Remember. Honor. Support. 2019

May is one of our favorite times of year – a time when our commitment to our customers echoes with a rewarding resonance during National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM). Again this year, BAE Systems, Inc. was proud to celebrate our military, veterans, and their families through our annual Remember. Honor. Support. (RHS) campaign. Our employees set the bar high, hosting fundraisers and participating in volunteer initiatives in support of military-focused charitable organizations nationwide. Employees also came together and held memorial flag ceremonies across the country to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

 

 

Washington, D.C. metro and San Diego, Cali. area employees partnered with The Mission Continues (TMC), an organization that enables veterans to continue their service, and empowers communities with veteran talent, skills and preparedness to generate visible impact. In the D.C. area, employees worked together to beautify and restore Mount Vernon High School’s garden that provides food to the local community. Among the many activities, Tom Arseneault, president and chief operating officer of BAE Systems, Inc., helped lead volunteers in building benches for the garden. In San Diego, employees pitched in to perform maintenance work for a local preschool’s outdoor playground.

 

 

We continued our relationship with Habitat for Humanity, specifically the organization’s Veterans Build projects (HHVB). The Veterans Build initiative is focused on rebuilding lives and supporting the brave men and women who served in the U.S. military. HHVB builds and modifies homes to accommodate different needs and abilities, and occasionally gifts them mortgage-free to veterans and their families. 

 

Along with corporate donations, our volunteers in York, Penn., Sterling Heights, Mich., and Anniston, Ala. worked together with local Habitat for Humanity chapters to paint, build outdoor structures, install screen doors and update landscaping in veterans’ homes. Anniston volunteers also “left their mark” by placing the official 2019 RHS logo along with participant signatures under the top corner cabinet.

 

 

 

 

 

Washington, D.C. metro area employees came together to support the annual National Military Survivor Good Grief Camp hosted by Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). The event enables children affected by the loss of a military family member to learn coping skills through games, crafts and other activities in a fun and supportive environment. To bring smiles and "hugs" to these children and let them know they are not alone, BAE Systems employees filled bags with treats and activities that will help keep the kids entertained on their journey home.

 

 

At many of our Ship Repair sites, employees wore red shirts on Fridays throughout May to Remember Everyone Deployed. This annual tradition is a simple, impactful way for our employees to visibly demonstrate their commitment to service members who are away from their families.

 

Charlotte, N.C. employees participated in a Walk to Remember. Throughout an afternoon, employees took turns and walked ten-minute rotations proudly displaying the names of loved ones and honoring members of our military and their families.

 

 

In preparation for Memorial Day, employees volunteered with the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund in Boston Common Public Park. They helped place individual flags to honor the more than 37,000 Massachusetts military members who have died in service to this country dating back to the Revolutionary War. The Heroes Flag Garden is a breathtaking tribute to the true meaning of Memorial Day.

 

Employees in Norfolk, Va., volunteered and placed flags on veterans' graves at the Hampton National Cemetery.

 

To remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice serving our country, employees at multiple company sites paused for flag raising ceremonies. To honor the fallen for their service and selflessness to protect our freedom, these events are organized annually by our employee-led Veterans Support Network, which includes many former service members. In York, Penn., employees personalized their memorial celebration by holding signs that included the name of a family service member.

Throughout the month, we highlighted our veteran employees' stories, as they shared how they remember, honor, and support their fellow service members. These feature stories celebrate the important positions veterans hold across our company and promote opportunities for veterans seeking a career within BAE Systems.

 

The transition from active duty military to civilian life is not an easy task, and our BAE Systems Camo to Corporate program underpins all of our military recruiting and veteran efforts. For example, our Warrior Integration Program assists in the employment, transition, education, and career development of wounded warriors.

 

We are proud to invest in the local communities where our employees live and work, supporting organizations that make a positive impact in the lives of our military, veterans, and their families. Our country remains the “land of the free” thanks to the remarkable men and women who willingly put their lives on the line to safeguard our nation and defend our freedom. We encourage you to take a moment every day – not just during NMAM - to remember, honor, support and thank those who serve and protect us.