Bellingham, Wash.-based Birch Equipment last week honored its employee veterans and made good on a 15-year-old promise made by owner Sarah Rothenbuhler to give any employee veteran a paid vacation day in honor of Veteran’s Day if they could still fit into their military uniform.
Birch's veteran of the year, Frank Doering, who has been a mechanic at the company for nearly 6 years, last week became the first employee to ever receive the paid holiday.
At a prompt 0700, Chief Aviation Electrician's mate, Frank Doering, arrived in his dress blues and stood at attention at his current call of service location at Birch Equipment in Bellingham. Twenty minutes later Frank was on the road, headed home to change and enjoy his day off.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Navy in November of 1974 where he traveled the world with Ports of Call in Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Spain, Italy, Greece, Egypt, and the Philippines, with his first and last call out of NAS Whidbey. He made several detachments to such carriers as USS Ranger, USS Nimitz, USS Constellation, USS Independence and received two Navy Achievement Medals, 5 Good Conduct Awards and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Birch Equipment also honored its other staff members who have served in the US Military including:
Dan Arneson
Dan Backman
Jeff Blair
John Chapman
Frank Doering
Terry Hislop
Ron Jansen
Ron King
Clay Marsh
Charlie McLachlan
Steve Olson
John Theel
