Veterans Day Recognition, Appreciation Events Held Across AEP

Military veterans were recognized and appreciated on Veterans Day at numerous AEP locations. Here are just some of the events that occurred.

Appalachian Power

Veterans Day celebrations honoring Appalachian Power employees who have or currently serve in the United States Armed Forces were held across the company’s service territory last week.

Some districts celebrated with a Veterans Day breakfast, while others recognized employees with a hot lunch. Leslie Swick, administrative assistant in the Christiansburg District, helped organize luncheons in Pulaski and Bluefield and said everyone seemed to enjoy the food and fellowship. Employees at Charleston, Christiansburg and Huntington Districts were also recognized.

In recognition of Veterans Day, employees at the Wheeling Service Center organized a breakfast to honor their coworkers who have served our country. The veterans were recognized by Jim Hill, customer and distribution services manager, and each was presented with a certificate. They were also given a standing ovation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a veterans’ prayer.  Nearly 60 employees attended the recognition event and breakfast.

Appalachian Power’s Kingsport District Recognition Team hosted veterans who work within the district with a catered lunch at the Glade Spring Service Center in Glade Spring, Va.  Manager of Distribution System Andy Shaffron expressed appreciation to the honorees for their service and presented them with a commemorative coin.

Roanoke District veterans were treated to breakfast at a local restaurant. Among the employees who were able to attend the breakfast were (from Fieldale Service Center, MRO, Stores, Line): Daryl Hagood, Stewart Werner, Steve Montgomery, Jimmy Boyd, Justin Hall; (from Lynchburg Service Center, MRO, LIne, Stores, Techs): Jayme Chichelli, Wendell Wyland, Mac Brown, Mike Fifer, Adam Ayers, Omar White, Matthew McArthur, Robert Thompson, Tim Moore, Smith Fletcher.

Cardinal Plant

Cardinal Plant employees enjoyed a Veterans Day celebration that included cake and refreshments, and guest speaker Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War.

Comanche Power Station

A group of employees from Comanche Power Station, Lawton, Okla., visited the local Veterans Administration Center in Lawton to present donations that plant employees had raised during their recent donation drive. They delivered more than $500 worth of donations to the veterans at the VA, including games, house slippers, stamps, pants, undershirts, sweats, and more.

Cook Nuclear Plant

There are currently 341 registered AEP veteran employees at D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Mich., who have served and continue to serve our country. AEP has always been a military-friendly company and Cook has its share of folks who come from all facets of military life. In honor of Veterans Day, the Nov. 10 Outage Report newsletter saluted those who have given their time and talent in defense of our nation. The names of all veterans employed at Cook are noted in the issue.

Indiana Michigan Power

I&M’s military veterans were recognized at special breakfasts and other events at various I&M locations in honor of Veterans Day. With Veterans Day falling on Saturday this year, many of the recognition events were on Thursday or Friday. Activities were held in a number of facilities, including Rockport, Indiana Michigan Power Center in Fort Wayne and at service centers.

Kentucky Power

Kentucky Power employs veterans across its service territory in eastern Kentucky. In recognition of Veterans Day, employees who served in the military were recognized for their service to their country with thank you lunches and breakfasts.

Big Sandy Plant in Lousia, Ky., honored active and retired veterans Nov. 10. Veterans were entertained by a group from Louisa Elementary School playing recorders, singing and performing a flag-folding ceremony. Refreshments were served and a gift presented to each veteran.

Mitchell Plant

Twenty Mitchell Plant (Moundsville, W.Va.) employees attended a buffet breakfast on Nov. 13 to honor their service to our country. All branches of the service were represented by these employees. In recognition and appreciation for their service to our country, Dan Moyer, Plant Manager; Russ Gwin, maintenance superintendent senior, and Mark Ritz, energy production supervisor senior, presented each employee with an American flag.

Northeastern Power Station

Fifteen veterans were recognized at Northeastern Power Station in Oologah, Okla., at the plant’s annual Veterans Day commemoration event.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma

Public Service Company of Oklahoma recognized PSO veterans with a breakfast buffet Friday in the Braves Council Room at the Tulsa General Office. The event included patriotic music by the Central High School Ensemble and speakers Kevin Ouellete, retired U.S. Army sergeant first class, and plant operator at Comanche Power Station; and Lt. Col. (Ret.) William Bradley O’Connor, U.S. Air Force.

PSO also participated in the annual Tulsa Veterans Day Parade. Employees who are military veterans walked in the parade to escort a PSO line truck and bucket truck.

In addition, PSO paid tribute to veterans by featuring five employees or retirees who are veterans on Inside PSO:

• Demetrice Britton, IT support technician, U.S. Army.
• Dale Johnson, retiree, U.S. Army.
• Stan Davis, retiree, U.S. Army.
• Travis Ainsworth, substation supervisor-Transmission Field Operations, Lawton, U.S. Navy.
• Wayne Schweikhard, retiree, U.S. Navy.

Southwestern Electric Power Company

SWEPCO employees in four work locations in Shreveport honored those who have served by donating to the AEP Military Veterans Employee Resource Group (MVERG) Food Drive over the last month. Fifty boxes of food and toiletry items were delivered Thursday to Woody’s Home for Veterans, a non-profit residential center that includes two houses which serve mentally ill veterans.

AEP Transmission

A special Veterans Recognition Luncheon was held in the New Albany Transmission Headquarters lobby Friday for all Gahanna and New Albany employees who are military veterans. Coordinated by the Military Veteran Employee Resource Group (MVERG), the event included a color guard from Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base to present flags and open the program. Maj. Patrick Rippeth, Ohio Army National Guard and transmission business operations analyst, spoke of his deployment in Kosovo. Also, Cpl. Vince Stinnett, Ohio National Guard, spoke via live stream from Kuwait. He is the son of Matt Stinnett, transmission contract analyst.

MVERG announced its new chair, Ashley Burns, and co-chair, Craig Mason.

AEP Transmission employees at the New Albany Transmission Headquarters and Transmission Operations Center buildings in New Albany brought in non-perishable food items all week prior to Veterans Day. The food items were donated to military families through the Mash Pantry and the Military Veterans Resource Center.

Wilkes Power Plant

Wilkes Power Plant, located in Avinger, Texas, honored its veterans Nov. 10, with a BBQ pulled pork and sausage lunch. Those who were honored were employees Sgt. Tracy Brittain, U.S. Marines; BT2 Lewis Peacock, U.S. Navy; TSgt Robert C. Andrews, U.S. Air Force, Retired; and Cpl. William Jones, U.S. Army.

Each veteran was presented with a service branch cap, a pocket multi-purpose tool, and an AEP Veteran pin. Andrews presented a Veterans Day program that featured not only Wilkes veterans, but Wilkes family member veterans as well.