For the past several years through our Banners for Troops program, Visual Edge IT Ohio has been printing banners at no cost for people in Stark, Summit and surrounding counties who are welcoming home a loved one from military service.

Because we are so grateful for the sacrifices veterans have made on behalf of our nation, we recently created a Military Wall of Honor at our headquarters in North Canton, Ohio. Within our organization, we were ready to take recognition of military service among our own employees and their families to a higher level. Our Wall of Honor displays photos of employees and/or a family member who served, as well as brief information about the length and nature of service. Since the dedication on June 19, 2012, this display has been a popular stop on tours of our facility.

Each photo that has been placed on the Wall of Honor has a unique and compelling story. One story is about an employee in our sister company’s Toledo office whose family service extends three generations.

John Cassidy III has been part of our company for 24 years and is currently a service manager for copiers and printers throughout a 14-county service area in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. From 1981 to 1985, he served in Korea with the United States Army and at a remote site in California that was part of Fort Ord.

Army veteran John Cassidy Jr., father of employee and Army veteran John Cassidy III

His father, John Cassidy Jr., was part of a 2,700-man, all-volunteer U.S. Army unit in the Pacific during World War II. Together with other Allied forces, his unit fought Japanese troops in close combat to gain control of Burma, a strategic island because of its airstrips. During his time on the island, he earned two purple hearts and was sent home after a landmine caused injuries to both legs. He returned to civilian life and worked for the Chrysler Jeep plant near Toledo for 44 years. John Cassidy Jr. is now 88 years old.

Army Specialist Adam Cassidy, our employee John’s son, spent 18 months in Mosul, Iraq. He was wounded and received a medical discharge.

“I am very proud of both my father and my son, and we are all gratified to have been part of our country’s military,” says John Cassidy III.

I, too, am proud to be part of a company that pays homage to the men and women who defend our freedom both here and abroad. Here are two other great photos that are included on the Wall of Honor.

Father of GEI employee Brian Casterlin

Army Sgt. Jennifer S. Rader, daughter of service tech Mark Rader, former Army Sgt.