In shop windows, on bumper stickers, and in conversations across America, folks will say, “We support our troops.” At Local 393, we employ them. Many of our members served in the military, and since 2008, some of them have come out of the UA’s Veterans in Piping (VIP) program.
Over the last decade, more than two million men and women have served and sacrificed for our country. Despite being a disciplined and highly-trainable population, military members face high unemployment upon leaving the service.
To ease the transition back into civilian life, the UA established the VIP program to train military members for careers in the pipe trades. Through free, 18-week accelerated courses, VIP participants earn certifications in welding, sprinkler fitting, or HVAC-R, and then have guaranteed entry into apprenticeships and well-paying union jobs.
“The union is similar to the military. You take an oath to be part of the union brother and sisterhood the same way you take an oath to defend our country. In both, it’s about getting the job done right, and so much more. Both are about helping each other through life. We’re devoted to the community, we’re like a family, and we take care of each other.”
– Mike Hazard, VIP Program Manager, Training Specialist & UA Local 403 Pipefitter (pictured here during his Navy service and his VIP service)
Mike Hazard, a former Navy rescue swimmer and 4th generation pipefitter, is the national VIP program manager and training specialist. He said, “Military members were trained to protect our country. Now, the UA Veterans In Piping program is training them to build it.
“I served in the military during Desert Storm, and when I got out, I felt a little bit like I was kicked to the curb,” said Mike. “I knew I wanted to be in the trades because of my family, but not everyone knows about those opportunities. So I was really excited when the VIP program got started.
“An officer and I were looking at an old naval hospital. I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we trained the marines right here to rebuild the hospital?’ Once we succeeded, the program took off.”
Since 2008, 2,228 have graduated the VIP program. “VIP graduates do a great job,” said Mike. “Our contractors are on fire and want to know when they are going to get their next graduate. The VIP attitude is unmatched, because they show up in every way. They are responsible, highly trainable, and really motivated. It’s great to provide vets with these opportunities for a lifelong career.
“VIP isn’t just a jobs program though. It’s about extending a helping hand to those who have served our country. The last thing we want is for them to come home and stand on an unemployment line.
“What’s more is that our union halls accept VIPs with open arms. There’s a lot of similarity between the camaraderie of the military and the brother and sisterhood of the trades,” said Mike.
“Being a VIP is the best choice I’ve made in life so far. I didn’t know what it was all about getting into it, but I love learning the trade. The job is really interesting, and the better I get, the more I love it. The trades have been a lot of blessings. I don’t know what I’d be doing without it – it gave me a commitment after the military.”
–Thomas Andino, VIP & Local 393 8th Period Steamfitter (pictured here in Afghanistan, in the 2019 San Jose Veterans Day Parade, and with his dog Leon )
Thomas Andino, Local 393 VIP graduate, agrees. He said, “Military training disciplines you, and you have to be team oriented. People in the union look out for each another and help if you are trying to figure something out in the field. Coming out of the service, it was easy to fit right into the trades.”
Thomas was in the Army for four years and did a tour in Afghanistan. “I was pretty unclear on what I was going to do after the military,” he said. “But then I saw an ad for the VIP program and the opportunity to learn welding. I grabbed it, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.
“Looking back, the military was hard. Now life is easier. In the trades, the pay is comfortable. I never expected money, but now I make more than all the people I know and own a home at twenty-three.
“Local 393 has been great for me. I really like the community service events, and people coming together. Not many jobs are focused on the workers. In most jobs, people are worried about the companies. However, people here seriously care about each other and the future.”
“In the military, it’s warfare to protect your country. In the union, it’s warfare to protect the middle class. It’s about our way of living, and we have to fight for it. The union is only strong if we think about ‘we’ and not just ‘me.’ There are some great guys and gals in the union, and when we are a true brother and sisterhood, we get more work and protect our future.”
– Kristian Miller, VIP & Local 393 9th Period Steamfitter (pictured here with his family, at work, and in combat in Iraq)
Having a fulfilling future is what drove Kristian Miller to join the VIP program. He did twelve years in the military, including two tours in Iraq. He was part of the efforts to take down Al-Queada as a recon sniper, personal security detachment, and ranger instructor for small unit tactics.
“Being over there, I worked with some of the best guys I’ve ever known,” said Kristian. “I always thought I would retire in the mililtary, but my body couldn’t handle the assignments. I’m not an office person: I’m a field person. There’s not a lot of jobs for snipers in the private sector. Then I found the VIP program which was a good fit for me.
“The military instilled a lot of self-discipline and pride in whatever I’m doing. The VIP program gave me a chance to adjust. The biggest thing for vets coming out of the military is that you lose a sense of purpose. It can cripple you, but the VIP helps fulfill that. I still struggle every day, but it gets easier having fulfilling work that allows me to provide for my family, put food on the table, and buy a house.
“In the future, I’m going to get more involved with 393. It’s hard to be in school and have two kids under three. But once I turn out, I’m going to help get our union message out to the masses. Corporations have multi-million dollar PR firms, and we have to fight for our way of life by getting our voices out there. That’s how we’re going to protect our future. In the military, it’s warfare to protect your country. In the union, it’s warfare to protect the middle class.”
Local 393 is very active in the VIP program with over a dozen apprentices and journeyman participants. We salute all of our members who have served our country. We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you on the job, in our union, and in our community. Thank you for all that you do.