Reflections & Perspectives: Veterans Day 2023 at Adyton

Veterans Day marks a time for us to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served in the United States military, both past and present. On this day, we honor the men and women who have proudly served and safeguarded our nation’s freedom. Their dedication and selflessness deserve to be recognized, not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

Founded by veterans, the Adyton team has grown to include veterans from across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Their service to our country is a testament to their unwavering commitment to protect and defend our nation - and our company and products are made better with their perspective and experience. They show up every day to make the best possible mobile-first products that answer real needs for our users in the field. They know all too well the headache of tracking information on pen and paper and disparate spreadsheets - and they still remember the migraine that is property tracking in the field and on the move. 

Our team is especially excited to bring to fruition our newest software product, Log-E , an equipment tracking application that digitizes hand receipts and provides a real-time view for inventory management. Log-E will join our structured communication and accountability tool, Mustr, as part of the Adyton Operations Kit in early 2024. For beta access and general product news, feel free to join our waitlist! 

For this year’s Veterans day, we spoke to a few of our veterans to hear their reflections on their time in the military, and how they continue to serve through Adyton’s mission to build resilient software products for the people and enterprises that protect our nation. 

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Q1: Can you describe the moment you decided to join the military? 

9-11 happened my first week at Stanford, and I knew I had to serve. I felt a sense of responsibility to do what I could to protect the values that had created the opportunities that we enjoy in the United States. 

-James Boyd, Co-founder, US Army veteran

One of my earliest memories involved asking how I could make things better for my family, and that extended to the world once I was a teen. I learned about the Air Force through my family, many of which had served before me.

-Sage Faraday, Full Stack Engineer, US Air Force veteran

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Q2: What did your time in the military teach you about yourself?  

The most important lessons I learned were around leadership. Specifically which leaders to  emulate, and which ones to make a note of what not to do. Those experiences stay with me to this day, and I reference them in my memory often to ensure I do my best to be a fair, kind, and hardworking leader for the people I work with.

-Gavin Snyder, Product Manager, US Navy veteran

The only real limits to how we can grow are those we choose.

-James Boyd, Co-founder, US Army veteran

I learned that I could accomplish a whole lot more than I thought I could. The military was where I learned how to have confidence in myself. It also taught me to take care of myself; service is extremely demanding, and if you are going to be your best for others you also have to be your best physically and mentally.

-Sage Faraday, Full Stack Engineer, US Air Force veteran

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Q3: What is your most memorable experience in the service?

Visiting a teammate at Walter Reed has got to be the most memorable experience I had during my time in the service.  He had stepped on and activated an IED during a rotation to Afghanistan which resulted in the loss of both of his legs below the knee.  I was the medic who treated and packaged him up for medevac during that mission.  Now, in all honesty, I actually hated being a medic for the simple fact that 95% of the time, being a medic really meant treating colds, coughs, aches, and pains.  Being able to help a brother out on one of the worst days of his life and then to see him on the path to recovery, even though we knew things would never be the same for him, gave me a better appreciation of the skills that my instructors had drilled into me and set me on a path to learn even more about providing critical care in combat situations.

-Harold Penson, Product Strategy, US Army veteran

I was part of a Navy aviation squadron that deployed to Iraq in 2007/2008 during the “surge”. That whole experience was so memorable, and it was because of the fantastic set of people we had, great leaders, and a common drive towards contributing to a mission. So much that I loved about my military time was being with the other people in my unit. I was part of a 10-person aircrew that also spent a couple of months in Djibouti, during that time, and had such a memorable experience there. Piracy off the coast of Somalia was a big deal then, and so we were flying missions in support of anti-piracy efforts. Our crew enjoying a Thanksgiving meal there on a base that I will always remember.

-Jeff Prosek, Business Development, US Navy veteran

One of my most memorable experiences was flying during the opening night of operations in Syria.  This was a maximum effort high visibility operation that involved every organization on multiple bases in the region.  It was a tangible example of how much can be overcome when a team comes together and focuses on accomplishing its mission.

-Adam Welch, Business Development, US Air Force veteran

What was most memorable to me was the impacts I had. I learned that something I worked on actually helped people in dangerous situations, multiple times. It became more real when that feedback was given to me, as it was no longer just training or hypothetical situations. Knowing I helped people stay safe meant the world to me.

-Sage Faraday, Full Stack Engineer, US Air Force veteran

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Q4: What about Adyton (mission, values, product, people) drove you to join the company? 

For me, it was the people. A group of quality people can get anything done. This is a solid group of good people. I also really liked the fact that this startup was so focused on culture & values. The fact that they were intentionally thinking about the type of environment they were creating for those high quality people was an extremely high factor for my decision to join the team.

-Gavin Snyder, Product Manager, US Navy veteran

The people that I met during the interview process are the number one reason I joined Adyton.  They are all caring, driven, and looking to put the right tools in the hands of people who need them. The mission is the second reason.  Adyton has chosen to do something great for a great group of people who do important work on behalf of all of us.  I’ve been in the service and I understand the value Adyton products bring to those in uniform.  Whether it saves them time, allows them to track information better, or provides their superiors with the right data to make better decisions, I know Adyton is going to continue to help service members stay focused on their mission. It’s really simple math. Taking a group of people like the Adyton team + Worthwhile mission + Servicing service members = Fun & Purposeful work.

-Harold Penson, Product Strategy, US Army veteran

A combination of mission and the amazing mentorship and patience I’ve received. I have a lot of respect for everyone at this company, and have seen first hand the amount of effort everyone puts in every day. I’ve loved being part of a team that is constantly trying to figure out the best path forward, where we each build on each other's efforts and everyone is working to set others up for success.

-Sage Faraday, Full Stack Engineer, US Air Force veteran

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Q5: What does working at Adyton mean to you?

For me Adyton is like an extension of my military service.  It is an organization that focuses on a mission to provide tools to those who need them the most.  In Adyton I have found a high functioning mission-focused team, much like those I was part of in the Air Force.  I am proud to be part of this team.

-Adam Welch, Business Development, US Air Force veteran

What Adyton is working on can save lives and make us safer during a time when it feels like the world is becoming more dangerous. I think giving fellow service members the tools tailored to their needs is a form of giving back and making things better. I still have a long road of growth ahead of me and there have been many challenges, but Adyton feels like a good cause that is helping the average service member and it pushes me to really improve myself.

-Sage Faraday, Full Stack Engineer, US Air Force veteran

Working at Adyton means an opportunity to strive for quality change. It means being optimistic about the future of the defense industry. It means having a positive impact on the world.

-Gavin Snyder, Product Manager, US Navy veteran

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As we reflect on Veterans Day and the sacrifices made by our nation’s veterans, we are reminded of the importance of honoring and supporting our brave men and women. The veterans on our team at Adyton are a testament to the values of teamwork, leadership, and selflessness that are ingrained in military service. We are proud to have veterans on our team and we thank them for their service to our country. Let us continue to honor and support our veterans, not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

Adyton is a venture-backed, American technology company founded by Special Operations veterans. Our team is building the mobile operations suite for global defense organizations. We are united by a desire to see a safer, more secure world.