Veterans Day celebration features 110th Attack Wing airmen, cultivates community ties

Photo By Staff Sgt. Bethany Rizor | Members of the 110th Attack Wing support a veterans day event on Monday November 12th, 2018. The event was held to honor veterans for their service while spreading awareness of assistance the Strykers Veterans Association offers to all veterans in the southwest Michigan area.  

PORTAGE, MI, UNITED STATES

11.20.2018

Story by Staff Sgt. Bethany Rizor 

110th Wing

PORTAGE, Mich. – The Stryker Veterans Association (SVA) hosted members from the 110th Attack Wing at a Veterans Day event on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. The event was held to honor veterans for their service while spreading awareness of the assistance SVA offers to all veterans in the local area.

The event began with a ceremonial presentation of the colors, followed by the POW MIA Remembrance reading to honor of our fallen brothers and sisters in arms.
Col. Bryan Teff, 110th Attack Wing commander, was featured as the guest speaker for the event. He delivered a speech about the wing's mission capabilities, its global reach, and positive local impact in southwest Michigan.

“The 110th was honored to participate in the military appreciation event. The tremendous veteran presence was a perfect opportunity to provide a message for veteran’s day as well to articulate the mission of the 110th Attack Wing,” said Teff.

Stryker is a medical device manufacturing company offering innovative products and services in orthopedics, medical and surgical, and neuro-technology. Stryker services over 100 countries across 5 global regions. It has been ranked 12th in the World’s Best Workplace top 25 places to work, and has been recognized as by Military Friendly® Employers as an employer who supports active veteran hiring.

SVA is an organization of veterans and community members who support veterans within Stryker.

Staff Sgt. Kenny Stiverson, a former member of the 110th Attack Wing, shared that “We have a team within recruiting to specifically seek veterans to take advantage of the talent among those separating from the military.”

This is not to say that current military members cannot work for Stryker. Stiverson was an employee of Stryker before he served at the 110th Attack Wing.

“Stryker provides a good home,” says Stiverson, “and it helps veterans acclimate to civilian employment through community networking.”

Although the association is rooted within the Stryker community, its aim is to assist veterans seeking employment anywhere, not just Stryker.

“The event is to celebrate Veterans Day and to support local partnerships," said Stryker’s lead recruiter, Terry Ferrier. "We want to help our local veterans and give back to those who served.”

Ferrier's main goal is to hire and retain veteran employees within the company.

“The Stryker Veterans Association is an awesome group of patriotic Americans,” said Col. Daniel Whipple, 110 ATKW Vice Wing Commander, who also attended the event. “I was honored to be invited to their Veterans Day recognition ceremony and it was great to see how much they appreciate those who have served in our military.”

• Date Taken: 11.20.2018
• Date Posted: 11.21.2018 15:16
• Story ID: 300699
• Location: PORTAGE, MI, US