Countless Veterans have found a post-military home in the transportation industry, which can be summarized as organizations that move people and goods. That can include airlines, railroads, trucking, shipping companies and more.
We talked to two Veterans who landed rewarding careers in transportation—one in trucking and the other with the railroads. Employers in both categories are prolific recruiters from the military pipeline, and Norfolk Southern and Werner Enterprises are no exceptions.
We asked them about their transition from the military, their career path and their best advice for you. Their responses have been edited for brevity.
Kenneth Rains
What was your job in the Army? I worked in various transportation roles. My jobs ranged from driving in convoys to coordinating the movement of people, supplies and equipment to multiple locations around the world.
What was your biggest concern during your transition? I separated from the Army during the Great Recession of 2008. My biggest concern at that time was finding a career that would allow me to support my family.
What ended up being the most challenging part of that transition? The most challenging part of transitioning was establishing new social support networks. The Army is very close-knit due to the nature of the profession and relationships are strengthened during deployments and wartime situations. When transitioning to Norfolk Southern I found difficulty relating to fellow employees as many of them did not have similar experiences to mine. Over time this was overcome by identifying other shared experiences and interests, which cultivated relationships.
How did you get started at Norfolk Southern, and what drew you to the company? During my transition from the Army, I applied to over 30 positions at various companies. Norfolk Southern was one of the only companies that responded and showed interest. This was largely driven by the economic conditions of the country and the hiring freezes many organizations had in place. Norfolk Southern drew my attention as it closely aligned to what I did in the Army: moving freight.
What does a Director of Intermodal Customer Logistics do? In my current position my responsibilities include tactical/strategic planning, training, developing others and communicating with customers.
What does Norfolk Southern’s Intermodal & Automotive division handle, and how does your role fit into that bigger picture? Norfolk Southern’s Intermodal & Automotive division is responsible for the safe transportation of containerized shipments, automobile parts and finished vehicles. In my current role, I lead a team of 40 employees who provide end-to-end customer support ranging from tracking and tracing, shipment hold resolution and driver support.
How do your Army skills or experiences help you succeed in your current role? In the Army I learned the value of selfless-service, teamwork, leadership and discipline. For me, these values cultivated a mindset where failure wasn’t an option and that I needed to continually push myself to be the best person I could. This continues to be my mindset today. I’m always trying to be a better employee, leader and I make it a priority to bring value to others.
What do you enjoy most about your job and the transportation field? No two days are the same on the railroad. There is always a new problem to solve or an opportunity to learn something new about the industry or the organization. I also have the opportunity to lead and develop employees, which is my true passion.
What’s one of the biggest challenges you face in your position? Reacting to ever changing market conditions which impact the transportation and logistics industries. As the railroad connects global supply chains, we have to be able to quickly adapt to uncontrollable events such as weather and policy changes to ensure we can provide a quality and dependable transportation solution that our customers can depend on.
What advice would you give to a Veteran interested in working at Norfolk Southern—or in transportation in general? Transportation is a vast industry. Find a field you’re interested in and pursue it. Whether it’s air, land, sea or rail, become an expert at it and consistently look for ways to improve. Develop relationships with people that can help you grow and succeed. Ask questions and challenge things that don’t seem right.
Vasia Nicole Smith
What was your job in the military? An electronics technician in the Coast Guard is a combination of a communications and radar technician in the civilian world. In the USCG the nickname for electronic techs or ETs is “everything technician” because we were essentially qualified to work on anything with a power supply relating to communications and navigational equipment.
What was your biggest concern during your transition to civilian life? Knowing if transitioning was the best thing to do. Almost every military member thinks or talks about leaving the military at some point but when it actually happens it can be surreal.
How did you discover the SkillBridge opportunity with Werner Enterprises? I knew a few members that participated in Skillbridge who expressed how helpful it was with helping them transition into the civilian world. After that, it was just a matter of doing the research, reaching out to companies and determining what company was the best fit for my husband and I because I knew it was very important for us to be team drivers together.
What was that experience like, and how did it prepare you for your current job? My experience with Skillbridge was overall very positive. My husband and I both already had our CDLs but it was very useful for us to have the training together that Skillbridge provided.
Was this your first civilian job after leaving the military? My first civilian job out of the military was driving for Werner Enterprises. It was a very seamless transition.
Tell us about your current role—what does your day-to-day look like driving for the Hobby Lobby account? Our current role is team driving for Werner on the Hobby Lobby Account. The Hobby Lobby Distribution Center is based out of Oklahoma City, Okla., so we are usually leaving from there going to deliver at one of their stores or heading back from a delivery. It is really nice because a lot of the locations are in shopping centers so we are able to enjoy some shopping that usually isn’t accessible while in the truck.
What do you enjoy most about working in the transportation industry? No day is ever the same. Every day is a new challenge to work through.
What do you find most challenging? Having to be on high alert. You have to be extremely aware of your surroundings at all times, making sure you are looking out for your safety as well as the safety of others.
How has your military training helped you succeed as a professional driver? My military training has definitely helped me succeed by giving me a heightened attention to details and the ability to find comfort in uncomfortable situations.
What advice would you give to Veterans interested in commercial driving or transportation careers? Best advice is to just go for it. Every branch has different programs in addition to Skillbridge that can be utilized to better train and prepare you for being a full-time truck driver. Give it all a try and get as much information and exposure to the industry as possible. Trucking can be very competitive. The more information you have the more successful you will be.
What’s something about you that might surprise people? One thing that might surprise people about me is that I am extremely clumsy. For a person that has served in the military and now drives semi trucks, the walk from our truck to the truckstop can be the most dangerous part for me.
Read this full article and more in the September 2025 Issue of G.I. Jobs magazine.
