KNIGHT FLEET OF HEROES

What was your AFSC/job in the military?

I was a combat engineer and heavy equipment operator for 20 years. We are the first in to rebuild damaged runways and build schools. Build or rebuild, let’s put it that way! We were never the Band-Aid people— we always built from the ground up. We’ve built runways completely from the ground. It's pretty crazy looking back at some of the stuff that we’ve done, a lot of humanitarian stuff.

What made you decide to join the military?

The military was not completely in the cards, right off the bat. I had actually gone through graphic design school and was trying to do something in that realm, but my dad and grandfather both were in the military. This was at a point in the early ’90s where there wasn't a lot going on and jobs weren't really happening. My dad and I sat down and talked one day and he was like, “You know, you could at least go talk to them.” And that's how it kind of sparked and got me interested in it. The coolest part of it, even though I never really did much with the graphic design world, I still kept at it and designed squadron coins and T-shirts, and stuff like that. There is a huge mural on the wall that I retired from, which is cool. I tended to leave my mark where I could, just out of hobby. There are barricades in the Middle East right now that still have artwork that we did just as a morale thing for the unit.

How do you think the military has prepared you for a career in the civilian world?

Above all else, trucking is probably the easiest transition for somebody who deploys a lot because you’re gone a lot. So that part of it never really ended. Somebody’s at home taking care of something while you’re out taking care of the other. It was easy. And because I came from a career that operated big trucks it was even easier… I got plenty of practice because I was a trainer in the military as well. I trained a buddy of mine not too long ago. He was an aircraft maintenance officer. He basically took care of aircraft and so it was a little bit of a transition, but he went through school and he was one of the easiest trainees I’ve ever had because he just kind of came ready. And that is something that you can only get through something like the military— that devotion and “put down your head and move” attitude.

Why did you choose trucking for your career path?

I think a lot of us, as outgoing as we can tend to be, are more introverted and we like to be out and do our own thing. We work really well in a group dynamic but, out here, you are kind of your own dude and you're just doing your own thing. You’re your own boss, you're your own safety guy… Everything you learned in the military you can apply to this job as far as self-motivation and stuff like that goes.

During my last few years of the military, I remember having conversations with people saying “no matter what, even if you don’t use it, get your CDL when you get out., you’re gonna thank someone later on.” And it's always been true! If you're in a position where you can get your CDL out of the military there is no way you shouldn't do it, just because you can use it in so many places. Being in a unit like mine, I could have probably gone on to do numerous things, just because we were kind of jacks of all trades. I mean, we had mechanics laying brick with us on jobs. We had our chaplain out there on the roads with us, working with us side by side, on jobs overseas where it really mattered to have all hands on deck. We learn in our career field that we are builders. So I could've gone different ways with a little bit of confidence. But I used to always love it when we’d load up stuff on the trailers and we’d take it to another base to do construction. And I always loved being one of those guys that got to do the road stuff because it was fun! It did stick with me at the end there when I decided to do this. But, after the military, I tried different stuff. I did a few things here and there, I just didn’t want to be the “jumper.” Once you get out of the military a lot of people tend to move around and do different things because we don't really have a place in the civilian sector necessarily, unless it is something like trucking or construction. This was always going to be one of my options, even if I didn’t know it at the time. I didn’t know if I was going to like this or not. But, after my first year of being in this job, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else just because you're so integrated into everything and you're not scared of a lot of things that you are when you first start. This job is not for everybody. Once I kind of had it in me, I don’t think I could do anything else.

Where do you see yourself going now that you’re involved in the industry?

I don't really think I need to plan ahead so much. I've got my eye on the million miles. That's the goal. If you ask anybody that’s been in the military, we’re all goal-oriented. So you set little goals for yourself when you’re out here and a million miles is definitely the goal right now. And try to stay with the same company as long as I can. Knight welcomed me with open arms right out of the gate.

How do you continue to honor your military service now that you have transitioned?

I started doing Wreaths Across America back in 2019 as soon as I heard we were going to be involved in it. Little things like that. I will talk to anybody, I am on a lot of our military pages on FB and stuff like that, so I am always sharing. I am not necessarily recruiting as much as I am sharing our experiences out here and of course sharing pictures of my truck.

How has trucking influenced your life?

I went from serving the country to serving the country! I am just switching directions a little bit and still feel like I am doing something for others. Especially during the pandemic, we didn’t miss a beat. That made me feel good, that we could continue to do what we do if it's going to put food on someone’s table or bring it from the farm to the store. That kind of stuff is where I get the joy out of it. Like if we are picking up for a humanitarian thing or a charity. My next load is going to a homeless shelter. It is the little things here and there that Knight puts us on or that we find and we bring it up to the bosses. When there are hurricanes, being the people that bring water to some of these places is really cool. Even though I haven’t had the personal opportunity to do that, it's still being part of this that makes it all worthwhile. It is self-gratification, but at the same time, it's pushing forward, it's passing something on. Anytime I or we can do something for others is always a good thing. Being something bigger than yourself. That's what we always said in the military- doing something beyond yourself.