Nov 20, 2019 Nashville, Tenn.

Bridgestone Americas celebrates Veterans Day 2019

Bridgestone americas employees celebrating veterans day

​Bridgestone Americas recognized Veterans Day across its network of plants and sites. Facilities around the country hosted unique events and ceremonies to honor veterans on the holiday.

The Ag Tire Plant in Des Moines, Iowa, hosted its annual Veterans Day dinners, which were prepared by plant leadership and employee volunteers. A flag-raising ceremony took place just before the dinner, which was presented by Mackenzie Highlanders Pipes and Drums of Iowa, local ROTC, National Marine Corps Auxiliary Chaplain, and a color guard from the American Veterans. The ceremony was recorded to play for the veterans’ dinners on other shifts. The Des Moines facility has approximately 200 employees who served in the Armed Services.

 

From November 11-13, the Bloomington, Illinois Off-The-Road (OTR) plant leadership team cooked steaks for 89 employees who served, which comprises 19% of the facility’s total workforce. This is a tradition that has held strong at the Bloomington Plant for 12 years. This year, plant leadership also provided some information on the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, which works to provide WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans a flight to Washington D.C. to see the historical and military monuments.

The Aiken County, South Carolina Off-Road Radial Tire Plant (Aiken ORR) hosted its sixth Veterans Day celebration by inviting veterans from the community to join employee veterans in being recognized for their service. On their way to the annual lunch, veterans were recognized with applause by other plant employees as they entered. The Honor Guard from South Aiken High School National Junior ROTC presented colors in the main hallway, and veterans were interviewed individually on what Veterans Day means to them. 

The Aiken County Passenger/Light Truck Tire Plant (Aiken PSR) hosted two events for employee veterans.

The LaVergne Truck and Bus Radial (TBR) Plant has 188 veterans. The team celebrated the veterans on four shifts with a main ceremony on November 11. Riverdale High School Junior ROTC Color Guard presented colors and a Major from the 280th Army Battalion was the guest speaker. A singer from the Center for the Arts sang the national anthem, and all veterans enjoyed a catered lunch. 

The Warren County TBR Plant honored its veterans with a meal, guest speaker, and baseball cap.

The Warren County Junior ROTC were onsite for posting of colors and the pledge of allegiance. The Warren County High School choir led the team in the national anthem.

The Wilson Passenger and Light Truck Tire Plant held meals for its 340 veteran employees on four Thursdays. A retired Sergeant Major from the U.S. Army spoke about her experience as a female in the Army.

Employees at the Griffin, Georgia Bandag Plant honored 21 veteran employees through an outdoor recognition ceremony. Steve Clayton, Manager of the Lebanon, Tennessee Distribution Center and an Army veteran with 21 years of service, was the guest speaker.

At the Bridgestone Bandag Plant in Abilene, Texas, veteran employees were individually recognized by military branch in front of all employees. They each received a card and a gift, and the plant also held a "Missing Man" ceremony for the veterans who didn't return home. 

Employees at the Chicago Distribution Center wrote messages of appreciation to residents of a local Veterans Home. At the facility’s Veterans Day celebration, these notes were passed among the veterans for all to read and enjoy.

The Jacksonville, Florida Distribution Center held a Veterans Day lunch honoring those who served. 

At the Lebanon Distribution Center, veterans were recognized by Steve Clayton, Distribution Center Manager, and given camouflage sweatshirts during the shift meeting. Lunch was provided for all employees.

At the Dyersburg, Tennessee, Firestone Industrial Products (FSIP) Plant, veteran employees were presented with a gift and recognized in meetings with employees.

Muscle Shoals Firestone Building Products (FSBP) employee veterans were presented with a certificate, an individual cake displaying the American flag, camouflage sweatshirts with the Firestone logo, and Firestone hats.

Each year, Lake Charles Firestone Polymers' veterans are invited to a special breakfast and ceremony in their honor at the plant's Partner-in-Education School, Moss Bluff Middle School. This special recognition by these students honors all veterans, including their family members, our veterans and invited guests.

We appreciate all that our employee veterans have done and continue to do for Bridgestone and the communites we serve.