top of page
Writer's pictureAshton Dispatch

Trucking Industry Helps Veterans Find Purpose After Service

This is a crucial, yet challenging process, which may take many of the veterans rather a long period of time, and which is accompanied with numerous difficulties and psychological barriers. Some have physical disability others have PTSD, while most struggle to find out who they are and what do in future. In the middle of all these, the trucking industry stands out as the prospective employer of hope that hit millions of veterans and not just given them a new job but also a new mean, a new comradeship, and a new way to find new balm of life. Thanks to the cooperation with trucking companies and SA nonprofit organizations, veterans are able to help society and at the same time restore their familiar structure.


Truck with US flag
US Trucking 2024


The Power of Purpose: In this category we have placed all the veterans in the trucking industry.

Many a time, when a veteran decides to retire, it becomes difficult for him to return to a new world which is very different from the organized and systemized military life. From the institutions, people experience a lack of daily structured scheduling, function hierarchy, and organizational missions that makes many things feel empty. This is where the trucking industry comes into the picture as the main player in the transportation process.


According to The U. S. Bureau of Statistics in their study they found out that by the year 2023 over 8. Transportation and utilities also employed 2% of the employed veterans. So it is structure, the teamwork, and the sense of responsibility that becomes the attraction of the trucking industry where the focus is on employment of the military veterans. Specifically, Trucking enables them to persist in employment in a somewhat rigid setting whilst offering the flexibility and opportunity to travel and to work alone.


Melton Truck Lines: An analysis of veterans support: A case study.


For possibly the greatest real life example of how the trucking industry assists military veterans in making the transition to a civilian career one can look at the case of the 24-year Air Force veteran, Gus Corona. Corona on the other hand found himself in a bad state once his military duty of more than two decades ended. As is quite common with many veterans, he was thrown off by the abrupt lack of order and direction. It fishes not only the emotional problems which have arisen with the demobilization but also personal problems like the end of the marriage and children’s rejection.


Corona, however, embarked on the path to recovery after he secured a job at Melton Truck Lines which is a trucking firm based in Catoosa Oklahoma. Before he got his CDL, corona was hired by Melton and within one year he was given a training position. This time he was a trainer and an instructor which came in handy for him when he moved to the new position. He was not only great as a trainer but had also developed quite a sort of father figure to the drivers most of whom were experienced.


Leading Melton’s military hiring program is David Harper, Corona’s supervisor, and a Marine Corps veteran. Harper and Corona have ensured that they sensitize people on the fact that many veterans have physical and mental illnesses including high rates of suicide. Instead, for them, the trucking industry is the way more than just the possibility to have a steady job – it is an opportunity to provide other veterans with the chance to get a decent job as well.


“That’s why we’ve lost too many of them (veterans) to suicide,” Corona said in an interview with FreightWaves. “Mental health is something which I personally try to address in the best way possible, I make efforts to assist in whatever manner I can.”


Fastport and other events such as the Veteran Ready Summit:


Whereas players such as Melton Truck Lines are already doing this by providing employment to veterans, nonprofits such as Fastport are pushing the agenda further. Fastport was started with the mission of offering employment opportunities for the military veterans and their spouses. Indeed, over the years the company has grown and has included other similar sectors of the larger workforce, but it was founded to employ veteran personnel.


As an association, Fastport has primarily been dealing with such service companies and its president, Brad Bentley, was once the president of the Truckload Carriers Association and is associated with organizations such as the Hiring Our Heroes which aims to help veterans find employments in transportation and logistics. Ones such as Hiring Our Heroes, a non-profit which is an affiliate of the U.S, Chamber of Commerce Foundation has been very forceful in assisting veterans to seek apprenticeships with corresponding recognition of military skills.


That is why one of the most successful endeavors at Fastport is the Transition Trucking Driving for Excellence Award show where veteran special and their employers are honored along with CDL training facilities. The one and only activity that can be witnessed during the event is that a deserving veteran will receive a brand new Kenworth truck. This is a symbolic action demonstrating the intention of the trucking industry towards the veterans but also an opportunity that offers people to become an entrepreneur.


Aside from the Transition Trucking Award, Fastport also has the Veteran Ready Summit, the event which is held annually at the American Trucking Associations office in Washington, D. C. It is a convergence of leaders from the trucking industry, associations, and agencies of veterans, with the aim of devising and strategizing the way to properly support and employ veterans. For the small business organizations willing to employ the veteran population but may not really understand how to go about it then the Veteran Ready Summit is helpful.


Conclusion: Save Our Veterans


The trucking industry and organizations such as Fastport and Waypoint Vets are giving these veterans something more than a job, but rather surviving chance. Notably, trucking offers a much needed stability, a clear mission as well as an opportunity to be with like-minded people for veterans who commonly have a challenge of reintegration to civilian life.


Whether it is through driving a truck, helping other vets to gain employment and find their own path or going for different camping trips, these people are trying to be useful once again and, above all, find a way to heal. Considering the fact that the trucking industry is always ready to help veterans and provide them with job vacancies, it is also possible to conclude that the future is rather bright for those who have been serving their country.


1 view0 comments

Commentaires


bottom of page