Military vets thinking about SCHNEIDER

Thanks for the info but I'm trying to understand how this would be a good deal for vets. The Post 9/11 GI Bill pays for 3-4 years of college & will pay living expenses. That sounds like a lot to give up for 1 year of extra pay.

 

Here is how I see it as a one who has never been a member of the armed forces.

There are "X" number of military personnel who have significant experience operating trucks/tractors/trailers, that experience makes them desirable as a natural transfer to the civilian profession of truck driving for which there is a great demand, and "X" number of them have the interest or desire to pursue it post military service.

To add to that is "X" number more will not have an interest in retraining/education for 3 to 4 years to begin a new profession and will look upon trucking and a much shorter training program as desirable.

Trucking companies earning the blessing of the VA Admin. see this as a huge windfall due to the VA (read as taxpayers) footing the bill, so it costs the companies like Schneider nothing, they get more potential drivers into their facilities sooner, and some may argue that those prospective employees will have a stronger work ethic, more discipline and professionalism as a result of their previous military service than much of the - AHEM - current crop...err generation... applicants in general.

The VA benefits by having more options and reduced costs by virtue of shorter less expensive programs.

The taxpayers benefit for the same reasons.

The Vets who participate benefit by having costs covered and an option for quicker transition into a civilian life/profession.

 

I talked to Ali about this and this is my perspective and advice. Before you do the apprenticeship you will still have to go through truck driving school or in my Case a refresher course. For every month your on the program you loose a month of eligibility( i.e you have the full 36 months you will finish the program with 24 months). If you have a Kicker bonus you will get that too. I got the Maine Corps college fund under the Montgomery GI Bill and when I switched to post 9/11 it made that into a $450 a month stipend. I found this calculator usefull for telling you what you will get http://newgibill.org/calculator/ . A couple things to think about though is this program is designed to allow an employer to pay a lower "training wage" I don't know what this means for Schneider, if I recall correctly I got .32 CPM out of school in 2005 which isn't terrible. From what I am reading you are required to be supervised 50% of the time. I dont know if this means your going to get stuck with a training engineer for 6 months or not. My advice, If your a veteran or about to get out and interested in being a IC then you would benefit for the business classes you get by doing a business degree online. If you already got that and still have 12 months of GI bill left to burn then this would be a good way to use up the left over benefit. Do you need a Business degree to drive truck...no. Will it set you up to be a successful business owner...Yes and it will set you up to eventually move out of the drivers seat and into management. Degrees give you options.

 

Some clarification...I, just like everyone else in the military is a taxpayer...I, just like everyone else in the military paid into their GI Bill.

 

Ok, I think I understand. So the Schneider program only uses 1 year of your GI Bill and you are free to use the other 2 years on education.

 

I never said otherwise, nor did I imply such. I fully realize that military service members and vets are taxpaying citizens. Apologies if it seems otherwise.

I made an effort, and I think it clear, to show that the VA is funded by taxpayer money, just as any other government agency is. I do this intentionally because there are so many people who do not realize that the "govt." IS funded by "you and me", not some mythical magical money tree that the "govt." has (except for minting money when they should not).

I think if you read my post again you would see it more clearly, I made nor implied any derogatory statement regarding former or current members of the US Armed Forces. I have great respect for them and their families, and the sacrifices they have made.

Both of my grandfathers served during WWII, one in the European theater- he was awarded a silver star and a bronze star in the Army, the other who just passed away at the age of 95 served in the Navy and fought in the Pacific theater, served with G.W. Bush on the USS San Jacinto after having the USS Cushing sunk from underneath him and his crewmates in the battle of Guadalcanal, these men are my heros.

Thank you for your service.

 

Perhaps it was the way I read it that irked me...I just don't want folks thinking the military are some sort of welfare case living off of government hand outs.

Semper Fi

 

Not a problem, I understand. I do not want that either.

 

Seems like a good program. Even if trucking doesn't work out you would still have another 24 months left which would be enough for a tech school.