Honoring Our Nation’s Military on Veterans Day
Lincoln Tech salutes the men and women of our Armed Forces, those who risked their lives protecting America’s freedoms and defending liberty around the world. As a school with roots in service to military personnel – our first campus was founded to assist veterans returning from World War II – it is our privilege to be able to assist veterans in beginning new careers and transitioning back to civilian life following their time in uniform.
Lincoln Tech's first campus was established in 1946 in Newark, NJ as a school for career training in heating and refrigeration technology. Today, this industry is known as HVAC. Servicemen returning from overseas were invited to use their skills from the military and transfer them to hands-on vocational skills. As the Lincoln family of schools expanded across the country, more and more veterans turned to our campuses. Program offerings were expanded to include training for careers in the auto and diesel industries, collision repair and skilled trades such as electrical and welding. Today veterans can choose from programs in more than 20 fields, at campuses in 14 different states. And our commitment to serving our nation’s military is stronger than ever.
Veterans Find Career Success After Graduation
Many of Lincoln Tech’s faculty, staff and instructors are veterans themselves, and understand what veterans need to transition into professional success after serving in the military. Former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jim Kuntz is President of the South Plainfield, NJ and Philadelphia, PA campuses, and regularly advises student veterans on making that transition.
“Some veterans in the military worked in jobs that do not necessarily correlate to civilian careers. They joined the service, for example, to get money for college,” Kuntz says. “For many, however, getting a skill is a much better option than getting a degree. With technical colleges, students tend to graduate and enter the workforce more quickly. This is important for that veteran that has a family and does not have time for four or more years of college.”
“We understand veterans’ needs,” he adds. “We offer flexible schedules (day and evening courses) and we help build in-demand skills to ensure veterans are successful once they graduate.”
Thousands of veterans have launched new careers after graduating from Lincoln Tech. In honor of Veterans Day here are a few of their stories:
Travis Cox, East Windsor CT
After completing his service with the U.S. Navy, Travis Cox wanted to find a new direction for his life. He had a few jobs he didn’t really love, and decided to go back to school to train for a career that would set him up for success. He trained at Lincoln Tech’s East Windsor campus, built the skills to become an in-demand Diesel Technician, and received a job offer from FedEx Freight almost immediately upon graduation. Along the way, Cox also took first place in a national student technician competition.
“I tell veterans, ‘don’t wait,’” he says. “Lincoln Tech makes it easy. If you have the drive to learn, make that jump. Lincoln made [their commitment] apparent. They helped me understand the GI Bill, which I was new to. They gave me the knowledge that led me to my career, and Career Services showed me the different directions I could go in my career. My current employer, FedEx Freight, was one of the presenters on campus. I can’t thank Lincoln Tech enough.”
Like Cox, many veterans training for new careers look to apply benefits like the GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon program and others to the cost of their training. Lincoln Tech has advisers that can help you make the most of those benefits. With a bill coming to a vote in Congress next year that could limit how veterans can apply their benefits, Lincoln Tech has been proud to recently host the “Let Vets Choose” tour, with Veterans for Career Education, at several campuses across the country.*
Reginald H. Lindsey, Marietta GA
The Marietta campus, located not far from Dobbins Air Force Base, hosted one of the “Let Vets Choose” events earlier this year. A 2019 graduate, Reginald H. Lindsey, has become one of the school’s most recent veteran success stories. After completing his military service and deciding on a career in the electrical/electronic systems field, Lindsey enrolled at Lincoln Tech and connected with hiring managers from the city of Atlanta at an on-campus Career Fair. Lindsey was presented with a job offer and after graduating, took a job with the city as an Electrician Assistant in the Department of Watershed Management.
“One of the best parts of working with the city is that I get to interact with so many different people in the community,” Lindsey says. “It takes my job to a whole new level, and really stands out for me.”
In addition to his exemplary military service and standout academic performance, Lindsey also served as President of the campus’ chapter of the National Technical Honor Society.
Jerry Delgado, Melrose Park IL
Delgado was a veteran of the U.S. Marines when he enrolled at Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park campus for Automotive Technology training. He graduated in 2001 with perfect attendance and a 4.0 GPA, worked at a Chicago-area Pep Boys location and, later, an Infiniti dealership. Then in 2009 he connected with the locally popular McGrath dealership family where another Lincoln Tech grad brought him on and helped him advance to Express Service Manager.
Delgado works at McGrath to this day, and his responsibilities include recruiting, hiring, and training new technicians. He recently visited the campus to meet with veterans and other students to talk about his experience and his career, encouraging them to pursue their goals and see their training through.
Lincoln Tech Remains Committed to Helping Veterans
On this Veterans Day, Lincoln Tech thanks the men and women of our Armed Forces – as well as their family members, who are also held in the highest regard. When a citizen serves, their family members are also called to service through the time away from a loved one. Lincoln Tech’s mission for more than 70 years has been to help make the transition from military service to civilian life a little easier with the start of a rewarding career, and we look forward to serving our nation’s veterans in the years ahead.
* For more information about this important initiative, visit vetsforcareered.org.