For Memorial Day 2017, McKinstry is featuring Q&As from a few of the many veterans who are part of our McKinstry family. Pictured above in both his military and civilian life, Adam Fugent is a U.S. Army Infantry Officer and a current Camo2Commerce Corporate Fellow with our corporate facilities team. Here’s what Adam had to say about his military service, his time as a military fellow at McKinstry, and the personal significance of Memorial Day:
Q: How would you describe your military service, from beginning to end?
A: I’ve been serving as an infantry officer in the Army for eight years. I graduated from West Point in 2009. From 2009-2012 I was stationed at Ft. Drum New York in the 10th Mountain Division. While there, I deployed to Southern Afghanistan from 2011-2012 as a Platoon Leader. I was then stationed at Ft. Benning GA from 2012-2015, where I was an instructor for newly commissioned lieutenants at the US Army Infantry School. In May of 2015, I was assigned to 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Lewis in Washington state. While there, I commanded two companies, one Stryker Infantry Company, Centurion Company, 2-1 Infantry Battalion, and the Battalion’s headquarters company, Trojan Company, 2-1 Infantry Battalion. After completing my command time, I served as the Brigade’s Senior Training Planner and Advisor prior to coming here to McKinstry for the fellowship.
Q: What drew you to the Camo2Commerce program as your service was ending?
A: I chose to take part in the Camo2Commerce Corporate Fellowship after discovering that the Pacific Northwest is where I want to raise my family. The combination of a vibrant culture, urban amenities and quick access to the incredible natural beauty of the region has been a huge draw for us and the fellowship program has given me a great opportunity to soften my transition process and build a great network in the area while learning a lot about myself at the same time.
Q: What did you learn/are you learning as a military fellow at McKinstry?
A: During my fellowship, I hope to learn as much as I can about McKinstry. I am impressed daily by the scope of the business and I find what we do here incredible interesting. I also hope to find out more about myself and the path I want to pursue after the military.
Q: What kind of work did you do/are you doing at McKinstry, and was/is the most valuable part of the fellowship program?
A: I work in Corporate Facilities at McKinstry. Currently, I’m building an Emergency Action Plan for McKinstry that will standardize and consolidate the company’s emergency procedures in an easy to understand and use way. I hope that, through the project, we can have an actionable plan that ensures the safety and security of the McKinstry team and the corporate campus here in Seattle. So far, the most valuable aspect of the fellowship has been the ability to interact with different people across all the business lines here at McKinstry and learn as much as I can.
Q: What does Memorial Day mean to you, and what would you like people to know on Memorial Day this year?
A: Memorial Day is very important to me. While I appreciate the collective celebration, for me, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. Unfortunately, I lost three soldiers in Afghanistan—Andrew Tobin (pictured above), Koran Contreras, and Doug Jefferies—incredible men who literally sacrificed everything for their brothers around them. Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember the sacrifices that have been made by our nation’s military, and to honor those who have given their lives for our country. I hope that everyone takes a moment to reflect on the human cost of conflict this Memorial Day.
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