to earn credentials can be far greater than for someone learning each process for the first time. Equipment Used The equipment Soldiers train with are mostly commercially available welding machines, generally modern inverter-based models, and cutting equipment. Most students start on a virtual reality arc welding training simulator. Once the students get to the Army Unique portion of the course, they learn how to set up and use our welding trailer, otherwise known as Shop Equipment, Welding (SEW). The SEW is a small trailer that can be pulled behind a 2.5-ton vehicle. It has a diesel-driven welding power source, suitcase-style GMAW machine, 300-A GTAW machine, along with associated tools, cutting apparatuses, and all the basics needed for a field welding job. Nothing else being guaranteed, anywhere in the Army that a 91E will go, there will be at least one SEW. Service Details A common question among new recruits is, “Where am I going to be stationed?” The Army has duty stations throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and around the world. There is virtually no way to be able to say a certain person will be stationed at a particular location. I recommend Soldiers embrace a different environment and take advantage of the opportunities presented there. You’ll never know if you love Korean food without being stationed in South Korea or know what the northern lights truly look like from Alaska without actually being there. Solving Problems with Welding It is difficult for me to state specifically what Army welders do, because we do a little bit of everything. I say, “We solve problems.” I have repaired radiators, weldments on tracked vehicle hulls, and a plethora of other random items. Anyone with a little bit of skill can replace a transmission, yet only someone with great attention to detail can drill, tap, and insert 17 holes stripped in an aluminum transmission housing, all while it is attached to the vehicle and the person is lying in the sand in the deserts of California. I have repaired and fabricated more parts and equipment than I can remember. Each time, I learned something new and gained invaluable experience. I’m still sometimes surprised by the metal components Soldiers manage to break or the special tools I am frequently asked to fabricate. In-Service Opportunities There are many reasons why people decide to enlist in the military, but one of the most popular is education benefits. All Soldiers who serve honorably have access to the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The benefits in this bill can be transferred to spouses or other family members. One of the more popular education benefits while in service is Tuition Assistance. This allows a person who has at least one year of service to receive up to $250 per credit hour to take college classes. The cap is $4500 per year or 16 credit hours, whichever comes first. I have personally used Tuition Assistance to its maximum extent and earned associate and bachelor degrees. There are multiple other benefits that really depend on how long a person stays in the service. The Post 9/11 GI Bill can also pay THE AMERICAN WELDER for credentialing programs, like further AWS and NIMS certifications. As an example, I earned my AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) distinction while on station at Training with Industry. If a person stays in the Army long enough, he or she can submit an application to become an Allied Trades Warrant Officer. Generally, candidates will be a promotable Sergeant E5, have at least 60 months of documented excellence in the form of evaluations, and have at least the Advanced Leader’s Course completed. The Warrant Officer program is highly competitive — Fig. 4. Warrant Officers make up only about 1% of the total Army population, and there are only around 80 Allied Trades Warrant Officers on active duty at any given time. A program called Training with Industry is also an option for those who choose to make a career out of the military. This is a collaboration between the U.S. Army and The Lincoln Electric Co. Soldiers competitively selected receive a one-year assignment at Lincoln’s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. They have the opportunity to learn from welding experts, attend seminars, and go to the company’s welding school, as well as other events. The program is designed so Soldiers gain knowledge that helps advance welding practices and procedures in the Army. Currently, I’m on this assignment. As a career military member, the opportunity for me to get out and experi- AUGUST 2016 / WELDING JOURNAL 77 Fig. 6 — A GTAW row at the school in Fort Lee.
Welding Journal | August 2016
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