Bill Boyer joined the Marines in his father’s footsteps. He joined for patriotism, family, and his future.

“When my dad left the military, he did very well in the business world,” Boyer said. “I figured if I joined the Marines, I would learn those same intangibles – especially leadership and discipline.”

Boyer,34, has left the service but is still making his father proud. The former sergeant has risen from factory floor mechanic at Advance Technologies Services (ATS) to management in five years. He is the site manager of 90 employees who repair and maintain equipment in two production plants for Caterpillar. One plant builds truck transmissions and the other assembles the trucks. The teams are a mix of electricians, mechanics and supervisors.

Boyer is involved with every aspect of the plants. He arrives at work by 0500 to meet with the night shift and morning shift, discuss the issues from the night before and plan for the next day. At 0630, he meets with Caterpillar managers. The rest of his day is spent on the floor with his employees.

“If it’s a good day without a lot of breakdowns, I usually go home around 1530,” he said. “But if it’s a bad day, I might be here until 1900.” His military leadership and planning skills have taught him how to run a safe and efficient program. His experience also taught him how to be adaptable and motivate workers to go that extra mile when the work gets tough. “It is called leading by example. I started at ATS as a factory mechanic and moved up through the ranks. The people on the floor want a manager who can get dirty with them, not just stay closed up in an office. Working with your troops is something I learned as a Marine.”

“We Recruit the Heck Out of Veterans”

Headquartered in Peoria, Ill., ATS employs 1,400 people. Founded in 1985, the company provides three core services: the repair and maintenance of factory equipment, computers, and industrial parts.

One reason for ATS’ success has been its commitment to recruiting quality employees, especially veterans. The company participates in the President’s National Hire Veterans Committee www.hirevetsfirst.gov/committee.asp, canvases at military job fairs and provides a new hire sponsorship program assisting a seamless transition to civilian employment.

“Veterans make up nearly 25 percent of our workforce,” said Holly Turner, a human resources specialist for ATS. “They have a ‘can-do’ attitude that is hard to find in the civilian sector, and they’ve often have had to learn a job very quickly where failure wasn’t an option.”

“We recruit the heck out of veterans,” Boyer said. “When I left the Marine Corps, I was concerned if I would find the same structure and discipline at a civilian company. It’s amazing how similar ATS is in culture. From the leadership down to the work floor, everyone is committed to the mission of serving our clients. Veterans really thrive here.”

Welding Trucks to Pouring Concrete

After basic training in 1992, Boyer spent eight years at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Twentynine Palms, Calif., as a welder/machinist with the 7th Engineer Support Battalion. By the end of his contract, he was a new father and did not want to be away from his family on long deployments overseas. A Peoria native, Boyer looked for work back home. After eight months of searching for long-term employment, he heard that ATS was hiring.

“I heard about ATS and knew it was a good company and did a lot of work with Caterpillar, who is the big employer in Peoria,” Boyer said. “I was nervous because I had been a welder, and ATS dealt primarily in computers, machine tools, and conveyor belts. But I had always been mechanically inclined, so I knew I could be an asset.”

“ATS rarely recruits for welders,” Holly Turner said. “But like so many veterans, Bill showed a great deal of confidence and had a proven record of hard work and dedication. Being a ‘culture fit’ is very important with us, because we can teach the mechanical skills through our paid maintenance training program.”

Looking back on his transition, Boyer said there weren’t many potholes, but he cautions veterans against unrealistic expectations. For example, it’s possible to make a good living from your military experience, but be prepared that it will take some time to find that right career match. Though he now earns more than he did as a sergeant, Boyer took the time to find the career he could grow into. The real payoff lies in advancement potential. Boyer said, “As a civilian, you can chart your own destiny. I started out as a mechanic, worked hard and was promoted fairly quickly – quicker than people who had been with ATS for more than 10 years. It’s all about how much you want it.”

Boyer’s Advice

• Understand your potential. “Take a good look at your military experience, especially the discipline and leadership skills you learned. Often, those are even more attractive than your technical abilities.”

•Be confident. “That must be high at all times. Remember, as a veteran, you’re a bar above most people. You’ve been to more places and have been placed in very stressful situations — especially if you’ve been in combat.”

•Lead by example. “When hired, roll up your sleeves and get to work. Adopt the same mission-oriented attitude you had in the military.”