b'Becoming an HVACR Service Technician Caleb Pringle joined the Armyright out Caleb said initially, he was interested in be-of high school in 2010. His first duty stationcoming a police officer, perhaps on a SWAT was El Paso, TX, as an infantryman. He hadteam, because it directly correlated with what he one tour in Afghanistan, where he worked as adid in the Army. He said, But then I realized I mine sweeper, looking for IEDs while his pla- didnt want to do the same thing as I did in the toon followed him. After Afghanistan, he spentArmy. I wanted slightly less stress, I guess. I several years at Fort Carson in Coloradodidnt want other peoples lives relying on me Springs, CO. He was promoted to Sergeant,anymore. I just wanted to do my job, make working in brigade operations. Following thatmoney, and go home to my family. I grew up assignment, while deployed in Kuwait, he was awith a dad who was a painter, and he built cus-Bradley Commander in charge of twotom homes from the ground up. He started as a Bradleystwo drivers and two gunners. Hepainter and then basically did everything from then traveled to Germany and Poland for athe foundation to the framing to the hardware short time while preparing to change duty sta- and everything. Because of watching him, I was tions from Fort Carson to Joint Base Lewis- interested in a trade. McChord (JBLM) in Washington, where he At the career center, he researched the VIP became a Squad Leader and a Weapons SquadHVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, Leader. He was in charge of the heavy guns, asand refrigeration) service technician program, he noted. During the last few months thatinterviewed, and was accepted. He spoke fondly Caleb was in Washington, they put him in theof his VIP HVACR instructor Dave Gibson,Caleb PringlePlatoon Sergeant position, where he was instating that, He was fantastic. As Caleb got charge of 40 soldiers in an infantry platoon. Asclose to graduation, he had the option to decide he was preparing to transition, he went to thewhere he wanted to continue his apprenticeship. career counseling center to explore his options. He explained that he would like to head back to 12 opsCAREER'