Last year General Claude “Mick” Kicklighter, Director, DOD Vietnam, inspired hundreds of National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) members with his speech at last year’s NAM Board Meeting in Washington, D.C. Kicklighter highlighted the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration as a meaningful way in which manufacturers can honor the Vietnam veterans employed at their facilities and in the surrounding community.
NAM members continue to find ways to honor our nation’s veterans, and are proud to highlight our member companies’ efforts to provide resources for men and women who have served. Most recently we heard from Thermo Fisher Scientific who, after hearing Gen. Kicklighter’s speech, joined the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration, as part of the company’s growing Veterans Employee Resource Group.
This month, as part of the Commemoration, Thermo Fisher’s Asheville, NC, plant—which employs a significant number of veterans, including many Vietnam-era vets—hosted U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
Senator Tillis’ visit started by raising the 50th anniversary commemorative flag as over twenty vets saluted. The Senator then spoke privately with the group.
“We’re sharing the flag & certificate among our sites with similarly large veterans groups, and it’s been very well received as a way to thank & remember the service of many of our colleagues.,” said Tim Fenton, Director of Federal Government Relations at Thermo Fisher.
Joining the commemoration is just one of many ways in which Thermo Fisher continues to provide support to veterans. Learn more about their efforts here.
With knowledge that make them uniquely suited to careers in manufacturing, veterans play an important role in helping to close the skills gap. The National Association of Manufacturers is proud to help honor our nation’s heroes by helping them their military experience to specific skills needed in the private sector. Through its Get Skills to Work Coalition, the NAM has been able to reach 74,000 veterans and counting to connect them with training and jobs in manufacturing.