BY MARGUERITE OZBURN

This month, a memorial will be unveiled near Building 100 at the Boeing St. Louis site. It honors all Boeing St. Louis employees and retirees who are serving or who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The memorial will be dedicated at a ceremony Nov. 11—Veterans Day in the United States.

The memorial features a circular plaza area containing a stainless-steel wall divided into five segments. Names of the veterans, along with their branches of service, are displayed on dog tag–shaped plaques fastened to the wall with rivets, a key component in the construction of aircraft manufactured at the site. There is also a fountain surrounded by benches, and flagpoles fly the flags of each of the service branches. A bronze plaque inscribed with the words, "In tribute to our employees, past and present, for their dedicated service in the United States military," greets visitors at the entrance of the plaza.

More than 2,000 St. Louis–site employees have given permission for their names to be included on the memorial. Among them is Russ Klicker, Quality manager, Training Systems and Services Fixed Wing. "Since our business is so defense-oriented, it's important to recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by our employees," said Klicker, a former Marine and Army reservist.

Boeing veterans see in the memorial something tangible they will be proud to show to their loved ones.

"I'm honored to be part of something special that's set in stone forever," said Karen Dupske, an Army veteran. Today, Dupske is an office administrator in the Future Combat Systems program.

The sense of camaraderie is something that all veterans understand and few would ever take for granted.

"It really means a lot to have my name on the memorial with my fellow veteran soldiers, sailors and airmen," said Phil King, program manager, Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, who was a captain in the Air Force from June 1972 to January 1985 and subsequently served in the Navy Reserve for 17 years. "In this way, we continue to stand together, united, for something we believe in strongly—our nation, and the need to defend it against any enemy at any time."

Written permission is required to have the name of a Boeing St. Louis veteran included on the memorial. For more information, visit http://stl.web.boeing.com/people/diversity/veterans/index.htm (internal link only) on the Boeing Web. 

marguerite.a.ozburn@boeing.com