Veterans and Military Families Talk About the Power of Service

Corporate

Article 11 Nov 2022 Read time: 1 min

Proud Veteran and Kyndryl employee Boaz Bett said the skills he learned in the U.S. Army have helped him thrive in his corporate career. That’s why he makes it a priority to regularly help others get jobs in technology after they leave the military.

“It helps me fulfill my desire to help and give back to the United States,” Bett said.

Kyndryl is proud to employ Veterans like Bett and to recognize all Veterans today and throughout the year.

To honor those who served in the military, Kyndryl U.S. Veterans and family members share why duty and service is an important piece of their personal and professional lives.

Barry Becker

General Manager, U.S. Alliances and Partnerships at Kyndryl

Captain, U.S. Air Force (1994-1999)

"When you’re in the military, you must always be thinking, can I be better tomorrow than I am today? Because it's not a profession or a discipline that thrives in the status quo. There is no room for error — your readiness and attention to detail directly affect the war fighter's mission."

Part of my family heritage

My father served in Vietnam and was a 20-year U.S. Air Force Veteran, retiring as a Master Sergeant. I attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, serving five-and-a-half years and separating as Captain. My brother also attended the Academy, serving 25 years and recently retired as a Colonel.

My family heritage of service is something I wear proudly. Although we call ourselves Veterans, we all still feel we're part of the military. The ability to help others who are serving or who have left the military is a heartfelt obligation of mine and is why I'm passionate about giving back to the Veteran community.

My proudest accomplishment

As a direct result of the work my team and I did, we continued to increase the competitive advantage in having the most sophisticated and lethal stealth aircraft and weapons systems in the world. This advantage over our enemies improved how effective we were in accomplishing the war fighting mission and ultimately our ability to fly, fight, and win.

The importance of giving back to other Veterans

The camaraderie amongst U.S. Military Veterans and the unwritten rule of helping your fellow brothers and sisters in arms opened doors for me and led to my first job in the civilian world. To this day, I try to do the same thing that was done for me and ensure the rest of the civilian population sees the strong skills, sense of duty, and dedication to excellence all Veterans have.

Yolanda Hernandez

Computer Operator

My dad served in the U.S. Army for two years and my son served in the U.S. Coast Guard for eight years.

The challenges and the rewards

I loved listening to my dad laugh and tell stories about when he was in the Army — I learned so much about him as a person and not just as "my dad." During the holidays, it was hard not being able to see my son when he was stationed far away, but I was so proud to see him in his Coast Guard attire.

Empathy in the military family community

I appreciate the Veterans I work with at Kyndryl and deeply respect their service to our country. Our U.S. Veterans Kyndryl Inclusion Network (KIN) has provided a space where I can share my feelings and concerns with others who have gone through or are experiencing the same thing.

Advice for other military families

Allow your family members to tell stories from the military — it's therapeutic for them and brings you closer to them.

Boaz Bett

Systems Integrator

2^nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army Reserves (2016 - present)

"There are many parallels between what I’ve learned in the Army and corporate values at Kyndryl - especially on leadership, technology skills, teamwork, the ability to adapt quickly and problem-solving under pressure."

How the military affects my life today

I feel like I have more control of my life as a husband, a father, and a team-mate at work. The military emphasizes hard work, perseverance, and endurance, and values such as loyalty, duty, and respect. Furthermore, the military is a community that extends outside even to the civilian world; I have made strong bonds with people who will be friends forever. I also find it much easier to navigate my civilian work through Kyndryl’s robust Veteran’s network.

Being a part of U.S. Veterans Kyndryl Inclusion Network

At Kyndryl, I'm involved in a program that is geared towards helping Veterans and Reserve Soldiers find a career in technology. That helps me fulfill my desire to help and give back to the United States.

What my service means to me

As an immigrant, I feel that I’ve been afforded opportunities in this country that I wouldn’t have had if I’d remained in Kenya. Serving in the military is my own way of expressing commitment to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Mark Osburn

Delivery Manager, Multicloud

Petty Officer Third Class, U.S. Navy (1992-1998)

Served four years in the Missouri Army National Guard

Learning accountability and respect

In the Navy, I gained a true sense of accountability and respect. As a green shirt on the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carriers, I learned the importance of trusting each other and working together through all our different roles to accomplish the end mission.

Leadership and the power of team

July 11^th, 1994 is a day I’ll never forget. A F14 Tomcat crashed onto the back of the flight deck – it broke into two halves and there was a stream of fire. In an instant, the training I had become skilled at kicked in and I assembled a team with an AFFF hose to successfully extinguish the fire across the ship and ensure no further injuries. As a result, I received an award and it's something I take pride in to this day.

Honoring service, past and present

My military service means so much to me. I have a high sense of honor and duty. Both my uncle and grandfather were in the Army, and my brother lost his life while serving our country as a Marine. I thank all Veterans that served before me and those currently serving and risking their lives to ensure our freedoms in the U.S.

Guillermo Martinez

Senior Technical Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps

"One of the most important things I apply from my service is the importance of relationships — recognizing who is around you and treating others equally because you never know where that person will be in the future."

Risk to reward

My primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 0331, Machine gunner, Medium to Heavy Weapons. One day on base in Oahu, HA, our HQ commander asked for someone who knows about computers. I raised my hand, and the other fellow infantry teammates started laughing — little did they know I’ve been working on computers as a teenager and in my first year of college when I came over to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic with just a green card. Not only was I able to fix the hardware computer issues the Commander was having, but I was also able to bring their database back up and running. From that point on my MOS changed from 0331 to 0151 (Administrative Clerk) until my discharge from service.

Suddenly, I gained a different kind of respect. Going from Infantry expert in weapons, demolition, and navigation to HQ Computer administrator is something rarely seen in the Marines. This was back in late 1990. After that change I was working 24/7 to keep the system up and running. From all my combat experience to my newly found role, I learned that I have more patience and courage than what I thought. I gained the confidence to do things I once thought I couldn’t. In both the military and in the technology world, it’s important to keep up with new skills and aim for constant learning. You never know when that learning might come in handy.

What family means in the military

To me, my service is a give back to the country I now call my own — a country who adopted me when I arrived with nothing. The military gave me a family that no matter where I go or what I do, I know I’m part of a larger brotherhood and sisterhood where we support each other.

Nichole Williford

Chief Operating Officer, Kyndryl U.S.

Both my grandfathers served— one in the U.S. Army and the other in the U.S. Navy. My dad served in the U.S. Air Force.

Sacrifice beyond service

Both my grandfathers served during WWII. My paternal grandfather fought with the Army at The Battle of the Bulge and was captured as a prisoner of war. My maternal grandfather was a Navy medic and stormed the beaches of Normandy.

It’s incredibly difficult missing loved ones while they’re deployed and risking their lives, but the sacrifice extends to when they come back from service. For my family members, they didn’t come back the same person they were — their lives were forever changed overcoming what they saw and experienced.

And not everything that is faced can be overcome. My first dad served in Vietnam with the Air Force and as a result of his exposure to Agent Orange, gave the ultimate sacrifice when I was a year old. Gone but not forgotten, I am thankful to all Veterans past, present, and future for serving our country and protecting our freedoms.

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