Why Military vets with M915/M916 experience should not accept trainee status

I agree vets should have preference but there should be some training to cover stuff like logs, map reading and DOT rules and regulations. They have to learn that stuff somewhere and preferably in a classroom setting. They don't teach that stuff in the military.

 

I was a driver's examiner for our unit for 12 years in a Mech Infantry unit. I got that duty position because I had my CDL.

I struggle all the time with whether or not to acknowledge military driving in the civilian sector.

About the ONLY thing that is a direct cross over is size of vehicle and the PTI. Especially with it comes to the tractor/trailers.

The 5-tons...the old 54/800 series had 5 speed trannies in them. The 900 series had auto's.

Brakes, all had air/hydraulics. You didn't get into the air brakes until you got into 915 or HEMTT's. And those were mostly wedge brakes.

If someone had only track vehicle or HMMWV experience. Uh. No.

Paperwork, eh, it's different, but you understand the importance of it.

I will give the military this.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DO MAINTENANCE. You will know how to at least change tires, check your fluids and do some other small maintenance. That part I wholeheartedly agree with.

I would STILL hire a vet with a CDL and work with them long before a straight civilian.

But they won't get a by with me on the CDL.

There are disciplines that vets have I just appreciate more that I would want IF I ever get to a point I ever consider hiring drivers.

 

looks like a nice company to drive for if one wants tankers.

 

I'm a little on the fence about it. Operating a tactical vehicle in the military and operating a tractor-trailer in the civil section have many significant differences. Sure, they'll teach shifting, hours of service, logging, etc. in school, but how many people can honestly say that they had that all down by the end of school?

 

Never went to truck driving school cept to rent a truck to take dmv skills test in to renew cdl. In the olden days we learned by doing , going with a buddy and he would pass on the knowledge you needed, then if he was a really good guy he let you take your road tests in his truck if you had to do that... My first day in a long logger on the oregon coast i took the truck up empty and brought her off loaded with the old 335 and a 5&4... 6% to 16% grades of single lane gravel road that were at the most, 8 to10' wide if i was lucky. Man that felt so cool, i felt like the king of the mountain sitting in the saddle of that old pete. It was so much fun back then then eventually like anything it turned into a job. Lol as far as vets coming back from depolyment , some probably need to be with a trainer just to unwind and return to a normal society. I know my younger brother was wound tight as spring steel when he returned from iraq... He definetly needed 90 days off to regroup and he still was very intolerant , especially of stupid people... Kind of like me lol Things have changed in the miliatary since my day , but one thing ain't , in the real world no one is holding your hand and supervising or micro-managing your every move. out here you gotta learn to do for yourself mostly

 

The M915/6 really isnt a tactical vehicle. The army actually used it as a linehaul truck in some of its Transportation units. It looks like a reg. daycab conv. However they are automatics so a soldier would leave with no stick/clutch experience