Transitioning from military service to civilian life is a major step that comes with both challenges and opportunities.
For Army Spc. Christopher Emery, that journey was made not only smoother, but rewarding, thanks to the United Association Veterans in Piping (UA VIP) program. 
Before he left the service, Emery enrolled in Joint Base Lewis-McChord Welding Class 14, where he learned the fundamentals of welding.
Now, as a newly minted journeyman with UA Local 26, Emery credits the UA VIP program for giving him the basic welding and pipefitting skills he needed to thrive after leaving the military.
“The VIP program gave me real-world welding and pipefitting skills that have allowed me to be financially stable and enter into a lifelong career of Brothers and Sisters who support me through my journey in the trade,” Emery said.
Unlike many who start their civilian careers from scratch, Emery felt prepared from day one.
“It was smooth with the VIP program,” he said. “It allowed me to really understand the trade and come in with some skills, versus if I had not used the program, I’d start at square one and have to learn on the fly.”
Emery looked into numerous SkillBridge programs, but said UA VIP stood apart from the rest because it offered a sense of community.
“VIP gave me a Brotherhood and support system like no other programs offered,” he said. “It also offered the ability to be at home with my family at the end of each day and be flexible with vacation time and the ability to be financially stable from the start.”
This sense of belonging and support has been a cornerstone of his experience, which he says is unmatched by any other career path he considered.
After graduating from Class 14, Emery began working immediately after transitioning out of the military and arriving at his Local. He said the training he received was practical and relevant, preparing him for all the jobs he’s encountered so far.
Since completing the program, Emery has worked on a wide range of projects, including the new house project at the state capital in Olympia, building the piping system for a new children’s hospital in Tacoma, working on a new warehouse in Centralia and many complete shutdowns and maintenance at mills, industrial plants and various other construction projects.
For Emery, the UA VIP program was more than just a training opportunity; it was the foundation for a stable, rewarding, civilian career and a new community to call his own.
“VIP is a Brotherhood full of other members who support you in all that you do,” he said. “It helps give real-world skills in a smooth transition and sets you up to make a real living in a trade that’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”
His advice to fellow service members is sincere and straightforward: take the leap, join the UA Brotherhood and build a future you can be proud of.
More UA VIP program info
The UA VIP program is a DOD SkillBridge initiative that offers transitioning military members the opportunity to learn the skills necessary for a rewarding civilian career in the pipe trades.
UA VIP graduates are guaranteed direct placement into a DOL-registered UA apprenticeship program after completing their UA VIP training and transitioning from the military.
After completing their five-year apprenticeship, VIP graduates achieve journeyman status, unlocking more career advancement opportunities.
The UA VIP program offers 118 days of on-base training to prepare transitioning service members for civilian careers in welding, HVACR or fire suppression at the following military bases:
- Camp Pendleton (welding)
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord (welding and HVACR)
- Fort Carson (welding)
- Fort Cavazos (welding)
- Camp Lejeune (welding)
- Fort Campbell (welding and fire suppression)
- Naval Station Norfolk (HVACR)
Active-duty service members preparing to transition out of the military are strongly encouraged to learn more and apply by visiting the official UA VIP program website.
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