David Ruhlig served six years in the Army as a Military Police Officer and another three years in the Air Force in its Security Forces. While it may feel like a lifetime ago, the military veteran still remembers vividly the first time he was handed a “challenge coin”. The coins have been a tradition among active duty servicemembers for a century – designed to instill unit pride, commemorate special events or reward excellence. There’s no monetary value attached to the coins, but the emotional value ranges from high to priceless. Just ask Ruhlig, who spends his days as the Managing Director for the specialty lending divisions at LCG Advisors, one of the leading advisory firms in the nation specializing in loan & investment due diligence, investment banking, wealth management, risk mitigation and more.
“Like most veterans, I remember when and where I received every single coin I have… every one of them has a story,” explained Ruhlig of LCG Advisors. “I have received coins on deployments from dignitaries as high as the Under Secretary of Defense, but the most meaningful coin I ever received was from a good friend of mine (who I also served with) after I separated from the military. Shortly after I left the Air Force, he was deployed to Iraq. It was tough on me to see my brothers and sisters deploy while I was staying home. I did what I could from here… mowed his lawn, sent care packages, helped his wife out around the house, etc. – all extremely minor in comparison to his service. When he got back, he gave me a campaign coin to thank me for helping out. To think he was thanking ME still makes me laugh!”
Ruhlig suggested the company create challenge coins to honor military veterans and active-duty service members today. “We (LCG Advisors) work in industries like banking, private equity, etc. that are not traditionally very ‘veteran heavy.’ From time to time, we do meet former service members, and I thought the coin would be a nice gesture to show how we, as an organization, appreciate their service,” said Ruhlig. “Veterans in our world are few and far between. I wanted to get the coin to give to other veterans when I meet them to mark that occasion or point in time.”
It's an idea that’s creating points of pride at LCG teams from coast to coast. The Chamber member proudly started their challenge coin tradition in July, six months after the launch of the Chamber’s Military Bay, USA to support the region’s military community. “I think it’s great what the Chamber is doing with Military Bay, USA, and we are committed to supporting active service members and veterans alike,” said Ruhlig. One recent coin moment stands out to LCG teams in Florida and Colorado. “We’re hiring in our Tampa and Denver offices, so I’ve been doing a lot of interviews,” recalled Ruhlig. “I interviewed a gentleman who was in the Navy and just received his finance degree. At the end of the interview, I gave him a coin to show my personal, along with LCG’s, appreciation for his service. We ended up making him an offer, and he accepted. I doubt the coin had much to do with it, but I can almost guarantee no other potential employer gave him one.”
About the Tampa Bay Chamber: The Chamber has been serving the region since 1885, supporting the military community since the arrival of MacDill Air Force Base in the 1940s. Today, the military community has a $3Billion impact on the local economy. The Chamber’s Military Advisory Committee supports military readiness, advocates for legislative priorities to enhance quality of life for military families and connects the business community with military talent to address workforce needs in the region. In 2018, the Tampa Bay Chamber’s Operation Partnership Series was recognized nationally among our peers as a best practice in helping prepare transitioning service members and military spouses to enter the local business community. To learn more, visit https://www.tampabaychamber.com/pages/military/.