Boeing Invictus Games volunteers say what inspires them

Team Boeing serves as global volunteer force to support competitors, build connections and gain perspective.

BNN

Friday, September 15, 2023


Boeing employees from around the world share why the company-sponsored Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 are important enough for them to volunteer: 

Idir Berberovic

Born and raised in the Netherlands, where the Invictus Games are well known, Idir Berberovic  is familiar with the event but never thought he’d have the chance to get involved. He was thrilled to join Boeing in April 2022 as a business intelligence analyst. 

“The Games are a beautiful initiative that help veterans and service people have a better path for rehabilitation,” he said. “I’m proud that Boeing is the Presenting Partner and provided the opportunity for employees to volunteer. It shows the company’s values and commitment to supporting service members and veterans.” 

As a caregiver for a loved one, Berberovic understands the importance of the recovery process.  

“Encouragement and support really matter. It helps a person see that there is more to them than the clinical perspective,” he said. “There is life beyond the injury. Seeing a positive change in mental and physical strength is invaluable.”

Gail Carr

Boeing employee volunteer, Gail Carr (center), along with her colleagues Turbo Sjogren (first on left) and Stuart Clarke chat with event visitors at Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023. (Boeing photo)

A senior director within Boeing’s Information Technology & Data Analytics group, Gail Carr said she looks forward to telling her kids about the experience, both to instill the importance of volunteering and to share the displays of sportsmanship and overcoming adversity she has observed. 

“It’s touching and inspiring to be in an environment that is focused on a side of people that is all good and all inclusive,” Carr said. “Experiences like this help me gain greater perspective. I think that helps make me a stronger mentor and leader for my teammates.”

Through her Boeing career of nearly 22 years, Carr has supported defense forces, veterans and military families.

“It makes me proud to be part of a company that has a strong commitment to supporting the military community and backs it up with actions,” she said. “We are a better company because we hire people who were users of our products and for the insights and ideas they bring to our teams.”

Bob de Graaf

Employee volunteers Bob de Graaf and Suleiman Umar greet visitors in the Boeing event space at Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023. (Boeing photo)

A Boeing geospatial analyst based in Germany, Bob de Graaf served in the Dutch Special Forces for 10 years and understands how a sense of belonging and camaraderie impacts mental and physical strength. 

“It is good to meet the competitors and Boeing peers who have a military background,” he said. “We can connect and exchange our thoughts about our service.” 

De Graaf said his personal journey motivated him to volunteer for the event.   

“The Invictus Games are a great initiative because they help service members and veterans who are facing visible and invisible traumas and give people a new and different perspective of the military,” de Graaf said.

Mark Hayes

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Mark Hayes has worked with Boeing for 37 years, taking on roles across business units and travelling the world. For the past eight years, he has worked in Hungary and is currently the Boeing site manager at Pápa Air Base. His aviation career keeps him closely connected to the military community and he looks for opportunities to give back and support other veterans.  

“People don’t realize the trauma that goes along with the journey,” he said. “We notice the people who have physical injuries, but we forget about the psychological. I want to talk to others, listen to their stories and see what I can do to help.” 

Alice Leech

Boeing Invictus Games volunteers Alice Leech (on left of wheel) and Thahrim Eshrak (on right) watch as an Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 visitor plays a ball toss game at the event in Germany. (Boeing photo)

Alice Leech has worked at Boeing UK for nearly three years. She participated in an engineering graduate rotation and now works as a Boeing Global Services operations specialist. She’s also active in Boeing Women in Leadership - Europe and several STEM-related programs throughout Boeing UK. She said volunteering at the Games provides another, unique opportunity to support the military community and Boeing teammates. 

“I work closely with colleagues who are veterans and reservists and I’m a big advocate for diversity and inclusion,” Leech said. “The Invictus Games are founded on such strong values and focus on raising awareness and representation of the military community. I’m also excited to meet Boeing employees from around the world and come together to show our support.”

Nele Ludwig-Robertson

With a brother currently in the U.S. Navy and a husband who served 13 years in the U.S. Army, Nele Ludwig-Robertson is familiar with military life. Her career at Boeing started several years ago when her husband volunteered for orders at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and they moved to Washington state. Last year, her family moved to her home country of Germany so she could become a Boeing global field operative and work with suppliers throughout Australia and Germany. 

“It is a cause that matters to me. I’m excited to see it and be a part of it,” Ludwig-Robertson said. “I’ve seen the military community change over the last 13 years and veterans are starting to be forgotten, especially those with the injuries that can’t be seen. I’m grateful for the opportunity and to work for a company that supports this kind of cause.”

Simon “OB” O’Brien (right), an employee volunteer from Boeing UK, engages with Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 visitors nearby a giant Jenga game in the Boeing-sponsored event space. (Boeing photo)Go deeper: 

By Shannon Vaughan