Chris Kitchen was a college student in Michigan when he decided to join the U.S. Navy. Not only did his involvement in the Reserve Officer Training Corps help pay for school, but he followed in his father’s footsteps, as well.
Kitchen, senior manager for load control, rates, compliance & claims, has been with Molson Coors for 17 years. He was a supply officer in the Navy, retiring as a captain in 2020, and now works in our Milwaukee facility. He told us a bit about his military experience.
What was your proudest accomplishment while serving in the military?
Watching people that used to work for me get promoted to Flag rank (Admiral). Second is commanding what’s called the garrison of a small base in Afghanistan. I technically wasn’t qualified to do that but was assigned to do it.
What influenced you to enlist?
I initially started in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) because my family couldn’t afford to pay out-of-state tuition. I specifically picked the Navy because my dad had been in the Navy.
How do you honor Veterans Day?
I fly an American flag at my house every day; in prior years I also used to emcee the Veterans Day ceremony in Golden
How can others support Veterans?
There are a lot of charitable organizations that support veterans. Also, I think it’s greatly appreciated when people acknowledge those who have served
Why was it important for you to join Molson Coors Veterans Group?
I initially thought that it was great that the company was such a supporter of veterans (and of ERGs overall), and the company did a great job of taking care of my family while I was mobilized (2007-2008). Later, as part of MCVG, I really came to appreciate the camaraderie of working with other former service members.