Supervisor at Lear Siegler Services, Inc
Former Airman excels with Lear Siegler Services.
by Warren Duffie

Big jobs don’t rattle Scott Davidson. While deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, he was responsible for nearly 800 airmen maintaining 180 bombers, fighter jets and cargo planes. Deadlines were tight so these birds could get to and from Iraq and Afghanistan quickly. Davidson also managed $3 billion in test equipment, tools, parts and materials.

Today, the former master sergeant works at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho., overseeing a smaller but no less demanding operation. Working for contracting firm Lear Siegler Services, Inc. (LSI), Davidson is one of two supervisors who manages more than 400 civilian mechanics repairing C-5s, C-130s and F-15s.

On the Job
“When these planes fly for a certain number of hours, they’re sent to three depots in the U.S., one of which is ours,” Davidson said, 42. “We do inspections, make repairs, re-paint them and make any needed enhancements or improvements. Some of the planes are coming straight from the war zones, so it’s important to get them back in good shape quickly and efficiently.”

Davidson’s duties involve hiring new employees, guiding them through human resources paperwork and policies, and handling all training, mentoring and disciplinary actions. He usually gets to work at 0700, checks his messages, hits the depot floor to ensure his mechanics are working safely and to address any concerns, and spends the rest of the day conducting interviews, training and site inspections.

“The Air Force is the reason I got this job,” Davidson said. “First off, I spent years as a mechanic and have a very strong maintenance background. But the Air Force also taught me to be a leader, to use my head as well as my hands. It was a little painful when I put down my toolbox to become a supervisor, but it was well worth it and made me more marketable for civilian work.”

Seeking Veterans
Lear Siegler Services, Inc. (LSI) has contracts with all the military branches to repair and maintain aircraft and armored vehicles. LSI is a subsidiary of EG&G Technical Services – a division of URS, one of the world’s largest engineering design firms and a leading U.S. government contractor. URS boasts more than 300 global offices, more than 50,000 employees and annual revenues of $5.4 billion.

One of the main reasons for LSI’s success has been its employee base, particularly military veterans, who make up 46 percent (3,000 employees) of its workforce.

“Veterans are attractive to LSI because they have knowledge of and experience with the military systems our contracts involve – including maintenance, supply, training, administration and operations. In addition, they bring personal attributes such as teamwork, discipline, motivation and leadership,” said John Bednar, a recruiting manager for LSI.

Davidson agrees: “About 60 percent of my employees are veterans. They are dedicated, knowledgeable and committed to the mission at hand.”

In Uniform
A North Dakota native, Davidson enlisted in the Air Force in 1987. He was working at a honey processing plant and studying electrical engineering at a junior college.

“A friend of mine was planning to enlist and asked me to come with him to the recruiting office,” Davidson said. “I didn’t want to stay in North Dakota and wanted to do some traveling, so I signed up.”

During his 20-year career, Davidson served in England, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Korea, Qatar, Idaho, Utah, and finally, Robins Air Base.

The Transition
Davidson borrowed his wife’s résumé template and tailored his information around it. He received a call from an LSI recruiter about the supervisor’s job, shortly thereafter.

“I really liked the job description,” Davidson said. “It was the exact same thing I was doing in the military – which I loved – but as a civilian. It also was on Robins, my base, and run by the Air Force. The only difference was that I wouldn’t wear a uniform anymore. It made for a very smooth transition.

“I’m making the same salary as before but with a military pension and benefits, so I’m earning a lot more money,” he said. “Also, to advance, I don’t have to test or spend time in grade. It all depends on how I apply myself. I’m really excited about the future."