Civilian Jobs Down Under
Veterans mine six-figure salaries in the underground coal mines of North America.
by Dan Fazio

Military veterans looking for high-paying civilian jobs in a competitive job market might want to look under their feet. Deep beneath the earth’s surface, veterans will find lucrative jobs in the coal mining industry. Lurking in the tunnels of America’s mines are rewarding careers in a demanding environment well-suited to the nation’s veterans.

It wasn’t all that long ago that coal mining meant dangerous, backbreaking work. While underground mining still has risks, computers and modern machinery have replaced the image of a stooped, dirty miner swinging a pickaxe with that of a highly skilled, well-paid professional. Today’s underground coal miner is highly trained to operate complex, computerized equipment. And despite the recent mining tragedy in West Virginia, the industry has made great strides in making mining a safer occupation.

“People think of the stereotypical miner, which, quite frankly, is false,” said Tim O’Neal, a former Army infantry officer who spent his first nine months working underground at CONSOL Energy’s Bailey Mine in southwestern Pennsylvania. “The days of the pickaxe and shovel are long gone. You have this small, tight-knit community that, unless you’re involved in it, is mostly misconceptions.”

Half of America’s electricity today is generated from coal, and despite the push for sustainable energy, coal remains the most affordable power source. The U.S. has a 235-year supply of coal remaining underground. And with an aging work force, the National Mining Association estimates 50,000 new workers will be needed in coal mining over the next 10 years to meet increasing demand and replace retiring workers.

That means good jobs for those willing to work underground. The average coal miner today makes between $70,000 and $85,000 a year, but with bonuses and overtime can exceed $100,000.

O’Neal, 29, recognized the benefits of coal mining three years ago when he transitioned from the Army. “The opportunity is what I saw,” said O’Neal, now a human resources supervisor. “The whole industry is aging – ready to retire. The opportunities are really limitless.” 

Military Made for Mining
Few are better qualified for the demanding environment of underground mining than America’s veterans, who are trained by the military to be safety-conscious and operate in hazardous environments.

“The leadership, self-confidence and high standards military personnel learn are invaluable skills in underground mining,” said

Steven Thornton, a former command sergeant major in the Utah Army National Guard who today is general production foreman at Energy West Mining Company’s Deer Creek Mine in Huntington, Utah. “Examples are doing tasks in the absence of supervision, making good decisions in adverse conditions and knowing how to train others in job skills.”

Veteran job seekers will find many parallels between the military and coal mining. Like the military, underground mining demands focus, attention to detail and the ability to follow procedures. Teamwork, trust and reliance on co-workers forge camaraderie not unlike that of the military. And intangibles like leadership and discipline are invaluable underground.

“The leadership training I received from the military helps me with making quick decisions in adverse conditions,” said Thornton, who started as a laborer in 1990 but is now responsible for the safety of 29 workers. “In addition I learned to enforce high standards that are key to a safe and productive work place. The self discipline I learned helps me conduct the day-to-day business of a longwall with minimal supervision. Learning to pay attention to details is instrumental in my short- and long-term planning. The military taught me to have a strategic vision.”

The leadership skills ingrained in all service members is valued at CONSOL as well, O’Neal said. The former captain said even junior enlisted infantrymen have leadership skills applicable to coal mining. “That leadership mentality is bred into you from the moment you step into boot camp,” he said. “Those grunts have a lot to offer.”

The Benefits of Going Under
Veterans who go underground get a lot in return. New miners at Energy West Mining Company Hourly, who must complete 80 hours of training before they go underground, start at about $52,000 a year for a 40-hour work week. Energy West is a subsidiary of PacifiCorp, which also owns the Bridger Coal Company. Thornton said the benefits are good, including health insurance, retirement plan and vacation.

Trainees at CONSOL Energy begin at about $38,000 a year but will earn a base pay of more than $57,000 by the end of their first year. Opportunities to work overtime are plentiful, allowing miners to pad their pay almost at will. CONSOL trainees must complete one or two weeks of state safety training, depending on which state they will be working in. They also must complete an additional week of company training. New miners are paid during all training.

