Colorado Senator Cory Gardner arrived on September 11, 2015, to congratulate the latest group of soldiers who were graduating from the UA’s fifth Fort Carson Veterans in Piping® (VIP®) welding program held at Local 58 in Colorado Springs. Senator Gardner arrived early and candidly spoke to the participants about the program and heard about their plans for the future. They all said the program was so much harder than they anticipated, but they were excited and felt prepared to take their next step toward becoming a United Association journeyman.
Addressing the participants at the graduation ceremony, Senator Gardner talked about his life growing up on his grandparents’ farm and how both of his grandparents were welders during WW II in Portland, OR. As part of the war effort, they became welders on Liberty ships. He said he could remember watching his grandparents in the shop, welding side-by-side on the same project. He was familiar with the craft and admires it greatly.
Senator Gardner said, “Welding is a foundation of our economy, and we don’t have enough people to do it. These are good-paying jobs, because it’s hard work. We have to make sure these opportunities are available. The fact that we have a program here that makes sure a transition is in place from the Army to civilian life—ensuring that you have the skills for the jobs and the connections to those jobs—is absolutely critical. I’m proud of the work you’ve done to graduate here today.”
Training Specialist Mike Hazard, who oversees the VIP program for the UA, reflected on the significance of the initiative that first took place in October 2013 at Fort Carson, stating, “The UA VIP program has trained 874 veterans—874 service members who have transitioned out of the military into great careers.”
Major General Ryan F. Gonsalves, Division Commander, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, thanked the UA, stating, “Thanks to the efforts and generosity of the United Association and Local 58, Fort Carson is lucky enough to be one of the Army installations that hosts this program. The students graduate with the type of mechanical skills that make them truly valuable to their employers. The U.S. still has a shortage of welders, pipefitters and steamfitters. Your completion of the VIP program demonstrates your discipline, your determination, and your tenacity—three of the most sought after traits for any employer.”
Specialist Philmore Undag and his wife, Jramy, who is expecting a baby girl at the end of September, along with their 16-month-old son, Seth, are excited about starting their new life in California, affiliating with Local 230 in San Diego. “What intrigued me was the guaranteed job, and the fact that I would have input into where I wanted to go,” said VIP graduate Philmore. “The program and the education that comes along with being an apprentice is also what drew me in.”
Just prior to the conferral of certificates of completion, Major General (R) Anders Aadland, VIP Consultant, UA, said, “You’re warriors, citizens, husbands and fathers. You recognize the need to be worthy, busy, productive and proud, and what’s the number one reason? Your families! They are why you are committed to success, and you are not going to let them down. It’s payback time for your families too.”
For a lot of the VIP graduates, there were varying reasons why they chose the program. For some, the concept of training that would lead to a definitive job was the deciding factor. For others, union membership with benefits and retirement was key. But for one, the UA was already a family affair, and he always knew he wanted to be a UA member.
Ed Cerracchio stood proudly next to his father-in-law, Chris Wagner, and his brother-in-law, Mike Gianetti, who are both Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 21, Peekskill, NY, members. Ed will soon join them at Local 21.
Brother Chris Wagner is a retired 38-year member. He said, “I spoke with Ed’s instructors yesterday and said what a great opportunity it will be for Eddie, because it was always so great for me. I always loved going to work. I worked in nuclear plants, powerhouses, and at the first energy plant in the area. I worked for a lot of different contractors throughout my career. I was also a welding instructor for close to 30 years at our local. I graduated from the Instructor Training Program in 1987, back when it was at Purdue University.”
Brother Michael Gianetti said, “I got into the trade because of my father. Ed called, and said he was getting out of the Army, and he didn’t know what to do. We said to come into the family trade, and it just so happened that this all coincided with an article published in the UA Journal that we saw about this program at Fort Carson. It was the perfect storm. He was stationed at Fort Carson, and the article was about Fort Carson.”
VIP graduate Ed added, “I was on the Helmets to Hardhats website, and I clicked on the VIP link, and I asked Mike if he had ever heard of it, and he had just read about it. I had never welded before. My family does this, and I knew I wanted to get into the trade. I was a mechanic with tankers, so I’m pretty good with my hands. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t think it would be as hard as it was. I told my family, ‘Hey, I’m going to graduate with a UA-21,’ and they said, ‘Dude, there is no way you are going to graduate with a 21.’”
Brother Michael Gianetti said, “When he told us about the expectations the UA has for these soldiers, I looked at Chris—who is a 30-year instructor. We were amazed. We are so impressed with the program and with the instructors who were dead on. The setup they have here at Local 58 is incredible. I have many certs, including the UA-21, and it’s taken me a long time to get where I am, and the fact that Ed got his UA-21 in seven weeks—it’s just incredible.”
VIP graduate Ed added, “As soldiers we bring a lot to the table—our work ethic, our professionalism, our punctuality—a lot of things your average 17-year-old doesn’t have. I’ve been in the Army for 11 years, and I’ve been in charge of a lot of people. Down the road, as a journeyman, I would love to help with this program to bring in more veterans.”
“We are both really, really proud of him,” said Brother Wagner. “We are proud of the UA and Local 58 in regard to how they are treating these soldiers. It is something else.”
Steven Partridge excelled in the class, and he is excited to head to Local 296 in Boise, ID, with his wife, Polina, and his new infant son, Gregory. Steven knew about the program because two of his soldiers had gone through previous classes and are now working steadily out of Local 211 in Houston, TX. “Once my time came,” Steven said, “I knew I wanted to apply. I’ve had some prior welding experience. I went through a structural welding class at community college back home. I learned MIG there. Here it’s been TIG and stick. I actually went to work as a welder prior to the Army, and the economy crashed, so I joined the Army in 2009 as a Chinook helicopter repairer. I served as a Crew Chief and flew with the helicopters delivering food and supplies to other soldiers at their forward operating bases.”
Steven continued, “The program here was fantastic. They kick you right into it. We didn’t read about it first. They hand you a helmet and a stinger and say go. It’s a really drastic learning curve. At first, you get really frustrated, but then something clicks, and you are moving on to something else. I didn’t know much about unions. I have some friends back home in the IBEW. When I was young, I didn’t want the commitment of an apprenticeship, because I didn’t know what it was. Now that I’m a bit older, and have a bit more experience, I see the bigger picture, and I view the apprenticeship as an incredible tool, and it is fantastic what it offers.”
The 15 VIP graduates are preparing for their next mission. They feel prepared and are eager to start their apprenticeships. Every graduate stated that the continuing training that the UA offers was one of the deciding factors in their decision to apply for the program. The UA is lucky, and so are the VIP graduates. It’s the perfect fit.
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