Veteran’s Day

VETERANS IN THE INDUSTRY

november 2022

The construction industry is no stranger to supporting our military veterans and we are proud to do so. Many ABC Pelican members have a passion for serving those who served us first. To honor Veterans Day (November 11) we wanted to recognize a few member companies that devote time to helping veterans find careers in the construction industry after being deployed or retiring from the military. Performance created the ‘Built to Serve’ program to recruit, train and retain veterans in the construction industry. Because of this program, Performance currently employs 300 veterans or active guard/reserves. One of those employees, Major Torrey Garrison, United States Air Force Reserves, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, has been with Performance since 2013 and currently serves as the Vice President of Environmental, Health and Safety and Leadership Development. Garrison chose to work at Performance because of the commitment to Veterans. “My dad served in the Army during the Vietnam conflict. When asked about his service he tells me that it was an honor to serve this great country and he wasn’t about to let his friends and family serve without him. I wasn’t about to let it stop with my generation, so I followed suit. Service is not something I take lightly and working for a company, like Performance, that not only supports but encourages military service just adds to that honor.” Performance is also proud to participate in RED (Remember Everyone Deployed) Friday. On Fridays all staff members are encouraged to wear red as a way of showing support for the deployed and the families of the deployed men and women. Another company that is no stranger to supporting their veterans is Moore Industries. “Hiring Veterans is very important to Moore. It is a way to give back to those who have given so much to us,” says David Theriot, Director of Human Resources. “We find that their values often line closely to our company’s values.” Currently, 11% of Moore’s employees are Veterans. Moore actively seeks Veteran candidates through NextOp and other organizations as well the military branches, directly. Moore has had great success participating in the Skillbridge Program. Skillbridge is an on-the-job training program where current military are able to “intern” for a portion of their service. This helps them transition into a civilian career directly after their service ends and provides employers an avenue to find talented, motivated individuals. Every Friday Moore also participates in RED Friday. Veteran owned company, Troop Industrial, is well known for promoting, honoring, and working with Veterans. They are always looking for opportunities to onboard or help locate a good path for a Veteran looking for work. Every event they participate in, marketing and advertising, and the culture of their company is centered around the spirit of the military’s commitment to performance, dedication to completing a mission, and standards that you would expect in the military. Eric Sturrock, owner, says “I love surrounding myself with Veterans. We speak the same language, we understand the attention to detail, dedication, mission, noexcuses, and make things happen mentality.” Currently, 60% of Troop Industrial’s employees are Veterans. A Veteran’s transition into civilian life after their career in the military can be a tough one. Finding a job is something ABC members hope to make easier for them. We are proud to support our Veterans and are proud of our members who do the same.