Thank you, Dad

On this Veterans Day, I want to say Thank You to our veterans, to the men and women who put County ahead of self and who protect the freedoms all of us as Americans too often take for granted.

My father, Colonel Robert S. Gruhn, served 38 years in the US Army; my siblings and I grew up under the steadfast influence of a man who commanded troops through the liberation of Paris and the post-occupation of Germany. Dad sheltered us from knowing the horrors of the aftermath of the concentration camps and living through the deprivations of war as a soldier and a leader. It was only after Dad died that we found the photos Eisenhower encouraged troops to take to ward against those who would rather forget the past and the inevitable deniers of truth. Wrapped up tightly in tape in multiple layers of envelope but tucked away carefully in the side of his military trunk, he moved forward, but he never forgot.

Dad also served in the Korean conflict and then moved on to be responsible for the protection of our nation’s capital. He’s still there, resting in peace in Arlington National Cemetery with his comrades from across military branches. He stayed in the military as part of the Reserves, serving as part of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps until retirement. Serving our country was the central focus of Dad’s life, and it shaped everything he did, whether raising kids or leading a department for his employer.

Though I’ve personally never served our Country as he so honorably did, Dad’s lessons continue to shape how I work and how I lead in business. My father reminded me what an honor it is to serve and to lead. As business leaders, we have a choice to do what is right over what is expedient. Our words and actions matter. The greatest service we can give is to take care of our teams when things are tough, helping them stay safe and focused on the work ahead. I’m reminded of this particularly now as we help our employees navigate the uncertainties of a pandemic world.

To Dad, leadership was about service not self. He reminded me that leaders stay later, they work harder, and they stay focused on the task. Leaders take responsibility, and they are accountable to their teams, their clients, and their community. After 30 years leading a team, I try to take these lessons to heart every day.

To a man who crossed the English Channel to fight a war on foreign soil, Dad didn’t suffer complainers lightly. I’m sure that there were days, weeks, and years when working in the private sector that Dad felt both the ups and the downs of work. But I also know that every day he got dressed, went to work, fought the good fight to do what was right, and supported his team and his family. When I’m having a bad day during these pandemic months, I often remind myself that getting ready for work in Normandy in 1944 was a heck of a lot harder than it is for me to crawl out of my warm bed and get back to work.

To all of us who benefit daily from the service of our veterans, let us thank them today and every day that we have the ability to work and to lead our own teams. It is only through their sacrifices that we are able to do the work we do every day. And let us honor those sacrifices by being better leaders, focused on serving our teams, supporting their families, and working tirelessly to build stronger and more resilient communities.