PROFILE
the technical knowledge they acquired, along with the leadership and teamwork skills they were taught, to build successful careers in aviation after they left the military. Many of the DOMs and maintenance managers we have profi led as cover stories have had military experience that they said was a valuable key to their career success. Such is the case with Jet Aviation St. Louis. Many
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employees in the company’s 800-plus workforce honed their skills while serving in the military, and they work in hangars that proudly display huge American fl ags. Jet Aviation St. Louis’ senior vice president and general manager Chuck Krugh is an Army veteran who proudly honors the service of all veterans of the armed forces. He had an idea — what if Jet Aviation St. Louis could do something spectacular to give back to a military veteran?
any D.O.M. readers come from a military background. They worked as aircraft mechanics, avionics technicians and other aviation specialties in the military and used
He conceived the idea of having a team of volunteers from the company use their aircraft maintenance skills to design and create a one of a kind custom motorcycle that the company could present to a military veteran. That was the start of what would be dubbed “Operation Hog.” Before the team could begin work on the motorcycle,
they needed to select who would be receiving the motorcycle so that could create customizations unique to the individual. Former U.S. Army Specialist Chad Hembree, decorated for his service during Operation Bulldog Bite, was chosen as the recipient of the custom motorcycle through a lengthy selection process involving Operation Homefront and the Wounded Warrior Project in cooperation with Jet Aviation St. Louis. He became the clear choice when he said riding such a motorcycle in the Patriot Guard would be an honor for him, especially if Jet Aviation could meet his request that the motorcycle primarily honor his comrades who died in action.
11.12 2013
6
OPERATIONHOG
By Joe Escobar
DOMmagazine
Photos courtesy of Jet Aviation St. Louis
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