Extraordinary Patriotism on Display for Generations to Come at FirstEnergy

In a heartfelt effort to cultivate team spirit and recognize U.S. heroes, FirstEnergy Mobile Maintenance Manager David Brahosky and his team of 52 employees recently embarked on a mission to honor veterans within the company and beyond.

The team collected several American flags flown in noteworthy locations across the world, including the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and U.S. Camp Ramadi in Iraq. They mounted them into custom frames for display in five FirstEnergy buildings in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

FirstEnergy employs nearly 1,000 past and present service members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and each flag display includes the names of veteran employees who work in the building.

A video of the company’s flag displays can be viewed on FirstEnergy’s Youtube page.

Brahosky, a veteran himself, joined the Navy in 1988 and served for five years, primarily working as an aircraft electrician on the USS Independence CV 62 in San Diego. He was on the carrier as it played a role in Operation Desert Shield, deploying in response to Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. 

His team includes several other veterans who helped inspire the flag project. They connected with their peers who are still active in the military to collect the special flags for FirstEnergy.

“It’s so humbling to lay eyes on something from a war zone where people fought and died to defend freedom, or from a significant military landmark where history was made,” he said. “Veterans are proud of the American flag and it resonates with all of us.”

FirstEnergy has long been recognized for its demonstrated commitment to military service members and their families. Over the past 10 years, Military Friendly, a national organization supporting the U.S. military and its veterans, has recognized FirstEnergy as a Military Friendly® Company, citing FirstEnergy’s recruitment, hiring, training and development practices for veterans and their families.

“Our veterans knew they might have to put themselves at risk and were willing to do that for our nation,” said Dan Rossero, Vice President West Virginia Generation. “This project is a small way to honor our employees who served and show visitors to the building how much we appreciate every veteran’s dedication to the country.”

Media Contact: Hannah Catlett (440) 554-5346