Honoring Our Heroes: Celebrating National Military Appreciation Month

In May,?we recognize and honor the incredible sacrifices, bravery, and dedication of our U.S. military personnel, both past and present. National Military Appreciation Month is a reminder to express gratitude to those who have served and continue to serve our country.?

AIR is proud to honor the memory and legacy of our founder, John C. Flanagan. Commissioned by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, Flanagan led an aviation psychology program that developed tests to identify pilots suitable for combat missions, playing a vital role in ensuring the success and safety of our armed forces.?

This month, we also recognize our staff who have served in the U.S. armed forces. The dedication, discipline, and leadership skills they developed through their service enrich our workplace and inspire us all.?

We asked our staff who are former active duty, military spouses, and dependents to reflect on military service, and here is what they had to say.???

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Mary Bridget Burns, Ph.D. , Senior Researcher?

Inspired by his grandfather’s service, my husband joined the Air Force. His grandfather, a bomber aircrew in the Pacific theater during WWII, was very humble about his service. Recently my husband and his cousin, an Army reservist, learned more about their grandfather’s Distinguished Flying Cross medal, finding new photos and information in the archives of a university library, preserved by a professor who studies WWII history.

For me, there is a heritage of service in my family and my husband’s family, and with it, spouses who contribute in their own ways, like my husband’s grandmother and myself, who kept things going during deployments. During my husband’s time in the Air Force, he deployed to the Middle East twice when our first two children were small.

George Bohrnstedt , Senior Vice President and Institute Fellow?

I was in the National Guard for six years, six months of which were active duty when the Soviet Union built the wall in Berlin separating West from East. Active duty took us to the WWII barracks at Ft. Lewis, Washington. My role was clarinetist with the 32rd Division Band. It was great honor to play for dignitaries who arrived at Ft. Lewis, and a true highlight was when we were asked to play for the opening of the World's Fair in Seattle. The governor, the two U.S. senators, and then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson were all within about 25 feet of the band. We were so proud to be part of the ceremony. In 2007, I reunited with friends I met during that time for a wonderful event in Madison during which several of us played in a jazz group.

Teresa Slattery , Accounting Associate

I served in the Air Force active duty from 2002-2006. I joined after 9/11 and felt a sense of pride and duty to assist in keeping our country safe. Through the process of basic training and deployments to the Middle East, I learned self-discipline, attention to detail, and, most importantly, teamwork, specifically that everyone has an important role to play in the larger organization's mission.

Andrew Blank, MPH, PMP , Project Specialist Youth, Family & Community

I served as Officer of the Deck on USS Ohio (SSGN 726) (Blue) during Sea Trials in Summer 2019 off the coast of Washington state. I’ll always be proud of our crew for persevering through a 27-month major maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. We successfully executed significant overhauls to ship’s systems while building a new generation’s tactical proficiency and mission readiness.?