White Oak Sponsors Patrol Car for Military Appreciation Month
With May being Military Appreciation Month, White Oak Construction (WOC) is sponsoring the wrapping of a Salem Police Department patrol car in camouflage. The car will be unveiled Monday in a ceremony at the Oregon World War II Memorial in Salem. The wrapping of the vehicle was made possible through a donation to the Salem Police Foundation from the commercial construction company.
Superintendent Rob Hagerman and Project Manager Will Horsey are veterans who work at WOC. For them, this car is more than just a police vehicle, but a tribute to all of those who have served and continue to serve.
“[This car] shows that support can happen at a local level. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant. We can all do our part to support military men and women, and I’m proud that we are stepping up to do so,” stated Horsey.
Horsey served for twenty-one years in the United States Army with tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany and Korea. Hagerman served for twenty-seven years as a Blackhawk Pilot and Commander serving in Bosnia, Iraq, Turkey and the Persian Gulf.
“I have never had an employer that cared so much about supporting military and police issues. I owe a debt of gratitude to [White Oak Construction] for understanding veterans and knowing that our perspective is meaningful. They not only recognize that veterans bring value to a job, but they do all they can to raise awareness for causes related to veterans,” said Hagerman.
This connection between work and military service is especially poignant for both Rob and Will. For Horsey, his construction career began through the military. After serving, Horsey learned about all aspects of construction through “Helmets to Hardhats,” a program that helps train and place veterans in building and construction careers. This experience led to his first job in the public sector as an inspector, and prepared him to take on the position of Project Manager with WOC.
For Hagerman, his military service taught him both about organization and leadership. “It taught me to lead effectively and efficiently. We sometimes have seventy people working on one particular job. My military experience taught me about synchronization and how to work efficiently with a number of moving parts,” said the former Blackhawk pilot.
“We all have friends that are veterans,” says Horsey, who remains very active in the veteran’s outreach. “I’ve had friends that I lost while in duty. This patrol car is a great way to pay tribute to, and remember those that have sacrificed for us.”
About White Oak Construction: Founded in 1997, White Oak has constructed hundreds of projects in the Willamette Valley. Fostering a true team atmosphere, WOC has established long-term relationships with clients, architects, engineers and subcontractors provides general contractor services, construction management, design build, budgeting, feasibility studies and consultant services for all types of commercial projects. www.WhiteOakConstruction.net.
About the Salem Police Foundation: The Salem Police Foundation raises funds to support the police department and, through donors, has provided training equipment and facilities for K9 officers, a state-of-the-art fingerprint fume chamber, trauma kits, domestic violence cameras, among other things. Currently, the SPF is raising funds for a mobile command center. www.SalemPoliceFoundation.org