Veterans

Name: Chris

Position: Healthcare and Wellness Benefits Supervisor

Division: Human Services Division

Military Affiliation: U.S. Air Force

1. How did your career bring you to Caterpillar and why was Caterpillar the best employer for you? 
I retired from the Air Force (Active Duty) in November of 2012, after 22 years of service. Some positions I held in the Air Force include Senior HR Manager, Recruiter, Regional Training Supervisor (for Recruiters), and Fuels Specialist. I was stationed in Japan, Belgium, Spain, Colorado, Georgia, and Oklahoma. My wife is from Peoria, IL, and we wanted to be close to her family. I have always dreamed of working for Caterpillar, figuring that it would be a perfect situation to be able to work and live near my wife's family. Once I started to research Caterpillar's jobs and culture, I became even more excited. I wanted to work for a company with a strong history and brand, and Caterpillar has that and even more. I also heard that Caterpillar was very conservative and it took care of its people. Applying here was a no-brainer for me. Since I started here in Dec 2012, it has been the best experience for me and my family after leaving the military. Everyone has been great and the transition has been a smooth one.

2. What are your current roles and responsibilities at Caterpillar?
My current position is Healthcare and Wellness Benefits Supervisor. I am responsible for Healthcare Plan Design and I am the Process Owner for our new Wellness Vendor, ActiveHealth, which administers the Health Risk Assessment, Tobacco Cessation, and Disease Management programs.

3. From your perspective, how and why do you believe that Caterpillar would benefit from hiring military veterans into the company? 
Caterpillar would benefit greatly from hiring Veterans for many reasons. Some include work ethic, personal discipline, leadership, training, education, teamwork, and abilities to collaborate with all walks of life.

4. What would you say to the veteran candidate pool to encourage them to choose Caterpillar as their employer of choice? 
Caterpillar cares deeply about those that have served our country. Your leadership experiences, teamwork, and work ethic are very attractive to our leaders.

Name: Rick

Position: Manager, Machine Division

Division: Defense and Federal Products

Military Affiliation: U.S. Army (Retired)

1. How did your career bring you to Caterpillar and why was Caterpillar the best employer for you? 
My military experience includes engineer command and leadership positions ranging from platoon leader to Commander and Operations Officer for Company, Battalion, Brigade and Corps Level engineer units [82nd Airborne Division and 20th Engineer Brigade (ABN CORPS)] with a wide range of projects employing the entire fleet of Army airborne and heavy fleets of construction equipment. As an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the U.S. Air Force Academy, I instructed cadets in construction management; water resources, soils and structural engineering as well as airbase design. When I retired in 1998, I chose Caterpillar among numerous job offers based on the enterprise's reputation and strong belief in fundamental values that most closely aligned with the U.S. Army's. At Caterpillar I have hired numerous folks with military backgrounds and facilitated informational interviews with other hiring managers to best align skills with job requirements.

2. What are your current roles and responsibilities at Caterpillar?
I am the Defense and Federal Products' Machine Division Manager where I am responsible for ensuring Caterpillar provides the U.S. Department of Defense, Federal Civilian Agencies, and our Global Military Allies with top-quality construction equipment and unparalleled product support. I manage Machine Engineering, Contracts, Marketing and Sales Staffs, which administer current complex multi-year contracts with TACOM, MARCORSYSCOM, DLA/DSCP, GSA, U.S. Navy, USAF, USFWS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TVA, and numerous military contracting offices around the world. My team also markets and formulates program bid strategies for future construction and material handling equipment procurements.

3. From your perspective, how and why do you believe that Caterpillar would benefit from hiring military veterans into the company? 
As a hiring manager for Caterpillar, I select only the best talent I can find, both internally and externally. I look for attributes such as; demonstrated leadership, integrity, strong work ethic, ability to work in a teaming environment, confidence with the ability to perform under pressure, highly adaptable and flexible, strong professional technical skills, along with great communication skills. I have found that the qualities and capabilities that military veterans provide my team give me the necessary advantage I must have for today's highly competitive business environment.

4. What would you say to the veteran candidate pool to encourage them to choose Caterpillar as their employer of choice? 
As I interviewed for numerous jobs around the world, I looked for firms that I felt would emphasize those fundamental values I had followed in the U.S. Army as an Engineer Officer. I was offered greater compensation by a number of other employers, but I selected Caterpillar primarily based on its reputation and strong belief in fundamental values which were clearly outlined in its Code of Conduct.

Name: Ryan

Position: Senior Project Engineer

Division: Customer Services Support

Military Affiliation: U.S. Navy, Enlisted June 1986 - August 1995, EW2 (SW)

1. How did your career bring you to Caterpillar and why was Caterpillar the best employer for you? 
I entered the Navy a month after graduating from high school. My initial enlistment was a six-year contract in order to receive advanced electronics training. My duties ranged from operation of equipment that scanned the electromagnetic spectrum for signals to troubleshooting these systems, and ultimately instructing others on the maintenance and troubleshooting of the systems. Given the economics and downsizing in the mid 1990's, I did not qualify for a reenlistment bonus and promotion opportunities had virtually dried up, so I decided to leave the Navy for civilian employment.
About a year before separating, I was home on leave for a friend's wedding, and the opportunity to interview at Caterpillar presented itself. These interviews lead to a manager providing my information to a contracting agency that provided workers in Caterpillar facilities. Upon my separation, I joined that agency working on-site at Caterpillar on electrical system schematics covering the entire product line. After a year and a half, Caterpillar hired me full-time into the same position.
Over the years, I have moved through team and project leadership roles and have been responsible for section budgeting. The breadth of Caterpillar's product line and locations throughout the world present many opportunities for advancement and career changes. In every job role change, coworkers have always been willing to share their experiences and knowledge in order to help me learn.
Additionally, Caterpillar's values speak volumes to the character of the employees and the integrity of the company.

2. What are your current roles and responsibilities at Caterpillar?
In my current position, I consult with Cat dealers on metal restoration and salvage solutions, with a focus on thermal spray applications. This consists of creating salvage solutions for worn or broken parts and setting up new thermal spray operations in dealer component rebuild centers. I provide repair options the dealer can present the customer in an effort to provide them the lowest owning and operating costs for their equipment.

3. From your perspective, how and why do you believe that Caterpillar would benefit from hiring military veterans into the company? 
Military veterans are flexible, adaptable, reliable, and highly trained. Many have held leadership roles and have been responsible for others lives and multi-million dollars worth of equipment. They think on their feet and are focused on completing tasks regardless of the obstacles.

4. What would you say to the veteran candidate pool to encourage them to choose Caterpillar as their employer of choice? 
Caterpillar has a long history of ingenuity, quality, and service. It presents a multitude of opportunities for employees to contribute, learn, and grow.