FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (Army News Service) -- When Sgt. Akini Celestine's active-duty Army enlistment ended in 2014, he had to choose between re-enlisting or moving back to New York to be with his family.
"It was not an easy decision," said Celestine. "I was happy serving as an Army specialist with the 555th Engineering Brigade as a horizontal construction engineer at Joint Base Lewis-McCord," said Celestine.
Nearing the end of his active-duty contract, Celestine was looking for employment when he saw the poster for the Veterans in Piping program at the Hawk Education Center at JBLM. The VIP program is run by the United Association, a union of pipe fitters, welders, and service technicians. A staffer provided Celestine with information, and he applied and was accepted.
"Celestine was very motivated to become a part of the program and to establish a career in the pipefitting industry," said Nicole Jeup, advisor for VIP.
"In fact, he was so excited after he gained approval from his unit to interview for the program, he came to visit me at the education center several times to ask if I knew when his interview would be and what he could do to prepare for the interview so that he would be sure to get in. I could tell by his enthusiasm and dedication that he was exactly what the United Association was looking for."
Celestine spent the last 18 weeks of his active-duty contract at the United Association's Local 26 in Lacy, Washington, training to become a certified welder.
CAREER SKILLS PROGRAM
"We have a total of nine programs at eight different locations nationwide," said Jeup. "The majority of our recruitment is a joint effort with the Career Skills Program providers located at the installations operating the VIP program."
From her experience as an education counselor at JBLM, Jeup is aware of the struggles faced by service members transitioning to civilian life.
"With the shortage of skilled labor and a highly anticipated increase in future projects, the construction industry needs to recruit tens of thousands of well-trained, highly-skilled workers in the coming years," Jeup said. "Veterans are equipped with the core skills needed in the construction industry."
Jeup added that Celestine came to the United Association with the leadership, discipline, focus and organizational skills that are essential to a successful career. She said veterans are valuable assets to an organization; with the valued skills that they bring from their military experience, they understand responsibilities and also know the value of working together as a team.
CELESTINE'S STORY
Celestine's dedication and enthusiasm for his work stems from his life experience. He was born in Grenada, and migrated to the U.S. in 2004, alone at age 19, in pursuit of a better life. As an undocumented immigrant, with no immediate family members in the U.S., he said that he had to work diligently to survive and that resources and access to opportunities were limited.
"I found work as a carpenter's helper for a non-union construction company," Celestine said. "I bounced from job to job, working during the day and attending college at nights, bearing the burden of having to pay my tuition out of pocket, since being undocumented made me ineligible for any financial aid or student loans."
Five years later, in 2009, Celestine became a permanent U.S resident and he enlisted into the Army in 2010 Brooklyn, New York.
Celestine served three and a half years on active duty with JBLM's 14th Engineer Battalion, which included a 12-month deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His unit conducted route clearance missions that involved clearing the roads of improvised explosive devices so that troops, equipment, and supplies could move freely around the country.
PLUMBING APPRENTICESHIP
Upon his release from active duty in February 2014, Celestine transferred into the Army Reserve and received an assignment in his home state of New York, where he is completing his fourth year in a five-year plumbing apprenticeship with the United Association Plumbers Local 01.He installs pipes, fixtures, appliances and gas piping in and around New York City and ensures plumbing codes are met.
As a journeyman union plumber apprentice, Celestine makes about $65,000 a year. Upon competition of his five-year apprenticeship, he can expect to make over $100,000 plus any overtime.
Celestine also serves as a horizontal construction engineer and a sergeant in the Army Reserve's 455th Engineer Detachment in Farmingdale, N.Y.. He explained that horizontal construction deals with non-elevated construction such as roads, bridges and air strips. He trains and leads an engineering detachment of nine soldiers, and operates heavy construction equipment such as backhoes, excavators, loaders, bulldozers, graders and dump trucks. He also constructs concrete slabs that are used as tent pads and sidewalks.
Celestine said that his local union is very supportive of his Army Reserve service and releases him when it's time for his monthly drill and two weeks of annual training. He is also attending college at nights for a bachelor's degree in business management, and he wants to continue serving in the Army Reserve and advance through the ranks until retirement.
"The Army and the United Association have given me the opportunity to enjoy the best of both civilian and military life, he said. "I intend to utilize what I am learning in this process to become a better leader and influence positive change."
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