Help for a friend

I got this a former coworker who is getting booted out of the military. His career field is overmanned and they wont let him re-up for another 4-6 years. His career field was the same as mine. Transportation.

I used to be his boss before he was forced into Dispatch. I trained him how to drive a tractor/trailer. After 250 hours of documented training (involving 5 different experienced trainers) he was a colossal failure at it since he insists that he has the right of way at all times since he is bigger than everyone else. He does NOT believe in using his mirrors (he sideswiped the barriers that are intended to slow people down at the entrance of the base gate). I never recommended him to be certified.

Trying my hardest not to bad-mouth him but some people are natural learners... He is NOT one of those.

So he is getting out and insists on wanting to use his military driving "experience" towards getting his Class A CDL. I respect his service since he did a tour in Iraq sitting on a FOB for six months dispatching base-side transportation.

He has a wife and four kids and wants something that pays similar to what he makes now before he gets booted as an E-4 (about $45K if you include all his benefits).

He lives in an area full of LTL carriers but aside from Swift, there are no other carriers in his town. He also insists on wanting daily hometime plus a full ride similar to what he has now.

I told him what his options were: Go to CDL school, use your GI Bill to get your CDL and then go from there... or go with a company sponsored training and go from there.

What personal advice should I give him from YOU guys since he doesnt believe in OTR. I already told him he would waste his GI Bill if he really wants to get a CDL. Personally I don't think he will last a week as a professional driver cause he is such a poor driver. Part of me wants to save him the heart-break. The other side of me wants to make sure he never shares the same roads as my family and friends.

Should I let him waste his money and fail or should I just let him risk it (including the safety of his fellow commuters) and hope someone out there has better instructional skills than me.

Maybe this is a bit rhetorical... But i feel not everyone should be truck driver.

 

We use the exact same written tests as the civilian side. He is good at learning the written material. I can't say the same about his practical knowledge.

 

Which in my opinion is complete bullcrap. Military people have to take the EXACT same test under the EXACT same standards as civilians. No offence to the people that serve. If you cant drive to the same standards as those of your civilian counterparts, then maybe you need to learn how to drive within those standards.

 

Thanks for the input though. I think he will wash out of CDL school. If he does get into a company sponsored training, he will wash out as well.