Through a service project hosted by nonprofit The Mission Continues, three branches of the U.S. Military joined forces to install a 3.4 kilowatt AC solar electric system for the King family in South Los Angeles on Friday February 21st. Our two-day veterans' install started sharply at 8:30 AM, there was no fanfare or grandeur in the air, yet there was a quiet sense of camaraderie and honor that comes with serving your country and your community; and rightly so, as our crew was staffed entirely by veterans from the U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps.
This project came to be through the efforts of Geoff Harjo, a U.S. Army Veteran who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is currently completing a 6-month fellowship with GRID Alternatives through The Mission Continues. The Mission Continues empowers military veterans to serve our country in new ways by putting to use new skills learned in service and giving them the tools needed to succeed as they transition back into civilian life.
With hard-hats on and harnesses secured, all 12 veteran volunteers were ready for the safety talk led by Norman Graham, GLA's own veteran. Graham, who served for 23 years in Japan as a U.S. Navy Quartermaster, has been a Solar Installation Supervisor for GLA for over two years. He wrapped up the safety talk, and quickly divided everyone into roof crew and ground crews. Under Graham’s no nonsense leadership style, there was no standing around and no blank faces. It was evident our veterans were ready to get work done.
Our veterans’ crew came from many ranks; Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, and Corporals were all together to serve their community once again. There were older veterans and younger ones, some retired, some still serving. Our ground team was lead by one of GRID’s go-to Team Leaders, Bernie Stafford; a U.S. Marine Corps who served in the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Stafford started his own business after transitioning back into civilian life. He is now an experienced electrician, and enjoys volunteering his time to teach others about the electricity needs surrounding a solar installation.
Also on the crew was Jorge Pongo, a staff sergeant who served for 14 years in Kuwait, Iraq and Djibouti and who continues to serve through The Mission Continues. Pongo now works in business management, and sees the economic upside of installing solar panels on low-income homes, “It makes sense to provide solar to people in need as it frees up income to be used in other ways.”
While all of our veterans have a different story to tell, they all have a similar work ethic cultivated through their commitment in service to our country. Graham, our Installation supervisor commented, “This is the biggest group of veterans we’ve ever had on an install. The get-the-job-done mentality we all share made this an efficient day. Working with these guys is not only a pleasure, but an honor.”
Thank you once again for your service, gentlemen. The honor is ours.