Supporting Veterans in Their Transition to Civilian Life
Many veterans have found new careers in the trucking industry after leaving the military. Although the shift to civilian life can be challenging, some have discovered healing by helping fellow veterans improve their lives. Here are three inspiring stories of veterans and business leaders who have played crucial roles in helping ex-soldiers find employment and establish nonprofit organizations in support of their fellow veterans.
Starting Fresh with Melton
Gus Corona faced significant life changes after serving 24 years in the Air Force. While he planned to return to Texas and adapt to civilian life, unexpected hardships followed, including a divorce and estrangement from his children.
Every veteran’s transition from military to civilian life is unique; for some, it is seamless, while for others, it can be incredibly difficult. Some carry physical injuries, while others deal with psychological trauma. For Corona, the transition was particularly tough.
“It really messed me up …,” he shared in a virtual interview with FreightWaves. “I was in a dark place after leaving the military. I was used to the structure and being told what to do, but then it was like starting from scratch in the world.”
As he battled difficult thoughts, Corona found hope through various job opportunities. He worked as a gym trainer, drawing parallels to the military’s physical demands. Later, he became a chef, where cleanliness, uniforms, and etiquette were essential.
Eventually, he joined Melton Truck Lines, where he pursued his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). After a year of driving for the Oklahoma-based company, he was promoted to the position of trainer for new drivers.
“Being a trainer comes naturally to me since I was an instructor in the Air Force. I love teaching,” Corona explained. He has been training for three years.
David Harper, a Marine Corps veteran and Corona’s supervisor, leads Melton’s military hiring program. Harper emphasizes that Corona is more than just a trainer; he is a mentor to many.
“He drives one of our military-wrapped trucks and has a significant influence throughout the fleet,” Harper noted. “Gus excels at staying connected with drivers, answering questions, and providing support and guidance.”
Together, Harper and Corona focus on raising awareness about veteran suicides and supporting first responders through their efforts with the company.
“I lost two kids I supervised to suicide,” said Corona. “I do what I can to help with mental health issues.”
“A lot of veterans face challenges like that,” Harper added. “We live in a bubble in the military, surrounded by friends and structure. When that identity and purpose are lost, many veterans struggle.”
As “battle buddies,” Harper and Corona aim to support those transitioning to civilian life, working with various veteran organizations nationwide.
In 2023, over 8.2% of employed veterans worked in the transportation and utility sectors, according to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics. Despite the trucking industry’s high turnover rates, Melton experienced a 48% turnover rate among veterans in the second quarter. Harper appreciates Melton’s commitment to hiring veterans.
Gus earned the “Highway Angel” award from the American Truckload Carriers Association two summers ago for heroically rescuing a fellow driver after a serious accident. The man who once questioned his purpose found a new one in saving someone else’s life.
Assisting Veterans with Fastport and the Veteran Ready Summit
Fastport was established to connect military veterans and their spouses with meaningful civilian employment opportunities. The organization has since expanded its focus to overall workforce development.
“A lot of this evolved from our collaboration with Hiring Our Heroes,” said Brad Bentley, Fastport’s president and former Truckload Carriers Association president. “We developed a resume engine that translates military occupational specialties into civilian terms.”
Hiring Our Heroes is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, dedicated to linking veterans with civilian employers. Fastport received its first contract from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2016, becoming the agency’s industry intermediary for transportation, distribution, and logistics.
Bentley credits the success of Fastport’s Department of Labor bid to the background of its leadership, including founder Jim Ray, who came from the trucking industry, and CEO Will McLennan, a Marine with a successful career in supply chain management.
The Department of Defense challenged corporate America to get involved in launching military hiring programs, and Fastport has been addressing the veteran hiring issue for about a decade.
Bentley conceptualized the Transition Trucking Driving for Excellence Award shortly after becoming president of Fastport in 2015. Now in its ninth year, the award recognizes veterans, employers, and CDL institutions for enhancing the safety and comfort of the nation’s 3.5 million professional truck drivers.
Finalists are invited to a conference at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where a new truck from Kenworth Truck Co. is awarded to the grand prize winner.
“Instead of just offering a cash prize, we wanted to provide something that could significantly change a veteran’s life,” Bentley noted. “Many veterans aspire to be business owners and entrepreneurs, and we approached Kenworth to help facilitate this.”
The truck keys are presented each year on the eve of Wreaths Across America Day at Arlington National Cemetery. Fastport also began organizing a signing for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at the Pentagon, coinciding with the ceremony.
As interest in hiring veterans grew, Bentley noticed smaller companies wanting to participate but unable to compete with larger employers.
“The trucking industry has always been patriotic; many want to hire veterans but may not know how,” Bentley explained. “This motivated us to create the Veteran Ready Summit, designed to help organizations become veteran-ready.”
Now in its third year, the Veteran Ready Summit will take place at the American Trucking Associations headquarters in Washington from December 11-13. Co-sponsors include TransForce, CDLLife, Veterans In Trucking, and Conversion Interactive Agency.
“It’s a unique chance for industry leaders to come together, share positive stories, and honor veterans while giving away a truck that can change a life,” Bentley mentioned.
Waypoint Vets and Sarah Lee’s Journey
Sarah Lee also faced challenges upon returning to civilian life. She joined the Army National Guard at just 17, seeking the camaraderie that comes with being part of a team.
“It was a wonderful way to transition into adulthood,” Lee recalled. “Basic training instilled self-respect, confidence, and a deep respect for others.”
During her service, Lee was deployed to Panama and Iraq with the 216th Combat Engineers during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. After her honorable discharge in 2009, she started a photography business to honor her fallen comrades.
“Not everyone returned from deployment; I lost a close friend in Iraq. Capturing moments for families became my passion because photos can be all that remains of someone one day,” she shared.
However, a neck injury exacerbated by her military service hindered her ability to work as a photographer. The pain, combined with survivor’s guilt and a sense of purposelessness, led Lee to a dark place.
“In early 2017, I attempted to take my life but survived,” she admitted. “In the aftermath, I bought a bicycle, which I discovered didn’t hurt my neck. This rekindled my love for cycling.”
Lee decided to ride over 4,000 miles across the country from Yorktown, Virginia, to San Francisco. During her journey, she began sketching her vision for a new initiative: Waypoint Vets.
“Service saves the heart, simplicity salvages the mind,” she wrote beside her sketch.
Upon reaching the Golden Gate Bridge, Lee felt a profound sense of peace and purpose, honoring the friends she lost along the way. “I wanted to honor them by giving back and serving again. … This journey saved my life.”
Just three weeks after returning home, Lee obtained nonprofit status for Waypoint Vets, which organizes outdoor excursions for veterans to foster adventure, camaraderie, and healing.
In 2020, Waypoint Vets took its first group of eight veterans on a canyoneering trip in Utah, and the organization now hosts nine trips annually across the country.
In November 2023, Waypoint Vets partnered with Wreaths Across America, Veterans In Trucking, and Fastport to take ten Vietnam War veterans back to Vietnam for an all-expenses-paid trip. The veterans enjoyed a three-day cruise, toured the country, and met Vietnamese veterans who had served in the same conflict.
“They were sharing meals, laughing, and connecting,” Lee said. “It was an incredible experience.”
The trip culminated with a visit to downtown Hanoi on Veterans Day. “Witnessing their joy and openness was truly inspiring,” she reflected. “While I wasn’t sure I could return to Iraq, visiting Vietnam gave me hope for my generation to find closure.”
