I am 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and to the south the Northern Lights dance low on the horizon. I am 150 miles further north than northernmost Alaska, and a three-hour flight from the nearest city (there are no roads). I am Alan Lake, of the DRI Foundation’s Veterans Outreach Program (VOP), and I am at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, the most Northern major U.S. military installation in the world.
Pituffik is a small base with a big heart, and it’s a remote, year-long assignment for military personnel who are here without their families. With staff assigned here from Canada, Denmark, and Greenland, the U.S. carries out an essential mission that only can be done with a view from the top of the world. Their mission is an important one…and, in a different way, so is mine.
What am I doing here? Well, this year, in honor of Veteran’s Day, the VOP leadership sought to reach a base that is in the harshest environment, forgotten by many, and more than a little off the beaten path. With that goal, I, along with VOP leaders Chris Bygum and Catherine Cooper (VOP Co-Chairs and Scholarship Eligibility Managers), began talks with base leaders at Pituffik to see if there was interest in DRI’s business continuity training and certification – offered free of charge to veterans through the VOP Scholarship Program. They put the word out, and the response was a resounding “YES!” – with 10 percent of U.S. military personnel at the base interested in taking the course.
Through special arrangements, I was able to get approval to come and teach the DRI Business Continuity course (BCLE 2000) during the week leading up to Veterans Day. After getting orders approved by base leadership and getting sized for winter survival gear, I needed to figure out how to get to Pituffik, as only one plane rotates in/out per week from Baltimore/Washington International Airport. That turned what is typically a four-day course into a 10-day mission!
The class consisted of military members from security, medical, chapel, administration, fire, IT, HR, and engineering. One student described the course as a “firehose of information.” They were all challenged to learn a new language – business speak – as well as the principles of business continuity over six days of instruction. The course had to be held in the afternoons, evenings, and over the weekend as to not impact their mission.
Throughout the course, we took breaks to hear from former military/VOP students from Florida, Texas, and California who called in to talk about their transition into this corporate career field. They provided motivation as well as real-life examples of how perfect the resilience profession is for those with military backgrounds. Faced with civilian life, some military members experience self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Our mentors showed class members that they can be successful in the corporate world.
It was a milestone for the VOP to help our military in such a remote part of the world, and it was a joy to see that all of the students earned their CBCP certifications. Said one student, “I’m incredibly grateful to DRI for the scholarship. This is a wonderful opportunity and an investment for my future. This course has been nothing short of transformative!”
So, after nine days away from home and on my last night at this remote base, as I sit here reflecting on our mission to get here to the top of the world – despite dark days, long nights, below-zero temperatures, musk oxen, foxes, and polar bears – I can’t help but think about how proud I am to be associated with the DRI Foundation and the help the VOP has provided to so many military personnel.
The DRI Foundation is not only helping active duty service members and the U.S. military do a better job of continuity of operations planning, but it’s also helping veterans who transition to jobs in Corporate America make the private sector more resilient. As another student put it: “This course really taught me how to think about the processes and actions I use every day in the military and how they can be applied in the civilian and corporate spaces.”
On this Veterans Day, we salute those willing to serve our country, and we veterans want to thank and salute the DRI Foundation, for everything you have done for us and for having our backs!
P.S. I’ve shown this “arcticle” to our students at Pituffik, and they asked me to add this: “With love: Daryl, Heidi, Emerson, Trevor, Cody, Shane, Nigelle, Rendora, Colin, Kaline, Desmond, and Nik.”
Col. Alan Lake (USAF, Ret.)
Veterans Outreach Program Special Projects