Members of the Arlington GM Veterans Group spent this weekend laying flags at the headstones of people buried at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Veterans say General Motors has worked to help them transition back to civilian life.
"People don't have that bond outside the military," said Wesley Carroll, a veteran who went to work at GM after leaving the Marines in 2012. "You don't really meet too many people with that connection and that friendship, people you can truly trust with your life."
Carroll says he initially struggled when leaving the service because civilian life has a looser structure. He said a family member helped him get his job a GM.
"It actually helped out because it was very similar to the rank structure in the military where you have a chain of command," he said. "You have a chain of command here. You also have groups like you have a platoon. Once I got more comfortable, then it got back to the military side I enjoyed of problem solving."
Carroll said his experience in the Marines helped him learn how to solve problems quickly and under pressure. He says he had to write a plan every time he went on patrol for things that could go wrong and how he would take action.
"You don't know if it's going to happen, but what is your plan of action? What is your team going to do?" he said. "If you get a guy shot here, what is your plan of action? If nothing happens, what checkpoint are you moving to and what time frame?"
Carroll said that has helped him in his job. He works with cars after the body is attached to the frame, describing each car as a puzzle where he will find a place to establish a connection for each piece.
"Everything there is very crucial in the layering process," he said. "You can't put certain things on before other things or else you can't reach it or can't see the connector. You have to look at every little detail."
He said his supervisor was in the Army and another person in his group was a Marine. Carroll said GM has recognized how veterans can learn skills quickly and work well together.
"The guys I served with, I can trust them with my life, hands down," he says. "I may argue with them. I may not even like them, and they may not like me, but I know when something happens, I know they have my back, and I have theirs."
The U.S. Department of Labor said the unemployment rate among veterans is 2.2%, lower than the national unemployment rate of 3.4%.
GM Arlington has a Veterans Employee Resource Group that connects employees with each other and available programs. They also work together on projects, including preparation for the National Medal of Honor Museum.
The National Medal of Honor Foundation broke ground on the museum in Arlington's Entertainment District in March of 2022. The facility should open next year.
"I think it's really great, adding something like that," Carroll said. "Bringing it to Texas is the best in my opinion."
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
