FORT SILL, Okla. (April 2, 2015) -- The Fort Sill Industrial Training Complex held a grand opening March 27, as it graduated its second class and welcomed potential industry partners during an open house.
Installation and business leaders cut the ribbon during the ceremony, which is Building 2502, Sheridan Road. The ITC is part of an Armywide initiative that provides Soldiers who are leaving the Army with work training and a guaranteed job upon graduation.
Fort Sill Garrison Commander Col. Glenn Waters said over 1 million Soldiers will be leaving the Army over the next 10 years, including 1,200 per year at Fort Sill.
"We owe it to those transitioning. We must provide them with the best opportunities so when they depart they are career ready," Waters said.
The Army partnered with the Teamsters, a trade union, in January. ABF Freight is one of the teamsters' partners and a company that provides training at the Fort Sill ITC.
Speaker James Hoffa, International Brotherhood of Teamsters general president, said America owes a debt to its veterans.
"One of the goals and obligations we have as a union, and all of us have, is to those who have served our country well and what we can do for them." Hoffa said. "What we're trying to give here today (is) guidance into the future ... that is what we owe our veterans."
Speaker Tim Thorne, ABF Freight president, said his company has over 12,000 employees and it is adding veterans to its ranks.
"I'm proud to help fellow veterans get good teamsters jobs. I started out in this industry just like these Soldiers over here," said Thorne pointing to the graduates.
ITC FACILITY
The ITC, formerly the RecPlex, is an ideal facility to train Soldiers on post, said Thomas Miller, ITC program manager. The 30,000-square foot facility was originally an arts and crafts center. It features four large classrooms, computer labs and training space.
The training provided is at no-cost to the Army, Miller said. Industrial partners brought into the ITC pay for equipment, training, modifications, usage, power, Internet, marketing costs, trainers and commit to hiring veterans into their company.
This innovative venture was born from the example leaders at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., put forth. The main difference is what JBLM did outside of their installation, Fort Sill is doing inside the gates, he said.
The Fort Sill ITC currently offers commercial driver's license (truck driver) training, and fire sprinkler pipefitting, through ABF Freight and United Association (UA) of Veterans in Piping, respectively.
Eric Packard, UA funds administrator, said UA has partnerships with nine military installations with welding, and heating and refrigeration programs. At Fort Sill it offers its first fire sprinkler program in an 18-week course.
"We have 100 percent job placement, and retention rate (in the trade) is great," Packard said.
Packard said Soldiers are motivated students.
"They're punctual, they enjoy the work and their good candidates all around," he said. "The brotherhood of the union reflects the brotherhood of the military.
Spc. Timothy Moss, D Battery, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery, is in his fourth week in the fire sprinkler program. He attends training four days a week from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The fifth day he reports to his unit for accountability and administrative procedures.
Moss said he enjoys building things and helping people so he was attracted to the program.
"Your learning a job here, but at the same time you're learning to be a civilian," he said. "We're here training in civilian clothes and are on a first-name basis."
Sgt. Jesse Cotton, a communications specialist, will complete the ABF Freight driver training next week, and he has a job waiting for him in Dallas.
"Going from a job to another job is a great opportunity," he said.
Miller said the ITC staff is looking into other industrial partners including information technology, and renewable energy companies, as well as management opportunities for senior transitioning Soldiers.
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