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WEST VALLEY CITY — A Utah trucking company recognized a group of its employees Friday who also happen to be U.S. military veterans for their dedication and workplace excellence in their post-military careers.
C.R. England Friday honored four drivers who are now part of the firm's Honored Veterans Fleet, demonstrating the company's desire to respect the U.S. military men and women who serve the country, said chairman Dan England.
"We have an obligation to recognize and honor our veterans," he said, adding that since 2014, C.R. England has added 26 veterans to its distinguished veterans fleet of drivers.
In recent years, the company has had "a tremendous need for good drivers and veterans really fill the bill," he said. Because former military members are often task-oriented, team-oriented and appreciate the concept of commitment, they frequently make excellent drivers and employees.
"It's a tough job," England said. "You're away from home for so much time and it's very stressful."
Despite the challenges presented to them, the veterans seem to take it all in stride and are able to excel, he said.
"We've seen that the veterans seem to come to us with a background that is very conducive to being successful in the workplace," England said. "They're hard workers, dedicated to the job and can provide the kind of service that we have to for our customers."
Among the people recognized Friday was Corey Reed, 48, who served in the U.S. Army for nine years and was stationed both stateside and throughout Europe. He participated in many missions, including Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Mountain Shield, Support Hope and Iraqi Freedom.
He began driving for C.R. England five years ago, having previously spent 11 years as an independent contractor and trainer. He currently serves as a team driver in the dedicated J.C. Penney fleet.
An Arizona native who now lives in Price, Reed has driven over 1 million miles without an accident or moving violation during his trucking career. He said he relishes how C.R. England takes the time to recognize when employees "go the extra mile" for the company.
"They always recognize when somebody does something. You're never just a number or a driver," he said. "They seem to go above and beyond for veterans, and that's huge for me."
U. S. Marine Corps Jeff Brooks is a team driver with Reed on the J.C. Penney fleet who also has more than 1 million safe miles behind the wheel. Brooks served four years as a heavy machine gunner and spent some of his time stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
Prior to hiring on with C.R. England, he attended an automotive and computers tech college, went on to become a mechanic and later decided to get his commercial driver's license. The Spanish Fork resident has been driving for the company since 2012 and said he is grateful for the company's commitment to veterans.
"This shows that people actually care about veterans, especially all the ones that are coming back now," he said. Having served in the military has helped him become better at this position in trucking, he added.
"It's the drive, discipline and not giving up that helps," Brooks said. "We know just to keep marching forward and you'll get through (any obstacle) eventually."
Arthur Martin, 62, served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years as an air freight cargo specialist, as well as a hazardous materials trainer at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. During his service, he received four medals of commendation and served missions in Spain and Panama.
He joined C.R. England in 1995 and since then has achieved over 2 million safe driving miles. Similar to Brooks, he noted that his military experience gave him a solid foundation for his career in trucking.
"I was used to the (volume of) training," he said. "I got a lot of schooling when I was in (the military). And you got used to the time (deadlines)."
Each honoree received a personalized plaque and was assigned a new truck embossed with an Honored Veterans insignia on the cab that included an American flag design on the front of the vehicle.
