This inaugural article marks the beginning of our series exploring OIT's Employee Resource Groups (ERG).
While veterans are often viewed solely through the lens of their military service, OIT cultivates a supportive environment where veterans can leverage their experience to enrich OIT’s culture and enhance its success. Members of our Veterans@OIT ERG have opportunities to expand their personal and professional development by networking, providing training and participating in community engagement activities.
Meet two members of the Veterans@OIT ERG:
Q: What aspects of your military service do you miss the most?
A: “I miss the feeling of what it meant to put on the uniform every morning, and the people I served with.” Carl Bishop, Service Desk Senior Analyst, U.S. Army Veteran
Q: How did your service shape what you do or who you are today?
A: “I feel like the honor and integrity of serving in the military carried into my core self, as well as the need to help others. I learned a lot about leadership, honor, courage, integrity and being able to put myself behind the needs of the whole.” Carl Bishop
A: “The service shaped the person I am by allowing me to gain experience with certain technology programs, as well as giving me the necessary survival skills to get through life itself.” Khadijah Reed, Business Process Coordinator - Vendor Services, Navy Reservist
Q: What is one thing you wish others knew about veterans or military life?
A: “Most who served have learned to adapt and overcome, which isn't always a bad thing. We have out-of-the-box methods of thinking and completing tasks and can remain calm in some of the most tenuous situations.” Khadijah Reed
Q: What is your personal connection to this ERG mission?
A: “My personal connection is that Veterans are an underrated minority and often get looked at differently in some people's eyes. Just because we’ve been through difficult experiences doesn't mean we're broken. It means we're experienced and have a lot to share based on what we've learned along the way.” Carl Bishop
A: “My internal drive for leadership is what made me want to become deeply involved with the Veterans ERG. I have a voice, and I want to use it to inspire other veterans to use theirs. Some of us are familiar with being told what to do, but I'd like to change that around and have a voice to recommend things that others might be afraid to say. I hope it gives the other vets in the group confidence to speak about how they feel.” Khadijah Reed
Q: What is one thing you wish others knew about veterans or military life?
A: “I wish others knew that being a veteran makes you feel like you've given a piece of your life and time to make sure that they can live a comfortable life. No matter how you've served, you have dedicated time to making sure that others can live and do the things they choose to do in the country you served.” Khadijah Reed
Thanks to OIT's initiative, the donation drive generated over $1,600 worth of items for residents of the Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons. The Veterans@OIT ERG delivered the items, toured the facility managed by the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and visited with residents during the ice cream social.