Honoring the Wireless Infrastructure Industry’s Military Veterans

As the nation pauses in November to honor our veterans and reflect on the sacrifices each of them have made for our freedom, the Wireless Infrastructure Association also recognizes the many U.S. military veterans who have transitioned into civilian careers in our industry. We asked veterans working in the wireless infrastructure industry to reflect upon their service and what they learned during their time in the military that prepared them for their eventual career path.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 200,000 men and women transition out of the military into civilian careers each year. The wireless infrastructure industry offers a natural career path for many of those veterans.

Fred Arnold

Chief Communications Officer, Learning Alliance Corp.
Military Service: Navy, E3, ET(Nav) on board Submarines, working with electronic navigation systems, virtual navigation systems and electronic troubleshooting.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?

An ET relates to an Electrician in the civilian world, but it is still trade oriented. When I got out of the military I went to school and worked as a dispatcher/technical trouble shooter for a telecommunications company specializing in broadband infrastructure. From there, I was promoted into their HR/Compliance department and learned everything there is to know about the quite aggravating world of telecom compliance (did you know a background check could take up to 3 weeks? Yikes). As I finished my degree, I was given the opportunity to progress into a multimedia specialist role where I helped streamline communication, build training initiatives for broadband employees and cultivate stronger technology use within the organization. From there, I joined Learning Alliance to build wireless training programs to benefit the industry, and I can say my time after the military in telecom has been defined by the leadership skills I obtained from service.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

The structure of the job. Everything is team oriented, safety is a priority, you travel, and you are placed into a structured learning/growth environment. These aspects are like military life so a Veteran can transition into this career without the civilian culture shock that many vets face. Pay is also a good motivator. Many of the Veterans who become students with us come from $9/hr jobs, barely scraping by. The industry has huge wage growth potential, and a Veteran should be able to leave the service and not fight pay check to pay check.

Josh Broder

Chief Executive Officer, Tilson Technology Management
Military Service: US Army, Signal Officer; Europe, Middle East, Central Asia; Bronze Star recipient for service in Afghanistan running the tactical communications network for U.S. forces

Why should companies in the wireless infrastructure industry consider hiring veterans?

Hiring veterans is important to me and I have created ways to hire veterans with or without plainly transferable skills for the merit they bring in supporting Tilson’s core values of Safety, Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Professionalism and Composure. At one point, Tilson’s veteran population was nearly 50%, but our growth coupled with [thankfully] the lowest national Veteran unemployment rate in my lifetime has made hiring veterans just as competitive as other growth industries. (Written Testimony of Joshua Broder, Chief Executive Officer, Tilson Technology Management to U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business, Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development: Mind the Skills Gap: Apprenticeships and Training Programs) 

What impact has your military experience had on running a business?

The military is all about teamwork and being in service to something bigger than yourself. At Tilson, we have been able to build a team of very high performing people who are in service to each other. While the people who work at Tilson are given a lot of autonomy and latitude to create and come up with solutions, they work in a highly collaborative environment. That said, like many others in the tech industry, finding the right people is always the most challenging part of our business. (As quoted in Coastal Enterprises Inc. Magazine)

Cheffren J. Canady

Director, Solution, Engineering, Zayo Group LLC
Military Service: 2006 West Point graduate, Captain US Army/Aviation, AH-64D Helicopter Pilot, deployed to Tal ‘afar and Mosul, Iraq 2009-2010 and Tarin Kowt and Kandahar, Afghanistan 2012-2013

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?

Looking back on my 14 years of military service, I frequently draw on trainings and lessons learned to guide me through the complicated telecommunications industry and ecosystem. The military afforded me the opportunity to develop, test, improve, and utilize problem solving and critical thinking skills in order to solve both simple and complex problems. Refining these skills enabled me to make informed operational, personnel, and strategic decisions both in the military and within the industry. Working within telecommunication infrastructure also requires a certain degree of flexibility. While the military is very structured, there were certain aspects of each operational position I held that required me to remain dynamic. Within this ever-changing environment, I had to constantly adapt in order to achieve mission success. In addition to the aforementioned skills, leadership and management training, professional development systems and feedback, and strategic operational development and improvement have all proven vital as part of my transition from the military into the telecommunication infrastructure industry.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

