Giving to the Travis Manion Foundation transforms the lives of veterans, families of the fallen and helps create the next generation of leaders. These Spartan Society profiles highlight the experiences that prompt people to give to the Travis Manion Foundation as well as the tangible impact of their generosity.
MIKE MORAND, DISTRIBUTION MANAGER, JOHNSON & JOHNSON*
// NATIONAL CO-CHAIR, VETERANS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, JOHNSON & JOHNSON
Q: How does the “If Not Me, Then Who…” movement connect with Johnson & Johnson’s credo?
A: I believe the Travis Manion Foundation Ethos of “If Not Me, Then Who…” has a direct connection with the Johnson & Johnson Credo. Our Credo states, “We are responsible to the communities in which we live and work and to the world community as well. We must be good citizens – support good works and charities and bear our fair share of taxes. We must encourage civic improvements and better health and education.” As a Johnson & Johnson employee, I believe this speaks to my personal responsibility to the communities I am privileged to be part of, which includes our military and veterans community and my local community. Remembering the “If Not Me, Then Who…” Ethos is a reminder for me to live Our Credo while honoring the sacrifices of my fellow service members. I’m proud to work for the world’s largest healthcare company, which has a history deeply rooted in supporting those who serve and their families.
Q: Why is it important for a company like Johnson & Johnson to support our veterans and families of the fallen?
A: Johnson & Johnson has a long-standing commitment to supporting the health and wellness of our servicemen and women and their families. I believe Johnson & Johnson, like other companies who are privileged to provide services and products to the world market, bears an inherent responsibility to our veteran heroes as well as their families. Echoed in the words of Our Credo, I feel that supporting our veterans and their families is a natural extension of my responsibility to coordinate the delivery of products and services that support health and wellness in all of our communities.
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe it’s imperative that our servicemen and women, and their families, have access to the health and wellness support they need when coming home from active duty, which is why we support programs designed to help them as they reconnect with their loved ones, heal from both the visible and invisible wounds, and look to reenter the workforce.
Q: How have you seen employees engage in Travis Manion Foundation initiatives?
A: I have seen hundreds of our employees at Johnson & Johnson engage in Travis Manion Foundation initiatives, including the 9/11 Heroes Runs and the Character Does Matter (CDM) program. Last year our Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Veterans Leadership Council employee group was privileged to lead our first 9/11 Heroes Run in New Brunswick with 120 participants. We’re looking to build upon this in 2015 in the 3 races we are planning to lead. Johnson & Johnson employees have also engaged in the CDM Program, in which our inaugural class of veterans was trained as Character Ambassadors. Since then, our Character Ambassadors have presented the “If Not Me, Then Who…” message to hundreds of students and have hosted several community service events at the New Brunswick High School in New Jersey.
Q: Why did you get involved with TMF? Please share a personal experience through your involvement with TMF.
A: I got involved with TMF because I believed in the mission of the organization. As a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), I had hoped to find an organization that allowed me to honor the sacrifices and memories of our fallen service and I found that with the Travis Manion Foundation. After reading Travis’ story in Tom Manion’s book, “Brothers Forever,” I was inspired by Travis’s story. Now, as the National Co-Chair of the Johnson & Johnson Veterans Leadership Council, I have been privileged to work with the Travis Manion Foundation more closely and have been serving as a Character Ambassador for the past year.
My most meaningful experience with the Travis Manion Foundation has been with the Character Does Matter program. The program has many of the same values of Our Credo. Like the Johnson & Johnson Credo, it inspires individuals to live with character and to serve the communities in which they live and work.
Since initiating the CDM program this past year, I have had the good fortune of getting to know some of the students from the New Brunswick High School’s AVID and JROTC programs. They have shared their plans for the future and I have been humbled by their aspirations and plans to be of service in their communities in various healthcare roles, as teachers, and some as service members. Having the opportunity to interact with and offer support to this next generation of leaders has been a remarkable experience.
*Johnson & Johnson is the Presenting Sponsor of the Travis Manion Foundation’s Character Does Matter Program.
