2013 Military Appreciation Month – Feature #2
May is Military Appreciation Month!
In honor of this, we are featuring employees from all subsidiaries of Barrett Industries who are or were active in the military! In addition, we will also feature employees who honor and give back to military families and organizations in their communities!
TERRY ASPHALT MATERIALS, INC. – Alissa Czeiszperger of Terry Asphalt Materials, Inc. is our second featured employee for Military Appreciation Month! Alissa is a QC/QA Laboratory Technician at the Terry Asphalt plant/terminal in Alma, MI. She is also a member of the National Guard.
This summer, and perhaps for many summers to come, we will miss the contribution of Alissa Czeiszperger for two weeks in July. It is with pleasure that we embrace the leave of absence because it is for a worthy and noble cause. Alissa is a member of the Michigan National Guard located at Camp Grayling. Camp Grayling is where most soldiers, platoons, and companies from Michigan and some neighboring states have started their tours for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
SPC Czeiszperger joined the Army National Guard in October of 2010. She completed her Basic Combat Training in January of 2011 and her Advanced Individual Training was completed in April of 2011. She is currently stationed at Camp Grayling in the Joint Maneuver Training Center Unit. SPC Czeiszperger’s Military Occupational Specialty is 42A, Human Resource Specialist. As a 42A she is responsible for providing support that affects Soldiers’ overall welfare and well-being while assisting leaders with keeping Soldiers combat-ready and effective. In addition to being certified as a 42A, SPC Czeiszperger has completed the CSMS Basic Armorer Course, the Combat Lifesaver Course, and the level 1 Combative Basic Course. As part of the JMTC Unit at Camp Grayling, she has received 3 Army Certification of Achievement Awards for her outstanding performances.
Located in the Northern Central area of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Camp Grayling is the largest National Guard training facility in the U.S. Camp Grayling facilities include Grayling Army Airfield (capable of handling aircrafts up to the size of a C-130), ranges for all manners of small arms, maneuver areas, as well as training sites for cargo/air drops, land navigation and urban assault facilities. It was founded in 1913 on an initial grant of land from Grayling lumber baron Rasmus Hanson to the State of Michigan for military training, and now spans 147,000 acres in Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego counties. Much of that acreage is accessible to the public for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and other recreational uses when military training is not taking place.
Each year, Camp Grayling typically schedules training for over 10,000 military personnel from National Guard units in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Year round training is also conducted by the reserve components of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Units of Canadian Armed Forces train year round at Camp Grayling along with visiting Armed Forces from Latvia, United Kingdom, Hungary and Serbia. The installation provides over 200 full-time jobs to local residents making Camp Grayling one of the largest employers in Crawford County. Camp activities generate over $20 million annually in local economic impact. The federal dollars that pay employee salaries are often used to pay local taxes and to support schools, hospitals, churches and local businesses – a partnership that has proven itself over generations.
Camp Grayling has over 600 soldiers in traditional Army National Guard units assigned at the Camp and boasts many national appearances. The five man color guard has appeared on national television with Anita Baker, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and many others in the performance of our National Anthem. The unit has provided colors for four MLB All Star Games, seven World Series, Super Bowls XVI and XL and the 2004 and 2005 NBA Finals.
A central attraction of Camp Grayling is beautiful Lake Margrethe, named after the wife of Rasmus Hanson. A favorite fishing and recreation lake for soldiers in their off-duty hours, the lake sees much enjoyment by area residents and by campers in the state forest campground located at the lake’s northwest corner. Overall, Camp Grayling is a gem secluded within the center of the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Its mission – for the last 100 years – has been to train soldiers for combat, but the camp and its natural environment have brought enjoyment to several generations of visitors, both military and civilian.
Thank you, Alissa, for your service and dedication!
[Thanks to the Camp Grayling historical society, top military dignitaries, Michigan elected officials, and the Northern Michigan community will join more than 4,000 active Michigan service members to celebrate the 100th anniversary of one of the premier military installations in the U.S. on July 20th 2013. A schedule of events can be found at www.campgrayling.org. The main event will include the Great Grayling Barbeque Showdown. It will be a Michigan state BBQ championship officially sanctioned by both the Kansas City Barbeque Society and the Memphis Barbeque Network. Donations and volunteers are both appreciated for all events and the public is welcome.]