This industry provides a great environment for transitioning military veterans to work within. The most attractive aspect of this industry was its ability to give me a renewed sense of purpose. While changes often occur, the majority of opportunities have a similar workflow consisting of requirements, missions, and end-states. Every opportunity concludes with a tangible product that provides a service to solve the given customer’s needs while also improving the functionality and size of my company’s network. Furthermore, the telecommunication infrastructure community is a small community, which is similar to Army aviation. Within aviation, I would often cross paths with the same individuals in different units, and the same holds true for the telecommunication industry. Through these interactions, I have been able to develop professional relationships and personal friendships.  This collaborative environment has enabled me to make a positive impact on the application, development, and deployment of cutting-edge technology to drive the future of communication and connectivity.

Dale Caswell

Assembler, CityPole/Aero Wireless Group
Military Service: E-4, US Air Force, Computer Operator, Omaha, Nebraska

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?

Organization and attention to detail.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

The wireless industry is a stable industry with excellent growth potential.

Craig Clifton

Senior Vice President, Apex Towers
Military Service: US Air Force active duty. SR AIRMAN. Member of the 66^th Rescue Squadron special ops unit. Specialized in HELO rescues for both civilian and military needs.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?
Team orientation and coordination. Ability to focus/perform and manage individual and group tasks at hand while observing and moving multiple projects toward the overall goal that is to be achieved. Discipline. How to communicate with a wide range of diverse groups and specialties. Adherence to policies while also having the capability of “thinking out of the box.” Willingness to hold yourself more accountable. Accountability not only for yourself but of your team. Preparing for and knowing the capabilities of the resources at your disposal.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

Many complexities of the wireless development industry fall in line with past training and experiences veterans have acclimated themselves to. Their ability to observe, ascertain the situation, create a plan of action and move forward with correction/completion of the task and /or project. Realizing the importance of the situation and the compliance standards that must be upheld to complete.

Bryant Cloud

Director, Commercial Sales West, Tessco Technologies
Military Service: US Marine Corps, E-5 Sergeant, Afghanistan 2008/Field Artillery and Afghanistan 2009/Provisional Infantry Company

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

Adapt and overcome – there are many times in the Marine Corps as in business where there are many changes going on all around you. It’s essential that this change takes place and you help embrace it and champion throughout your team/company.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

Technology overall is a wonderful field for anyone to be a part of and it allows that veteran to leverage the skills that they’ve learned through their time in the respective service they’ve served in to be a part of something bigger than one person. Here at Tessco they have the chance to be a part of a team that’s passionate about customer experience and doing great work.

Stephen Cullen

VP of Operations, Aero Wireless Group
Military Service: Colonel, U.S. Air Force

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

Value of integrity, strategy, operational excellence, sound management, good leadership, and talented people with good values and a work ethic.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

Opportunity to apply what was learned in the military in another leading-edge technology sector.

James “Jay” Cutler

Director of Emerging Markets and Partner Development, Airwavz Solutions
Military Service: US Air Force 1984 to 2004, Retired, Disabled.  Served in Germany, Mississippi, North Dakota, Alaska, Oklahoma, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Afghanistan. 7^th Generation Veteran

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?

My first 12 years in the Air Force I was an Air Traffic Control and Weather Radar Maintenance Technician and the last 8 years I was a Spectrum Manager/Engineer.  I worked in the Radio Frequency Spectrum arena for 20 years.  I worked in the J-6 for combat operations developing communications plans for the warfighters.  I also taught at the Spectrum Management school for Joint Services and International Military training, teaching Spectrum Management, Law, Mathematics, Engineering.  All my experience and training is practical in nature, every aspect was applied to the real world and not theoretical.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

The military service member is inherently suited for this industry because of discipline, motivation and ability to adapt and overcome.  I believe any veteran with training in any of the communication electronics disciplines in the military branches will fit in and progress rapidly in this field.  Attitude is more important than aptitude, if you are willing to learn new things then you will succeed.

