Month: May 2022

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We did not pass it to our children in the bloodstream.” -Ronald Reagan

This Memorial Day weekend, we honor and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States of America and our way of life.

Memorial Day.

It wasn’t until war hit me – my friends, my classmates, my Soldiers, my comrades – that I really FELT what Memorial Day was about.

I have mourned the loss of classmates, friends, and Soldiers to war. I have hugged and held a crying Gold Star Mother. I have been brought to tears and stood in awe of families who pour their love and grief of a lost Soldier – a lost son, brother, sister, daughter – into causes and initiatives to keep the spirit of their Soldier alive. I think about those lost in war often throughout the year. A memory here, a birthday there. A book, a song, a prayer at Church. But it’s on this weekend, every year, that I FEEL and REFLECT on the lives of my fallen classmates, friends and Soldiers.

As Patton said, “Thank God such men (and women) lived.”

Every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsmen that was lost in service to our Nation, whether they said it or not, thought to themselves at some point in time, “If not me, who?” They raised their right hand and swore an oath to support and defend. To potentially pay the ultimate sacrifice and give their life for what we believe.

So I challenge you this weekend to reflect and remember, and in that reflecting and that remembering, I encourage you to recommit. Recommit to being a great husband or wife, a great father or mother, a great friend and neighbor. Recommit to a cause. We are not all called to serve in uniform, but I do believe we are all called to serve. Recommit to saying, “If not me, who?”Have a great weekend of family, fun and freedom. Let us remember our Gold Star families and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. May we live our lives worthy of their sacrifice.

Lest we forget,

BJ Kraemer, President

“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Doesn’t that quote make you think of summer? I’m quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson this week in honor of my youngest daughter Emerson’s 3rd birthday yesterday, and her birthday is my new, unofficial start of summer. And the start of summer has me thinking about vacation.  

Yes, vacation. You know, that “time off” that we try to “squeeze in” between meetings, deliverables, proposals and the rest of the never-ending to-do list. Somehow, someway, despite (or maybe because of) technological advances and efficiencies, vacation has become something we tolerate instead of honoring. This is your reminder to schedule and plan some vacation if you haven’t already done so!

As Anne Lamott said, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” So, how are you going to unplug? I mean disconnect totally from our phones, email, work, etc. Really disconnect. 

I know, I know, you are busy. You can’t possibly disconnect.  

You can’t? Or you won’t? 

Listen, I am all about work ethic, ambitious goals and getting it done. I’ve worn the busy badge and hard work badges with honor. But over the years, I’ve also realized I’m not just all about working and building; I’m also about rest, recovery, and resetting! “Work hard, play hard,” as my military upbringing goes.  

As leaders, we need to encourage time off so our teams can reset and recharge.

The best way to do that? Take time off ourselves! Tell people about your upcoming vacation and ask them not IF but WHAT their vacation plans are for the summer. And when they answer, be genuinely excited about it. Celebrate their time off!  

Hard work is critical, and being responsive to customers is important. But taking a true vacation, totally disconnecting, forces our organizations and us to be proactive, build redundancy, plan ahead, and manage our workload—all positives. And when you get back to work, you are that much more engaged. 

I don’t care if it’s going north or south. To the beach or the breweries. International or intercoastal. Turn off your phone, shut down your email and change up your environment! And if you are a leader at any level, tell your team to do the same.

So…what are your vacation plans this summer?

BJ Kraemer, President