Veterans Day: Chris Harkins, CNS chief operating officer, offers thoughts on Veterans Day
On Veterans Day, I think of the many honorable men and women I served with during my 30 years in the U.S. Navy. I am in awe of the selfless sacrifices my fellow veterans made to protect and defend our country. After all, there’s a reason we call military work “being in the service.” I see this same dedication in our people at Pantex and Y-12.
At CNS, we are proud of the large number of veterans who choose to continue their service to our country by working at our sites. With programs such as Veterans to Engineers and the Department of Defense SkillBridge internship that work to bring in veterans who have retired or are near the end of their military service careers, we attract unique and valuable talent to our sites. For the fourth year running, CNS earned a Gold Award from the HIRE Vets Medallion Program, which recognizes employers for their efforts to recruit, employ, and retain our nation’s veterans.
I am so grateful to the many veterans who choose to offer their skills and commitment to this important national security work. I feel truly fortunate to work alongside you all every day.
In honor of this special day, I wanted to share thoughts on Veterans Day from some of our veteran employees.
Chris
“To me, Veterans Day is a national holiday reserved to observe those selfless, brave, and loyal individuals who voluntarily committed themselves to service to defend our great nation both past and present. Never be ashamed to exemplify your patriotism for the United States of America. I am Italian-American and a third generation U.S. Armed Forces veteran on just the paternal side of my family. The love for my nation, fellow Americans, and beliefs pulses through my veins. ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ Proverbs 27:17 NIV”
Paul R.
Y-12
Retired U.S. Army
“Veterans Day, to me, is an opportunity for all veterans to reflect on our individual obligation we took to our nation, state, and community. It is also a chance to remember our associations and friends, and the common incidents we all shared.”
Justin F.
Pantex
Retired U.S. Army
“Veterans Day is a day to remember and honor the sacrifice and dedication that our brave brothers and sisters in uniform have made while defending our country’s freedom and way of life. It’s also a time for us to reflect on the time we spent serving our country and how we can continue to support those we trained to take our place. I’m thankful to have the unique opportunity to continue to contribute to our national security by providing the highest quality products from here at Y-12.”
Lynn W.
Y-12
U.S. Navy
“Veterans Day is a day of honor and appreciation for those of us who had, or still have, the privilege to serve our country and enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that are available. I hope that future generations come to realize the sacrifices that our armed forces and their families endure to promote the lifestyle that we, as Americans, have become accustomed to.”
Lann H.
Pantex
Retired U.S. Navy
“The military will forever have a prominent place in my life – I was a military dependent as a child, a military member for 28 years, and a Marine Corps spouse. Our children are young and didn’t live through what our commitment to service truly demanded of us. Veterans Day affords us the opportunity to share that with them and open their eyes to all the possibilities in serving. I don’t want them to think of the military as Plan B for their own lives. Honoring the past makes way for the future – and we need them.”
Christine S.
Y-12
Retired U.S. Air Force
“Veterans Day to me is a day of reflection on the sacrifices made by my fellow veterans, the 1% that choose to serve this great nation. It is an opportunity to thank them and their families. I am proud and honored to say that my daughter is one of those veterans that I will get to thank! It is such a great feeling to be a part of such an elite group of people even though I no longer wear the uniform. I will forever carry that pride within me every time I see beautiful Old Glory fly.”
Maria H.
Pantex
Retired U.S. Air Force