CONSOL Energy also pays 90 percent of the tuition costs for miners who choose to earn a degree.

Scott Baker, 31, a supervisor trainee at CONSOL who served two tours in Iraq as a Navy corpsman, gets paid to attend classes two days a week while he works on his associate degree in mining technology at Penn State University. Degrees are required for CONSOL’s supervisors, who earn an average of $85,000 a year – not including overtime or bonuses – once fully certified to run a crew underground.

When he left the Navy in 2007, Baker wanted to find a job near his wife’s childhood home in northern West Virginia. He applied at several companies he saw in G.I. Jobs magazine and landed a position in 2008 at CONSOL’s Bailey Mine in southwestern Pennsylvania.

“I love coming to work,” Baker said. “This industry is not going anywhere. With the economy the way it is, it’s one of the best places to be.” 

Safety Comes First
The April mine explosion that killed 29 West Virginia miners underscores the danger that still lurks underground. The blast was a blow to an industry that in 2009 recorded the safest year in the history of American mining, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

Still, safety underground has come a long way since the days when Loretta Lynn’s father labored in the mines of Kentucky. Mining fatalities declined 49 percent between 2002 and 2009, and injuries dropped by 32 percent during the same period, according to the MSHA.

CONSOL Energy’s safety record was a key reason Baker agreed to work underground. The safety-first philosophy reassures his wife, a stay-at-home mom with four children to raise. “There’s always that element of what could happen underground,” Baker said. “She knows that I work for a really good company and I work for a company that puts safety first.”

Thornton’s family, too, accepts the risk associated with underground coal mining. “I’ve been able to put two kids through college so they can be white collar workers,” he said. My wife tells me every morning, as I leave, she loves me and to have a safe day. She understands the risks and she has accepted them. She’s not ready for me to retire.”

Miners greatly enhance their chance of enjoying a long, rewarding career underground by putting safety first. That philosophy keeps Thornton coming back.

“I accept risks by utilizing risk management. It’s no different than managing the risks I  experienced in Baghdad, Iraq,” said Thornton, who was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 2004. “Bottom line: It’s about the people to your left and right. The ones you work with.”

Future Looks Bright Underground
Michele Pusateri, supervisor of workforce planning and development for CONSOL Energy, said the company recognizes the value that military veterans bring to the coal mining industry. “CONSOL is absolutely hiring,” she said. “This is one of the few companies in the area that has a great number of opportunities and there will continue to be a great number of opportunities for the next couple of years.”

Energy West Mining Company also is hiring for both of its coal mines. Thornton recommends the coal mining industry to veterans seeking a good civilian job. “Especially combat veterans who are looking for the brotherhood they had in the military,” he said. “The friendships and bonds underground miners have are similar to what combat vets experience. Coal mining offers challenges both physical and mental that Soldiers are prepared for.” 

Fast Facts About Coal 

U.S. Coal Mining Employment

• U.S. coal mining directly employs nearly 134,000 people
• For each coal mining job, an additional 3.5 jobs are created elsewhere in the economy.
• The National Mining Association estimates 50,000 new employees will be needed in coal mining over the next 10 years to meet increasing demand and to replace retiring workers.  

U.S. Demand

• Total demand for U.S. coal reached 1.12 billion tons in 2008.
• Half of U.S. electricity is generated from coal.
• 9 out of every 10 tons of coal mined each year in the U.S. is used for domestic electricity generation.
• Each person in the U.S. uses 3.7 tons of coal annually.
• Coal is the most affordable source of power fuel per million Btu, historically averaging less than one-quarter the price of petroleum and natural gas.
• There are approximately 600 coal generating facilities (1,470 generating units) and 1,100 manufacturing facilities using coal in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
• Coal accounts for about 32 percent of U.S. total energy production and 23 percent of total energy consumption.