For Those Who Serve

For much of my life, the U.S. military was an uninteresting mystery. Growing up, we had no family friends who actively served, and as far as I was aware, none of my classmates’ parents were servicemembers. Older generations of my family served in the Navy and the Army Air Corps (what later became the Air Force), but my immediate and extended family did not. Despite past ties to men and women who participated in war efforts, my parents never encouraged me to consider that path. I assume they worried about the danger: my Dad’s uncle was shot down over Germany and held as a prisoner of war for over a year [1]. My parents also grew up during the Vietnam era, when the public’s perception of the military was much different than it is today. Regardless of their hesitations, they did not have to insist: the armed forces just didn’t appeal to me.

Ironically, I spent most of my childhood in Scouting: 12 years in Cub and Boy Scouts, earning both my Arrow of Light and my Eagle. There is no other program I am aware of that more closely resembles the military, yet is not run either by or in partnership with the government. It’s evident in the skills Scouting teaches (such as wilderness survival, first aid, and leadership), the values it instills in its members (duty to oneself, one’s colleagues, and one’s country), and even the organizational structure (troops and patrols). It makes sense--the founder, Lord Baden-Powell, was an officer in the British Army who created the organization to prepare young men for military service [2]. Still, these nationalistic undertones were lost on me. I mostly loved being outside, the camaraderie, and the feeling of achievement as I rose in the ranks. But Scouting was successful in teaching me service to others and to our country was important. It was something I practiced as I grew into adulthood, but I did not anticipate how that might translate to my professional work.

My first exposure to government contracting was during my internship with a human factors engineering firm. Most of my projects focused on assistive technologies, such as a robot therapists could use to more effectively engage children with learning disabilities. My colleagues, on the other hand, created technology so our warfighters could more effectively engage a battlefield. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about this. As I became more familiar with the nature of that work, I learned an important distinction between “defense” and “offense.” Giving soldiers technology to help them stay alive was different than giving them technology to enhance their lethality. Sometimes it was difficult to separate these two objectives, but I felt I would be more at ease if I could focus on defensive applications.

When I began working as a professional human factors engineer, my employer primarily contracted with the government. When I interviewed, I was aware of this and expressed concern about working on military projects. I suppose I wanted control over whether or not my talents were being used to protect or to inflict harm. I had said this to one of the executives, and her response was enlightening: “Once you start working with them [the men and women in the armed services], you won’t worry about that.” I was surprised by the answer, but encouraged, and decided to take the job. And she was right.

I have had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen. They are some of the most diverse, intelligent, and skilled people I have ever met. Once I began working with them, and connecting with them on a personal level, I didn’t worry as much about the end results of my work. I welcomed the opportunity to help them do their job more effectively and stay safe. I may or may not agree with what they have been asked to do or why, but they are Americans, out there, doing their best regardless of politics, public sentiment, or personal feelings. Their willingness to give everything deserves all of my talents. This is how I have carried forward the ideals I learned in Scouting: by creating new technology for those who serve.

To this day, my interactions with warfighters are the best part of my job. My work is meaningful, fulfilling, and impactful, because I’m doing it for them. That said, I did not seek out this type of work, and I had profound hesitations about what I would be signing up for. But I gave it a chance and have not once regretted it. If you find yourself struggling with the same decision, I encourage you to think about what resonates with your values, and what does not, and why. You may find it is exactly what you are looking for.

--Eric

Bonus photo: by far, one of the most incredible things I have had an opportunity to do was ride on an aircraft carrier. This is me, in the crow’s nest, where I would watch flight ops for as long as I could before needing to get back to work (??: Eric Jones).

References:

[1] My great uncle was the youngest of my grandmother’s siblings. When I was an adult, I had a chance to speak with him about his time as a POW. This did not filter down as family lore.

[2] https://www.scout.org/scout-history

This work is not sponsored by any corporate or government entity. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely those of the author.