Air Force Vet Puts Skills to Work as Conductor

Corey #AmtrakVets

He’s a “die-hard Celtics and Red Socks fan” who’s spent time in South Korea and even traveled by train (from Florida!) to interview for a conductor job in Washington, D.C.

There are a lot of unique things about Corey, but what really made him stand out to Amtrak recruiters were his three years in the Air Force.

“I was in charge of a lot of operations when I was in the service,” says Corey, who is still in the active reserves. “I was a manager for a multi-million-dollar stock of ammunition.”

When he left the Air Force in October and returned home from South Korea, his cousin told him about an opening at Amtrak, so he submitted his resume online. “He told me that Amtrak was hiring, and there were good opportunities coming up,” says Corey, who was hired as an assistant conductor in January.

Despite the two jobs being worlds apart, Corey says his ability to think on his feet is helpful in the military and at Amtrak. “Being able to come up with quick solutions and being able to adapt and do the task at hand is helpful on the railroad,” he says.

When Corey works in the maintenance yard, his typical day includes moving train equipment and getting it ready for revenue service, making sure everything arrives at the station on time.

During his days “on the road” he deals first hand with passengers where his main goal is getting people to their destinations safely. “Really, customers come first when I’m in the yard or on the rails,” he says.

“I’ve referred a lot of friends  to Amtrak,” Corey explains. “There’s not many places I can go that I can find a job right away with good benefits and retirement options like the military has.”

 

In a continued effort to support the nation’s service men and women, Amtrak has set a goal of ensuring 25 percent of its new hires are veterans by 2015. Amtrak is the nation’s passenger railroad, serving more than 31 million passengers annually and 500 destinations nationwide. For more information, visit Amtrak.com/VeteransCareers.