A Veterans Day letter to professional colleagues

In this tumultuous 2020, we reacted to and worked together to deal with the COVID pandemic. This year at KPMG, across the professional service professions, and America we learned much about ourselves, our teammates, clients, our place in the consulting industry, and history. Over 100 years separate us from both the last pandemic and the roots of a solemn day. Bear with me, and thank you in advance for your time to read this note.

In 1919, President Wilson wrote that World War I Veterans set aside individual selfishness and “… and assembled a great army so that at the last our power was a decisive factor in the victory” and liberation of Europe. In 1938, November 11th was dedicated as a day to remember the service of WW I veterans. At the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day, we spent 2 minutes in silence – one to remember the fallen, one to remember those alive but forever impacted by the loss. President Eisenhower expanded the observance in 1953 to commemorate all living veterans and thank them for their service in peacetime deterrence or armed conflict. All veterans, serving in peacetime and war, on Active Duty and in the Reserve Component, made sacrifices in the conduct of their duty and contributions to national security.

During their uniformed service, our KPMG Chicago Office Veterans emulated examples of valor, fidelity, and patriotism. They learned about the Marines - the Devil Dogs in Belleau Wood, France who faced sustained German attacks, refused to retreat, and stopped a German offensive in World War I. Our members were inspired by Air Force units and Airmen like the 8th Air Force and the US Navy’s carriers and Sailors on the USS Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown at the Battle of Midway. One subject taught in that history was Private Martin Treptow, a dispatch courier in the 42nd Division serving in France in 1918, who was under constant fire in his assigned duties. He inscribed on his diary flyleaf “…I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone.”

This education manifested itself as service in the Airborne, Infantry, Aviation, Logistical, and critical Intelligence outfits. They developed technical and managerial skills honed in faraway places like Germany, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. They volunteered to give the best of themselves. Like the Continental Engineers at Yorktown they say: Let Us Try. Their military service taught them levels of sacrifice and selfless service they did not know before and transformed them from young adults into mature servant leaders.

Lt. Col. (Retired) Oliver North remarked during a convention “How many of you have raised teenagers?” He remarked that a teenager who might only clean their room and do chores under duress and wouldn’t share a candy bar with a sibling is transformed. That service member, fueled by selfless service, gave away their last dry socks during Bosnian or Afghan winters and their last canteen of water and meal in an Iraqi desert. They offered to stand extra watches at sea, stayed late to help repair equipment, and volunteered to sit in exposed turrets during combat patrols. They carried extra gear in 100+ degree heat in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and Basrah, Iraq for their buddies. Our Veteran’s piloted and mastered the most sophisticated planes, weaponry, and equipment in the world. Several KPMG Chicago Office members continue to serve in the US Army Reserve Component. We take pride in their sacrifice as Twice the Citizen for service to both in our industry and our nation’s security. Our Veterans took pride in being, “a volunteer, … brighter, better educated, better trained, led and equipped than any Guardsman, Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine of any country in history.”

Our Veterans joined and stayed in the military for different reasons – educational benefits, a chance to travel, attendance at a prestigious Service Academy, or the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves. For some, it was the chance to jump out of airplanes as members of that elite group, the US Army Paratroopers. Field Marshal Montgomery said paratroopers have “that infectious optimism and offensive eagerness…have conquered fear … and are proud … to have never failed in any task”. Our Veterans left military service for a variety of reasons. To start the next chapter, take their skills and attributes to the private sector, try something different, or start or raise a family in a stable environment.  

Our Veterans display their quality and hope to inspire the best in their colleagues on our projects and accounts daily because accomplishment isn’t an important thing, it is the most important thing for our Veterans. . They seek camaraderie and spread it in office and practice initiatives like Inclusion and Diversity Groups and in Office and Practice-based initiatives. They hold leadership positions in each KPMG Practice at every level from Associate to Partner and provide technical leadership on their engagement teams and offices. KPMG’s reputation for sustained excellence attracted them here, and the service virtues and attitudes continue when Veterans ask “How can I help”, “what are you working on”, “can I make a suggestion” and “what is next?” They take just as much pride in their service on their current KPMG team as they did in the military.

Our KPMG Chicago Office Veterans were given a short poll of how they would like their KPMG coworkers to celebrate and observe Veteran’s Day. The options included individual recognition. To a person, they declined that choice. Our Veterans seek two simple requests. First, for everyone to practice inspirational leadership in everything you do as if the next year depends on each of us - because it does. Help your team find balance and appropriate release during this stressful time. Secondly, our Veterans ask you to enjoy this sacred day by recognizing our living Veterans for their service as a group. They served in squads, flights, platoons, departments, on ships, in Regiments and Divisions – always in groups. They take pride in collective recognition of the excellence demonstrated by patriots and valued professionals they service with now.

I wish you all a safe and thoughtful Veterans Day for my colleagues in the United States. To my friends and colleagues of Allied Nations I served with around the world, I wish you a safe and reflective Remembrance Day.

Kevin J. Lovell, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), US Army