One of the hallmarks of serving in the military are the stories of how service transcends lives, businesses, and beyond here in our local community. I recently had the pleasure of attending the promotion of Army Lieutenant Colonel Charcillea Schaefer, whose service has impacted so many lives throughout her career. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) presided over the ceremony and eloquently shared thoughtful examples of Schaefer’s service that resonated with the standing-room-only audience. Murray described how Schaefer not only loves what she does but loves the people she leads even more. Indeed, it has not been an easy road for Schaefer. She could not understand how the events of Sept. 11 only three months after her graduation from West Point would test her life and career. In the 16 years since that fateful day, Schaefer has spent four of those years deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan and will soon take on new challenges in her next chapter as a battalion commander in the Pacific.
What anchors Schaefer amidst her challenging roles? She explains, “My love for the Army is rooted in service and the idea of being a servant leader in whatever capacity I am assigned.” When Schaefer stops to reflect on what life after the military might be like, she is sure that service will continue to play a significant role in some capacity. She says she will “look to excellent role models and peers who continue to serve their communities in many different ways — whether at the grassroots levels, through their businesses, or in the government.”
Luckily for Schaefer, there are many examples here locally in Alexandria of military veterans who continue to serve after they take off the uniform. For example, local veteran Josh Riojas is a founding member of Rios Partners, a public sector management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations execute strategy. Looking back, Riojas shares a common sentiment of what made him join the military. “I joined the Army because I wanted to serve our country, and it seemed like it would be a lot of fun, which it certainly was,” he says. When Riojas left the military, he went on to earn his MBA from Harvard Business School and eventually returned to the Army Reserves, where he currently serves as a company commander.
Now, his service has taken on a different meaning through the business he leads. Riojas and his co-founder Zach Osborne, also a military veteran, formed their company by calling on their previous experiences. “My time in the Army influenced the way I approach business more than my time in business school. In school, I certainly learned all about the technical aspects of running a business, but in the Army, I learned the values that have been much more impactful to my business.” Riojas continues, “From the very beginning, we wrote down our mission and values long before we ever built a financial model. A year later, we still make our important decisions based on those values we learned in the Army.”
Then, there are the Rakassan Tea co-founders, veteran Brandon Friedman and military spouse Lauren Bailey who sell premium loose-leaf tea in the United States from farmers in post-conflict countries. Rakassan Tea also plans to hire military veterans to help execute their vision. Friedman started Rakassan Tea based on the demand for high-quality tea from remote areas abroad based and his experiences while he was deployed. “The military instilled a set of values that guide me to this day, especially in my business. The lessons I learned about discipline, courage, and sacrifice have helped me shape two businesses now. And more importantly, it has given me a sense of mission and service. And that never leaves, even after you take off the uniform,” says Friedman.
These stories are just a few examples of how one’s service can begin in uniform and transcend to business and beyond. Moreover, military service is just one path, and it is important to recognize how services can impact similar endeavors. It is these stories of individuals like Schaefer, Riojas, and Friedman that exemplify why military service establishes the foundation of values that is so important to our nation both in uniform and beyond.
Emily McMahan is executive director of Capitol Post and Bunker Labs DC