.β
Emcee Mike Duff, ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs senior vice president of government relations and chief compliance officer, thanked all the veterans in attendance for giving so much to protect the safety of the United States.
βItβs a truly humbling experience, and I canβt thank you enough,β said Duff.
Members of the Alvernia University Chorus Ensemble, led by Assistant Professor Jennie Michalik, sang the national anthem at the event.
By Tony Kozuch
Group photo: Veterans from ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs corporate office in Reading, Pennsylvania, as well as from the Allentown and Reading district locations
Smaller group photo: Allen Moyer, marketing project manager and Air Force veteran; Mike Duff, senior vice president of government relations and chief compliance officer; Chris Kaag, Marine and founder of Corps Fitness and the IM ABLE Foundation; and Pete Bayer, area vice president and 29-year veteran of the U.S. Army; addressed veterans at the Nov. 11 event.