By Dawson McPherson, Talent & Communications Coordinator
Over the past week, McAfee employees around the world paused to recognize and honor all the brave military men and women who have served their countries. From a veterans appreciation ceremony at our Plano, Texas office, to a display of red poppies in observation of Remembrance Day at our Aylesbury, England office, McAfee employees took time to reflect on and thank those who have sacrificed to defend our liberties.
But our recognition and support of military veterans doesn’t stop with the coming and going of a national day once every year.
Supporting Military Veterans Year Round
McAfee has an ongoing commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive environment in which every person has the freedom to bring their full, authentic self to work. One of the ways we live this out is through our various McAfee Communities. These are employee-led groups whose mission is to support the diverse interests of our employees through personal development, teambuilding, volunteer opportunities, networking and culture awareness.
With the global observance of Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth this past weekend, we wanted to take this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our Military Veterans Community and their cause to help create a productive and inclusive work environment.
As a company that proudly employs veterans worldwide, we’re constantly looking for new ways to engage, recruit and equip military veterans. Many of these efforts are led by our very own military veterans – those who best understand the challenges that come with the transition from military life, to a civilian career. If you missed our blog post last week, “McAfee Warriors – Building a Community Inclusive of Military Veterans,” be sure to read it to hear one employee’s perspective on what it means to be a military veteran at McAfee.
Our Veterans Say It Best
As we continue our global salute to veterans this week and beyond, we are proud to highlight a few of our employees who have served in the military. These individuals represent a larger community of men and women who have sacrificed their time, safety and personal comfort to defend our freedom. Hear their perspective on what it means to be a veteran and how they’re using their military experience in their everyday roles at McAfee.
“During my eight years in the United States Air Force, I traveled all over the world, taking part in campaigns in Northern Iraq, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Germany and Northern Italy. The separation from my family was the hardest part, but accomplishing our mission and getting my aircrews home safely made it worth the sacrifice. There are several ways my military skills translate to my career at McAfee: 1) The ability to get behind a mission and execute the mission at any cost. We have that mission and commitment at McAfee, 2) Performing under stress makes dealing with our day-to-day business needs much easier, 3) The military taught me very quickly how to deal with difficult situations. This is a life skill I have found very valuable in both my military and professional career. McAfee does a great job of supporting veterans through networking events, job fairs and fellowship.”
Chris, Vice President, Enterprise Support & United States Air Force Veteran
“Being in the military requires working with a variety of personalities, from high-ranking officers to unit commanders, teammates and subordinates. As a result of my 15 years in the Navy, I’ve became a leader; I’ve became a good listener; I’ve learned to speak up; I’ve learned patience and I’ve learned to communicate with others. During my time in the Navy, I became a Logistics Specialist. After choosing this field, logistics became my passion as it was fascinating to help direct supplies and fuel for ships and aircrafts for the Navy and Marine Corps. McAfee does a great job supporting our employees and their interests. I’ve never experienced anything like it at my previous jobs after leaving the military. McAfee leaves no one behind, and I look at it as though we are all one big family. I am so proud to be a part of that.”
Amber, Logistics Analyst & United States Navy Veteran
“Being a veteran usually means you’ve been placed in stressful & difficult situations which call for calmness and positive action. I believe I bring this to my current role in McAfee – focusing on the solution rather than the problem, a can-do attitude, making sure the job is done properly and, where necessary, bonding the team to make good things happen. I think people should understand that we all chose to be in the military and did so knowing that we could be placed in harm’s way. We are not looking for sympathy or pity or special privileges – more an acknowledgement that we proudly did our duty and that our sacrifices are not for naught.”
Tudor, NPI Project Manager & British Royal Navy Veteran
“During my 13 years of service, I felt like I was part of something bigger. I remember going out for pizza with my team after a long day of training. We were in uniform, and a kid walked up to me and tugged on my shirt. The boy’s dad apologized and said his son was interested in the military and looked up to soldiers. I bent down, handed the boy a coin and said, “If you do good in school and you’re a good soldier for me, you can be a solider one day too.” Having a little kid look up to you like that makes you feel accomplished and like you’re making a difference. During my first year at McAfee, I lead the Toys for Tots event at our Plano office. The employee turnout and support we received for that event was massive. It reinforced that McAfee recognizes their employees and the causes they are passionate about. A lot of companies aren’t like that.”
Juan, Order Operations/Licensing Desk Support & United States Army Combat Medic Veteran
“Coming from a military family and being a member myself taught me patience, reinforced teamwork and the importance of diversity. It set the stage for me to travel the world, expand my horizons, challenge my own preconceived notions and bias. I recently re-connected with a guy I was stationed with 35 years ago, and we laughed and cried into the night. We spoke of those who have gone on to glory before us and how our experiences shaped us. It was a special moment. We (veterans) don’t consider ourselves ‘special’. We were just kids – city kids, farm kids, poor kids, rich kids – kids, who for a number of personal reasons decided to be a part of something greater than ourselves. For most of us, it is an honor to have served, and we’d do it again.”
Edward, Director of Product Management & United States Air Force Veteran
To all veterans around the world, thank you for your sacrifice and service. We will always remember and appreciate your bravery.
Interested in learning more about McAfee careers for military service members and veterans? Join our talent network here.
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