Amtrak Vets: Meet Jeff

Amtrak Vets: Meet Jeff

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Since June 2013, 21% of new hires have been veterans. In fact, 1 in 5 Amtrak employees is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. This includes the active duty and retired vets who have found a rewarding career at Amtrak, where military values of teamwork, leadership and integrity align well with work on the railroad (Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman is a Vietnam veteran).

We’d like to introduce you to Jeff Geozeff, a veteran and engineer-in-training along the Northeast Corridor.

Jeff Geozeff oversaw critical pieces of our nation’s security while serving with the U.S. Air Force. In a career that spanned 24 years in the armed forces, he served as chief at the Joint Information Operations Warfare Command and area desk officer at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Geozeff graduated from the Air Force Academy and then pursued a master’s degree in Aviation Safety before serving at various posts around the country and overseas. Upon retirement, Geozeff was looking for a challenging career that also revolved around a personal passion—transportation.

Amtrak seemed like a perfect fit. I also appreciate the investment that Amtrak has put into identifying and supporting veterans as they transition to rewarding careers in the civilian world,” says Geozeff, who recently finished 10 weeks of rigorous training to prepare him for work as an engineer on Acela Express and Northeast Regional trains. He must now complete approximately a year and a half of on-the-job training designed to familiarize himself with equipment, infrastructure and stations along the NEC before he assumes the driver’s seat.

Asked why he chose Amtrak, Geozeff says, “I remember my dad always talking to me about trains as I was growing up…also, working with complex engineering systems is something I’m familiar with.” It’s exactly that kind of specialized training developed in the Air Force that makes Geozeff a perfect match for the company. “A lot of my skill sets from the Air Force translate very well to my work now—especially a mission-oriented mindset and teamwork.”

As part of our commitment to hiring veterans, we’ve partnered with 45 Military Transition Program Offices, and attended over 50 military hiring events. We’ve also commissioned a special veterans ACS64 locomotive along the Northeast Corridor. It joins its sister P42 veterans locomotive, which runs on cross country routes.

So next time you’re making your way to New York or Boston with us, Jeff may very well be the capable hands at the controls.

Are you a veteran interested in working for Amtrak? Find out more here.