This Veterans Day, we celebrate over 200 U.S. military veterans who wear the DK Security badge across the Midwest. We are profoundly grateful to each of our veterans for defending our nation. One such individual is Dawn Holmes, our event security supervisor for the Lansing area. As we thank all DK veterans for their service today, we are especially proud to share the unique experience Dawn brings to DK as a 22-year veteran of the U.S. armed forces.

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One veteran’s pride in serving our country

DK Security’s expansion out of West Michigan into the Lansing region was made possible with our 2009 acquisition of Joseph Young & Associates and came with a fantastic bonus: the hiring of many JY&A employees, including local security supervisor Dawn Holmes.  

Dawn’s story of service began in 1982. As a career-oriented person, she joined the U.S. Army National Guard to pursue a military profession while remaining in the States to care for her mother. After six months of basic training and a couple of weeks back in her mid-Michigan hometown, Dawn secured a steady full-time position in the Army National Guard at Camp Grayling. “I got lucky being in the right place at the right time,” Dawn recalled fondly during a phone interview about her U.S. veteran status. 

Over the next two decades, Dawn spent the duration of her military career in several roles that proved eventful despite remaining stationed solely in the state of Michigan. Starting as a Lansing-based clerk, Dawn was later offered the opportunity to run the Air National Guard awards program for the state and regularly traveled from Lansing headquarters to military bases in Battle Creek, Harrison Township, and Alpena to give trainings on how to write awards for military personnel.  

Dawn never served overseas but was always prepared to do so. Because of her role at the Battle Creek Air National Guard communications help desk, combat communications at one time requested that she travel to Kuwait for six months of international service. However, Dawn’s supervisory roles in administrative and post office operations ultimately encouraged base leadership to keep her home.  

Retiring from the Air National Guard in 2005, Dawn transitioned to the world of private security. In another “right place, right time” situation, she met an employee from Joseph Young & Associates – the security company contracted to provide security for Jackson Field, home of the Lansing Lugnuts. Dawn’s son plays baseball for the military and she’s a fan of the game herself, so it was a great chance to follow her passion. 

“Lugnuts is the all-time favorite,” Dawn raved when talking about the many security-related hats she’s worn over the years. 

Dawn’s former battalion commander also happened to work for JY&A at the time. Upon finding out that she interviewed for a part-time security position, this individual recognized her military expertise and selected her as a full-time supervisor for the Capital Region International Airport. Everything came together seamlessly, and Dawn continued to work in uniformed and event security with DK Security after our 2009 acquisition of JY&A.  

Today, Dawn is our event security supervisor for the entire Lansing region. Apart from Lansing Lugnuts games and regularly working in-uniform at downtown Lansing’s Davenport University campus, she leads concert security teams, travels to Saginaw and Grand Rapids for event shifts, and guards political events at the Lansing Center. 

Event security is the side of her second career that she’s loved the most. From securing entry gates at EDM festivals to supervising a local Extreme Makeover TV episode shoot, life after the military has been unique and a good fit for someone with Dawn’s experience. 

“Dawn Holmes consistently goes above and beyond her duties to ensure that the events under her supervision run smoothly and safely,” said mid-Michigan VP of Operations Daniel Verlin on Dawn’s critical role to DK Security. “Her background as a military veteran has equipped her with a level of discipline that sets the gold standard for our company.” 

The chance to fight for her country is an experience that Dawn holds dear. “I am very proud that I am a veteran, that I got to have that experience,” she said. Dawn learned a great deal about work ethic, maturity, and professionalism between her time in the Army and Air National Guards and encourages all young people to experience the same growth she did in public service.  

Dawn Holmes’ is just one of countless unique life experiences held by our nation’s veterans. DK Security proudly employs 236 former and current service members, and we would extend a special and sincere thank-you to every DK veteran listed below for their service and sacrifices.  

To everyone who has worn the uniform of our country, DK Security wishes you a Happy Veterans Day.