November is National Veterans and Military Families month, but this is hardly the only time of year we should remember and thank our veterans for their dedication to this country. Rather, this month of commemoration should serve as a reminder that we should always make time to honor our veterans’ service. To that end, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my 25 SEI colleagues who are veterans not only for their service to our country but for the unique richness they bring to our company’s culture.
Putting Our Appreciation into Action
This past December, SEI sponsored the Team Fastrax™ Warrior Weekend to Remember as both an homage to SEI’s veterans and a signal of our appreciation of the sacrifices made by all our country’s service people. Blue Skies hosts events like these all over the country to bring together veterans, Purple Heart Warriors, and the Gold Star families of the fallen. The purpose of these events is to honor the attendees and “ provide enriching, life-changing experiences that facilitate new friendships and emotional healing.”
Our sponsorship enabled Purple Heart recipient, SSG Rickey E. Jones, and Mr. and Mrs. Morrison, the parents of Army SPC Donald “Scott” Morrison, who was killed in action, to attend this year’s edition of the Team Fastrax™ Warrior Weekend to Remember. Team Fastrax also put on a skydiving exhibition at our annual SEI Cincinnati summer picnic, which was a fantastic addition to this year’s patriotic theme.
As an event sponsor, SEI was invited to join the 2019 Warrior Weekend to Remember, which took place in Middletown, Ohio. Several of us from the Cincinnati office were given the opportunity to spend the day getting to know the incredible people we were supporting while getting to ride in antique military planes and helicopters. I will never forget the experience of riding in a vintage Huey helicopter that was being piloted by the very man who flew it during the Vietnam War.
One of the highlights of the event was getting the chance to “enjoy” a tandem skydive with Team Fastrax. None of us from SEI had been skydiving before, and were simultaneously nervous and excited to jump out of an airplane for the first time — not jumping simply wasn’t an option. Being the last to jump made the experience even more exhilarating for me, as it gave me the unique opportunity to see each of my coworker’s faces right before they stepped out of a plane that was flying two miles above the ground! For many people, skydiving in any context is a once in a lifetime experience, but it was even more rewarding for me because I was fortunate enough to dive with Team Fastrax and the many veterans on their team.
Looking Forward to Next Year
The Warrior Weekend to Remember is an amazing way to create an environment in which people who have shared extreme experiences can build relationships, support each other, and stay connected, — all while having some fun. SEI was honored to not only support the event but participate in it as well.
This year, SEI will again be sponsoring the Team Fastrax™ Warrior Weekend to Remember, marking the first time we have sponsored the same organization two years in a row. Our sponsorship will allow two more attendees to experience the Warrior Weekend to Remember in 2020, and we couldn’t be more excited to be involved with another edition of the event!