Gary Cyr

Engineering CAD Technician II, Aero Wireless Group/Aero Solutions
Military Service: SPC/E-4, Army, Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005-06, 88M – Transportation. In Iraq I was on my company’s gun truck platoon and served as a .50 cal gunner as we escorted convoys across Iraq.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

My time in the military taught me how to be successful working on a team, being able to adjust fire on the fly with how quick things can change. I also use a lot of the values I learned in my career such as dedication, integrity and a good work ethic. I feel without those it makes it tough to be successful!

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

There are a lot of similarities between them. The military vision and the complete the mission mentality translate to how things work in the wireless industry just not at the combat level. I feel the industry has a lot of skills and values that veterans learn and acquire that are transferable between the two.

Jake I. DeHerrera

Power Generations Equipment Repairer, 52D10, Aero Wireless Group/Aero Solutions
Military Service: 123^rd Signal Battalion, 4^th Infantry Division, E5/Sergeant, Army, Korea, Ft. Carson, Colo., Wurzberg, Germany

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

The thing that has helped me most is teamwork. It takes a team to complete projects.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

In my opinion, many veterans are used to working in a team atmosphere, so joining a company in the private sector that has similar work ethic(s) makes for a smoother transition into a civilian career.

Jeffrey Flynn

Inventory Specialist, Aero Wireless Group/Comptek Technologies
Military Service: US Marine Corps, E-4, 2 years in Okinawa, Japan, working exercises and operations classified and non-classified as a Marine Ground Task Force Planner Specialist.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

I have learned how to work with people of all backgrounds and how to facilitate positive results under uncertain circumstances. My time in the Marines helps me with the constant evolving atmosphere of the wireless infrastructure industry.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

This industry is a growing field with lots of opportunity. This is great for veterans because with the varied backgrounds and experiences we have, we will be able to fill multiple roles. Veterans’ ability to adapt and learn new skills in unfamiliar environments means that we can find a niche and succeed where others may struggle.

Raymond Helvey

Manager Engineering Structural Design, American Tower
Military Service: Corporal E4, US Army, deployed to Korea from August 1988 to July 1989 and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm as an indirect fire infantryman (11C) from August 1990 to February 1991.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?

The military taught me the meaning of teamwork. A high-performing team working together to use the skills and attributes of all team members performs at a level greater than the sum of its parts.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

One of the most challenging things that some veterans encounter in the civilian workplace is the static, never changing nature of some organizations.  The wireless infrastructure industry doesn’t have that problem and offers veterans a chance to thrive in a constantly changing, constantly evolving, constantly challenging environment.

Adria Horn

Vice President of Workforce, Tilson Technology Management
Military Service: West Point Graduate, U.S. Army 17 years, including five deployments in support of the Global War on Terror. Currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve.

What are you doing at Tilson to help military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

Tilson is modernizing benefits to better align with the needs of an ever-evolving and high-performing workforce. We strongly believe that our new leave policies will provide more meaningful support to our incredible teams working across the country as they juggle growing families, varied work schedules, continued military service to our Nation and the ongoing demands of work-life integration.

John Jung

Inventory Control Specialist, Aero Wireless Group/Comptek Technologies
Military Service: Lieutenant Commander (O-4), Supply Corps, US Navy, Retired; Auxiliary Mechanical Technician – USS Meyerkord (DE-1058), USS Ethan Allen (SSN-608 Blue), USS Skate (SSN-578), Supply Officer – USS Sand Lance (SSN-660), Contracts Specialist – Naval Sea Systems Command, Division Head, Supply Customer Service, Stores Division & Supply QA – USS McKee (AS41), Logistics Department Head – Naval Oceanographic Office

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

My military service has taught me the value of hard work, flexibility, perseverance, teamwork, preparedness, discipline, attention to detail & excellence.  My various duties on the engineering, logistics and business management side has helped me to quickly grasp production concepts and provide mechanical troubleshooting and identify quality issues.  My military experience allows me to react quickly to the rapidly changing competitive environment without stressing out and helps to identify process gaps.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

At this stage of the country’s 5G rollout where companies are investing heavily, the wireless infrastructure field appears to be recession resistant.  Military veterans have been taught to anticipate changes on the battlefield which will help with the rapid changes the wireless infrastructure industry is undergoing due to technology changes.

