Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day, was established in 1918 to mark the end of World War I and became a federal holiday in 1938 to honor its veterans. In 1954, Congress renamed it Veterans Day to honor all veterans, and President Eisenhower set November 11 as the official day to recognize their sacrifices.
Why Veterans Day is Important at Federal Foam
Honoring and recognizing our veterans is essential, as they have made profound sacrifices to protect our freedoms and uphold our nation’s values. In 2022, 8.6 million veterans were reported to be in the workforce, accounting for one in twenty civilian workers. This statistic highlights the substantial presence of veterans in the workforce, demonstrating the importance of their contributions.
At Federal Foam Technologies, Diversity is a core value. For us to be leaders within the foam and plastics fabrication industries, we need a workforce that reflects a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Veterans, with their unique backgrounds and insights, are an integral part of this diversity and help us enhance our ability to serve our customers.
Veterans offer a wide variety of skills that significantly enhance our workplace. The focus on collaboration and leadership during military training makes veterans effective leaders. A veteran’s ability to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances, combined with critical thinking and problem-solving skills, enables them to thrive in dynamic work environments.
The foam and plastic fabrication industry is marked by a diverse array of product offerings, complex engineering design, and specialized manufacturing processes tailored to meet the customized needs of varied customer segments. Each customer’s unique product demands, often requiring constant improvement, innovation, and new product models, require adaptability and continual solutioning to effectively meet these requests.
Veterans bring invaluable skills to this environment: their experience in rapidly adjusting to changing situations, problem-solving under pressure, and their dedication to continuous improvement align perfectly with the demands of our industry, enabling them to drive impactful solutions.
With their strong work ethic and commitment to excellence, veterans are an invaluable asset to any workplace.
Meet Federal Foam Technologies’ Veterans
At Federal Foam Technologies, we take pride in the veterans among us and thank them for their service. Meet the veterans of our company below:
- Carey Casey – U.S. Navy, New Richmond
- Scott Denker – U.S. Marine Corps, New Richmond
- Bob Duval – U.S. Marine Corps, New Richmond
- Newton Handy – U.S. Army, New Richmond
- Geoff Hill – U.S. Marine Corps, New Richmond
- Naomi Hines – U.S. Army, New Richmond
- Dustin Hodson – U.S. Navy, Northwood
- Dennis Holland – U.S. Airforce, New Richmond
- Richard Jorgensen – U.S. Airforce, Northwood
- Craig Lein – U.S. Army, Northwood
- Clint Lutz – U.S. Army Reserve, New Richmond
- Kyle Nelson – U.S. Army National Guard, New Richmond
- Hannah Newville – U.S. Army National Guard, New Richmond
- Don Olson – U.S. Navy, Northwood
- Dale Rosenbush – U.S. Army National Guard, New Richmond
- Dave Wirth – U.S. Army National Guard / U.S. Navy, New Richmond
- Gabriel Kohls – U.S. Airforce, New Richmond
- Stephanie Morris – U.S. Army National Guard
- Jackson Sly – U.S. Marine Corps, New Richmond
- Ethan Van Vorst – U.S. Airforce, New Richmond
Veteran Perspectives
Prepare Well to Execute Well
Kyle Nelson, Sr. Account Manager on Federal Foam’s Sales team, served eight years with the Army’s National Guard. Nelson was inspired to serve by his grandfather, who achieved the senior officer rank of Chief Warrant Officer during his time in the military. Nelson retired from the National Guard due to medical reasons, but he says he’d still be serving if he could.
“My experience in the military was eye-opening, especially meeting people from all walks of life who had the same goals and purpose,” Nelson says. “The bonds and togetherness really taught me how to foster strong customer relationships, that we’re in this together.”
Reflecting on what he learned from his experience, time management and critical thinking skills both stand out. Nelson was taught to be prepared for anything and problem solve in a timely manner.
“These skills translate to my role at Federal Foam and problem solving for solutions with our customers. But before doing that, it’s important to be prepared by learning about them, their business and their specific needs.”
On what Veterans Day means to him, Nelson says a day set aside that focuses on awareness and respect is important.
“People have their own opinions about the government and the military, but on this day, it is about being thankful and recognizing those who have served, which is very powerful.”
Own What You Do
Dave Wirth, Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor at Federal Foam’s New Richmond, WI plant, served two years with the National Guard and five years with the U.S. Navy. When he joined the Navy, Wirth had the opportunity to attend air crew school and flew on various aircraft during his time in the service, while serving as a jet engine mechanic.
Wirth has fond memories of his military experience, including flying with President Reagan shortly after his presidential term had ended as part of his escort to Edwards Airforce Base in California. He describes his time in the service as some of the “greatest of my life”.
“There’s nothing like the camaraderie you find while serving,” Wirth says.
One of the greatest lessons Wirth learned was to take ownership of everything you do, no matter the responsibility.
“We were given a lot of responsibility at a young age and still were expected to perform our role on the team at the highest level. Sometimes it required you to figure things out along the way, and you didn’t want to let your team down.”
In Wirth’s engineering role, which is part of a larger Engineering team at Federal Foam, this idea of owning one’s role is important for delivering on customer needs. At times, that means advising the customer to pivot direction to be successful.
Wirth has never thought twice about his decision to serve.
“It was my privilege to serve my country, and I would do it over and over again,” Wirth says. “I’m appreciative of the recognition and gratitude from my company, family and those in my community.”
Ways to Honor and Celebrate Veterans
To honor our country’s veterans, people can celebrate Veterans Day in various ways, both in and outside the workplace. Attending Veterans Day events, donating to charities that support veterans, engaging in local community service, and expressing gratitude directly to veterans are all meaningful ways to show appreciation.
For year-round support, consider visiting veterans in local VA facilities, volunteering specific skills like medical or IT assistance, providing food through organizations like Feed Our Vets, or helping with clerical tasks at a veteran’s organization.
For more information on getting involved, visit the National Veterans Foundation.
Thank You from Federal Foam Technologies
At Federal Foam Technologies, we are dedicated to fostering a workplace that values our veterans and want to express our admiration and gratitude for their sacrifice and commitment to our country. We thank them for their positive contributions to our company’s success.
