The event included supplying Vertical Skills Engineer Construction Kits to members of the Wisconsin National Guard
On Tuesday, April 30, Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired (IBVI) hosted the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 829th Engineer Company for a special kitting event at our Menomonee Falls facility. Our employees specifically supplied the Wisconsin Army National Guard with 12 kits, comprised of two types: Vertical Skills Engineer Construction Kits (VSECK) and Kits for Evidence Collection and Detainee Processing (KECDP).
The event involved military personnel inspecting and taking ownership of the custom-assembled supply kits. We also gave them a tour of our facility, introduced them to our employees and had meetings to further build on our partnership with the U.S. military.
“I am extremely proud of our association and the relationship that we have with our home-state National Guard,” said Pat Crain, chief manufacturing and logistics officer of IBVI. “This program is phenomenal and has provided a lot of jobs — everything from tray assembly to crating.”
With the VSECKs we supplied, troops will be able to build or repair structures in the field, while the KECDPs will help them with detainee investigations.
“These kits are critical tools that can be used in many different scenarios,” said Wolfgang Peterman, PdM SKOT (U.S. Army product manager for Sets, Kits, Outfits and Tools) “When [the soldiers] are deployed, they are ready to go.”
IBVI is a certified nonprofit organization authorized by AbilityOne®, a government program designed to support the employment of people who are blind or have significant disabilities in the United States.
“Our employees are very proud to be working on these deployment kits,” said CJ Lange, president and CEO of IBVI. “Even though having a visual disability means you may not be able to serve in the military, they feel they are serving their country by assembling the kits and ensuring the highest-quality standards and regulations are followed so all of our U.S. troops can successfully complete their missions out in the field.”