KCNSC Supports Project RELO Task Force Tribute
On August 21, Project RELO kicked off Task Force Tribute, a veteran inspired journey of remembrance across the US, honoring the 7,054 military members lost during combat operations since 9/11. One mile was traveled for each service member lost. Established in 2016, Project RELO seeks to educate corporate leaders on the value veterans bring to their organization, providing transitioning military members access to Project RELO’s business network, and connecting companies with the people and teams that can help find critical talent. During the trip Project RELO Task Force Tribute talked to veterans and worked to collect videos for a living memorial, while spreading the word about Project RELO’s mission to help train companies on the value of hiring veterans.
Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) is managed by Honeywell FM&T. Honeywell FM&T employee Doug Bryant is a member of Project RELO/Task Force Tribute and joined the team on their journey across the country, providing updates to the KCNSC that were posted on our social media channels. The joint service team embarked on a send-off hosted by the State Government and Michigan National Guard in Lansing, MI and completed the journey on September 11th in Washington DC. The group made stops in a dozen cities along the way, including Kansas City on August 22.
In Kansas City, Project RELO stopped at the World War I Museum and held a presentation on Task Force Tribute and laid a memorial wreath for veterans.
Doug ended up driving or traveling coast-to-coast over a period of 29 days and visiting 25 of 50 states and Washington D.C.
Doug said he spent a lot of time talking with veterans during the trip and felt moved by many of their stories. “Lots of moments of this journey stand out, but the most healing for me was telling my story and being heard. The most rewarding is being fortunate enough to work for an organization that finds the value with encouraging and assisting its employees with giving back,” said Doug Bryant.
The three-week journey included stops at:
- Lansing, Michigan
- Dayton, Ohio
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Junction City, Kansas
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Dallas- Fort Worth, Texas
- Pensacola, Florida
- Marietta, Georgia
- Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Suffolk, Virginia
- Washington D.C.
The last stop of the 7,054-mile journey was on September 11 in Washington D.C. The final event was to take place at the World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington DC but had to be moved indoors due to rain. The final event included an Army Band, Military Members, reporters, Gold Star family members, and many others in attendance. Project RELO collected stories from many Veterans, said their tearful goodbyes and started our return journeys to their homes. You can learn more about Project RELO and Task Force Tribute on their website.
