May is National Military Appreciation Month—a time of appreciation for the United States military personnel, past and present, who serve our country.
Many servicemen and women use the skills they developed from their military service to build successful careers in industry. At TransLoc, we are privileged to benefit from the veterans on our team who share our passion for solving the world’s mobility challenges.
Here’s one of their stories.
Marcus Whitaker, Vice President of Revenue, served six years in the United States Marine Corps as a telecommunications engineer with stints at Camp Lejeune, 29 Palms and Camp Pendleton. Managing the construction of infrastructure, data centers and satellite communication sites was a natural fit for Marcus. He began tinkering with computers and obsessing over technology at 13 years old. In his leadership role at TransLoc, Marcus takes a disciplined approach to our business strategy with emphasis on thoughtful and unwavering support for our customers and our people. After all, Marcus lives by the philosophy of People. Process. Performance.— a testament to the life-changing experiences he had as a serviceman.
We caught up with Marcus to hear more about his time with the United States Marine Corps, as well as his thoughts on how employers can best attract and support top veteran talent to their companies.
Tell us a little bit about your memories in the United States Marine Corps!
Marcus Whitaker: I went to boot camp at Parris Island and had a blast there. Boot camp is where citizens are transformed into U.S. Marines. My first duty station was Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina and I had a lot of success there. It was at Camp Lejeune where I had the opportunity to first serve as a US Marine leader. My hard work produced great results. While stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (29 Palms), I worked under the leadership of Major General Palm, focusing on soldier morale and retention. 29 Palms was the most important duty station in my career; I would not be sitting in front of you today without that experience. I learned so much about morale and was trained on the leadership principles of people, process, and performance.
Did your time in the United States Marine Corps influence what you look for in a prospective employer?
My experience in the United States Marine Corps impacts how I listen to an employer’s messaging in employee morale, customers, and growth. Historical data states it takes over 10,000 hours of experience, post higher learning or professional training, to become a subject matter expert (SME). In my opinion, the ability to recruit and retain SMEs with a high level of corporate morale is of the most importance. When I research a company, I inspect a company’s ability to attract employees, win customers, generate cash, and grow. This cannot be accomplished without a vision for people, process, and performance. Other factors that I consider are the maturity and life cycle of the business. Those indicators were instilled in me via the United States Marine Corps’ approach to success.
What can companies do to attract veterans to their jobs?
Attend veteran job fairs and create relationships with agencies that manage the post-service career of veterans. When I recruited veterans, I found the most success via agencies. Agencies align a veteran’s experience with the company’s business plan, strategy, and the requirements of the position. Leveraging local veteran resources is also essential. It’s important for a company to anticipate doing some strategic planning and homework!
Once hired, what personal characteristics or traits could a company expect from a veteran?
One hundred percent of the projects in the United States Marine Corps have to be completed on-time, at cost, or to a negotiated grade. If we needed to build out base communications and infrastructure, the project ended when it was completed. As an example, if the results were required in four days, it was not unusual to focus for 18 hours per day or until all tasks were completed. The characteristics that I have witnessed most often from veterans are they focus on accomplishments, are goal oriented, and their discipline is often baked into their DNA.
Are you a veteran looking to join a company with a vision and purpose? Do you want to help us find solutions to the world’s toughest mobility challenges? Check out our list of open positions and apply today!