Wendy Martin

Sales Support Representative, Tessco Technologies
Military Service: US Air Force, Veterinary Specialist

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?

My time in the military gave me a strong foundation of skills based on work ethic and the value of teamwork and the importance of communications. How to adapt and conquer any challenge.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

The wireless industry is ever-changing and here to stay. It is a great career path for veterans who understand the need for communications.

Anthony Molina

Military Recruiter, Mastec Network Solutions
Military Service: US Navy, Submarine Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer, 5 Western Pacific Deployments. Submarine Communications

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless industry career?
My time in the Navy taught me “Attention to detail.” This is a fast-paced industry with many moving parts, and even the smallest item overlooked can cause setbacks and delays. Slow is fast, do it right the first time and you will save time.

Why do you think the wireless infrastructure industry is a great career path for veterans?

This industry is a great opportunity for veterans because it not only offers challenging jobs but offers room for advancement. There is a path here for anyone willing to work hard and contribute to the team.

Joseph Perrigo

Vice President, Construction/Operations, Airwavz Solutions Inc.
Military Service: Sr Airman, US Air Force, Chanute,IL/Abilene, TX, Missile Systems Analyst Specialist

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

It opened my young and naïve eyes to all the differing career fields in the world we live in. As a young student we have a very small glimpse into the professional disciplined world and only thru experience, hard work and sometimes luck can the doors be opened to lead us down the paths we travel.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

The wireless industry is absolutely a great opportunity for military veterans! I did not have the opportunity to perform wireless service activities in the military but the roots of hard work and discipline that the service teaches us provide the backbone to excel in any discipline/career that the veteran chooses to partake. Having served your country and fellow man is always a great resume item as well as proving to yourself that you can overcome most anything you set your mind to and do it well.

Mark Reynolds

Associate Director IT, University of New Mexico
Military Service: US Air Force, SGT, 1973-1979 (Vietnam Era Veteran). Served in Texas/Spain – Europe working on the Automatic Voice Network (Autovon) worldwide American military telephone system.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

With my parents not being academic, I had two choices: get a job and leave or join the military or leave – Dad’s words. In the Air Force, I went to Autovon training – a-year long training that covered all aspects of electronics, voice, radar, microwave, and infrastructure. It was one of the best courses I have taken in my career history. That key training has helped me form the foundational skills I needed to continue my career in telecommunications, including cellular technologies.

Why is the wireless infrastructure industry a great opportunity for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers?

As Baby Boomers like myself are close to retirement, the skills, trades, and engineer fields are in need of skilled cellular, wireless infrastructure specialties.

Matthew Rodrigue

Licensing coordinator, Tilson Technology Management
Military Service: Maine Army National Guard, Captain. I am a company commander of Maine’s only Forward Support Company tasked with providing our Soldiers with timely and accurate logistic support. I am responsible for planning and executing individual training of the soldiers and collective training of the company towards full mission readiness, in support of the battalion combat service support missions and state emergency missions.

What has military service meant to you?

The National Guard has given me the opportunity to serve my community, state and country in ways that I never could have done as a civilian. It has brought me to every corner of the country and abroad, placing me side by side with the most honorable and talented people in the world. My service has helped me grow into a decisive leader, loving father and husband, and loyal employee.

Do you think your skills from the service have translated into your civilian work?

I absolutely believe they have. The skills I have gained in the military I have been able to bring to the table in my civilian career, such as leadership, determination, organization, integrity, duty and respect.

Jahleel Rogers

Tower technician, Tilson Technology Management
Military Service: U.S. Army, rifleman automatic rifleman, grenadier, team leader, squad leader, weapon squad leader, and platoon sergeant.

What did your time in the military mean to you?

My service has given me a sense of purpose and direction in my life. I can look back at the years I served and truly be proud of what I have done.

What did your time in the military teach you that has helped you in your wireless infrastructure industry job?

I think my work ethic and discipline are the two key skills that transferred. You can teach anyone the technical side of the job, but those are traits that are hard to instill.