Insights from the Frontlines
As we commemorate Military Appreciation Month this May, we at Draper are proud to honor the bravery, sacrifice, and dedication of our military service members.
At Draper, we recognize the invaluable contributions of veterans and active-duty military personnel, and we are committed to supporting them both within our organization and in the broader community. Our mission speaks to the security of our nation and keeping our warfighter safe. Our initiatives include our veteran Employee Resource Group (ERG) and partnerships with programs like Skillbridge.
Below we interviewed veteran Draper employees, Dave Cote and Eric Collins.
Dave is a Deputy Program Manager in Strategic Systems at Draper. He is a 20-year USMC veteran and a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In 2006, he worked directly for the Commanding General of Multi-National Forces West (MNF-W) which was one of the coalition headquarters under Multi-National Force-Iraq and operated in the Al Anbar province; an area which saw major combat engagements in the cities of Ar Ramadi, Fallujah, Al-Qa'im, and Haditha.
Eric is a Software Engineer at Draper and served in the US Navy, IT2 (Information Systems Technician Second Class) for 10 years, 6 years Active Duty and 4 years Active Reserve Duty.
Q | What motivated you to join and what has been the most rewarding aspect of your service?
Dave:
“I was influenced by extraordinary mentors and called to serve my country and to become part of something bigger than myself. I wanted to give back, be part of a team, focus on a mission and make an impact. It’s not dissimilar to what we do at Draper. The most rewarding moments of my military career center around helping others. The best days have been when Marines found me years later and said that I did or said something that positively influenced them.”
Eric:
“It was my lifelong dream to serve in the military and inspired by a long family tradition of military service.”
Q | Please share a memorable experience or accomplishment from your time that had a significant impact on you.
Dave:
“There are many. No two veteran’s careers are alike. I have stories and memories that include: what I did in uniform on 9/11/2001; the COVID-19 pandemic; helping homeless veterans get off the street; transforming young enlistees to Marines in bootcamp; and helping the late Senator John McCain and Congress with the Iraq surge decision.
"My most memorable experiences are now in veteran advocacy, helping to elevate veterans’ issues or causes. I want to find ways to leverage the blessings, experiences and lessons learned in my career to honor those who have gone before me and to benefit others who are just beginning their journey in the ranks. I consider it an accomplishment to use what I have gained as a Marine Corps officer and leader to try to improve every community to which I belong, serving both veterans and nonveterans alike.”
Eric:
“The most memorable experiences were where I had a direct impact on people lives, protecting innocent people and giving them hope. By showing up and being there for those that feel helpless and being in front of them as a protector is what made the service memorable for me.”
Q | How has your military experience shaped your perspective on life, working at Draper, and leadership?
Dave:
“Draper’s mission is extremely important. It is easy for me to feel motivated to do the hard work in Strategic Systems. I love the Draper origin story, the involvement with the Apollo moon missions and our nation’s reliance on Draper guidance, navigation and control systems. That reliance hasn’t changed. Like my service in uniform, I feel a similar pride to work with talented and dedicated professionals who want nothing more than to keep America and our allies safe. No matter how compelling the mission, or what the organization, we need courageous, capable, curious, and compassionate leaders at all levels of leadership.”
Eric:
“I learned that family can be more than just blood and the people you can trust and depend on in the worst of times are the real family you have. As far as leadership goes, I learned there are many ways to lead, and different people need to be led in different ways. I try to use the lessons daily in my career.”
Q | What challenges did you face during your transition from military service to civilian life, and how did you learn to overcome them?
Dave:
“I think the key for any veteran is to first become knowledgeable and then become comfortable using Veterans Affairs benefits. Both can be independent challenges. Potential examples include employee transition benefits (like VA SkillBridge) or education benefits (like the post 9/11 GI-Bill). My transition was easier when I employed the full suite of resources available to me from the VA, but also when I leveraged the help of my peers, and professional network. Finally, I encourage transitioning veterans to spend time thinking about their sources of intrinsic motivation, so they can be the most effective employees.”
Eric:
“The first issue was evident, people outside of the military are very different. You must think and speak in ways completely different than what you are use too. That’s probably a good thing. It’s also hard to find people that understand the military mindset which is well ingrained in you by the time you leave the service. This transition can be eased by talking to other vets and people who understand the mindset.”
Q | In what ways do you feel appreciated and supported as a veteran working at Draper, and what initiatives or resources have been particularly beneficial to your during your transition?
Dave:
“Veteran appreciation can be a funny concept. I have always accepted the phrase ‘thank you for your service’ as appropriate, and well-intentioned. For me, and I imagine for others, we do not feel entitled to any extra appreciation or support. We don’t do it for thanks or a retail discount. What I have found rewarding is the connections I made with other Draper veterans, but even more so, the dedicated outreach and intentional engagement of our Veteran ERG with other ERGs at Draper. We recognize that veterans can also represent almost every other group. To us, supporting veterans means supporting every other affinity group too. We should all recognize and respect the value that employees of all walks of life bring to Draper as innovative problem solvers.”
Eric:
“Draper does a great job recognizing service and I do appreciate everything they do. I would say the most appreciated thing would be the veteran ERG. While coffee and donuts aren’t a big thing, it is a reason to talk to the other Vets in house and feel a sense of comradery. But honestly, the best thing I get from Draper is the ability to work with troops and supporting them with the projects I work on every day.”