How Ex-Militry Typically Fares At UPS

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upslocal480

Guest
I was just wondering how ex-military people have fared, or adapted, at other UPSs and hoped maybe some of you other people have worked with them. I've worked at two different UPSs, a Fed Ex, and many other businesses before I ever worked at UPS and Fort Campbell, Ky (Army) is right next door so I've had my share of working with ex-military and even some that are still in. So far me and all the people that I've worked with have been quite dissapointed with a good number of the ex-military we've had at UPS for lots of different reasons. I've kind of noticed that it might depend on what branch of the serice they were in, how long, and what job they had. It seemed that allot of them had the idea that they were already lifers at UPS and didnt require training and could already do everything better than anyone else thats actually been doing the job for a while. When we try and train them or show them better ways, or the right ways, to do things they usually wouldnt pay attention or would get offended. Anyone else have experiences like this? Let me know. Just seems that some of them have an attitude that they can already load, unload, etc. better just because they were in the servce yet I've seen too many ex SEALs, Rangers, you name it, quit a week and some quit after one day. I have no problem with military people but these things are hard to ignore. I'm actually trying to take military leave for the air force soon myself and my dad is a retired officer from the Army so it's not like I have a thing against them. One of my friends is in the Force Recon Reserves (thats the Marine's version of the Navy SEALs) and he quit the Whites Creek Hub after two days and admitted it was too hard.
 
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dannyboy

Guest
I know one is not a large amount of experience. HE was too hopped up on drugs to be of much use here. Burned out after the first week. Think he was stealing too.

Like I said a poor example, but the only one we have had here.

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tieguy

Guest
I'm seen many ex military that did a great job at UPS and some that were surprisingly dissapointing. We've hired two ex green berets in the time i've been here and both left shortly after they started. Overall ex vets have done very well from what I've seen. Not all military are the physical demons we think of. Many have worked in support functions with a minimum of the physical conditioning we associate with that profession. I saw too many when I was in who thought and acted like they were goverment employees rather than part of some elite force.
 
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feederdude

Guest
UPSlocal480,
nice post on the variety of employees we have, and the diferrent range of work intergrity. I think this is a good example of UPS in general. It doesn't matter what walk of life you come from, but how you prove yourself in the workplace.
Again, nice post, tieguy just echoed your sentiment.
Feederdude
 
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johnny_b

Guest
We have an ex marine that loads on the roughest belt of them all. One of the loads on that belt has five doors and really it needs six. They load 5 to 10 trucks to that load every night. That belt before James got there had by far the highest turnover and was just an awful place to work. Everybody that works there now follows the old man like puppies and they are a strange 'family'. They got it rough, and love it, and that in a large way has to do with the old man's seriousness, workmanship, and attitude towards the young men and woman that work on the belt.

We also have a sorter that is currently on UPS leave for the military. She is very good, reliable, and is always sorting a box. I am a bit suprised sometimes because of how she is small and petite. She has 4 years seniority.

I have a buddy that I made work at UPS. He liked the regimentation so much he quit to become a marine. He started on an easy belt with one tough load but moved to the one that James works on because he was such a good worker and wanted to stay busy. He is currently somewhere near the middle east (he can't say).

Working on the sort aisle I only know people that have been at UPS for a long while so I don't know all the bad stories, but it seems that the military and UPS have a symbiosis relationship.
 
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upslocal480

Guest
I've had mostly bad experiences with ex military at UPS but wasn't so bad at the places I worked before UPS. Our turnover rate in our center is almost 0% but we usually have one or two people come and go per year. The past two years we've only lost 3 people and all lasted about a month or so and were ex military. One marine, two army. One of the army guys had just got out of the 160th. That is the special forces for heli pilots and their support people. That guy was the worst yet. He refused to listen or follow training. He couldn't keep up loading which is pretty sad becuase here you only have to load one trailer per person. He probably would have lasted a day in a hub. When anyone tried to explain to him that he needs to build walls and would try and show him how (again and again) he wouldn't listen and would get offended. He was always talking about how he shouldn't have to wait to get promoted based on seniority because he was in the military 8 years. Well, he became an air driver and for some reason, or reasons, that is being withheld from the rest of us by management, he ended up being fired eventually. I think I'd rather work with someone that put in 20 years or close to it becuase so far all of those types have been nice to work with.
 
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dannyboy

Guest
480, the one that we had felt like he was owed something extra for his service, and felt like he knew it all, couldnt be taught a thing.

As far as an airdriver getting fired, we have had several get removed from the air quaified list because they didnt follow the rules. Like wearing sandals, taking their girlfriend with them, going shopping while on company time, etc etc.

Also heard that in one of the Carolinas, there was an air driver that took an elderly gentileman with him because the man was lonly. Ended up in a wreck that killed the old man. Seems like in most areas the Sat air drivers are the least managed group at UPS. In our area they didnt have documented safety rides for years until we did a ketter audit. Just little stuff that gets overlooked.

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upslocal480

Guest
Well this guy here was supposedly fired for something totally unrelated to air driving and possibly the reload shift. It is being kept secret and none of us really care and are really just glad he is gone. Our full-time sup wanted to try and rehire him but our pt/sup on our shift said "NO...I dont want him on my shift". The thing that amazes me about all the ones I've worked with is the ex special forces guys. Specifically the Green Berets, Navy SEALS, Marine Force Recon, Air Force Combat Controllers, and Army Rangers. Those guys are fitness gods while they are in those jobs and in actuallity a job at UPS should be a piece of cake but for some reason they usually seem to be in way over their heads at UPS. In some cases literaly with packages. Although running 3 miles in 18 minutes requires a great effort on their part I guess that doesn't really compare to trying to keep up with a flow of packages that doesn't stop for nothing. I'm trying to get in the air force now on UPS military leave and have been running my butt off and working out so I can try out for a spefic job but that is easier to control than keeping up with a fast, steady flow of packages and having to stack them a certain way. That is the only conclusion I can come to about it all.
 
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proups

Guest
I remember a young lady that came from the Marines about 16 years ago. She was a small person, maybe 5'3" and 110 pounds. The Marines gave her an honorable discharge because they felt that due to her size she might hurt herself in their demanding environment.

She came to UPS as a loader shortly after her discharge and was ready to quit after a couple of days, but the PT and FT Sup would not let her. They worked with her, encouraged her, and the last I heard she is now a FT Supervisor.

Maybe it isn't the fault of the military person when they think the work is too hard, but the fault of the management team that does not work with them to make them successful.

However, I have seen the other extreme - the military person that comes into the workplace and is gone by break time!
 
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upslocal480

Guest
Well we had tried helping our last failure out many times but he was just way too experienced from the military for us. I wasn't aware that the army had trained their men and women to load trailers for UPS. LOL.
 
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jdwolfert

Guest
Sorry to hear that some of my fellow service members have made some poor impressions on you all. My guess is they probably made the same impression on their peers and leadership in the service as well. Remember some times "garbage in garbage out" applies to our military recruits as well. There is only so much we can do for a man/woman, they have to to the rest. I have been with the Best Air Force in the world for 20 years and hope to join best package carrier in the world soon. I am very aware that I will be judged not on what I did but what I do. Thanks for all the great info.
 
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dannyboy

Guest
With that attitude you will succeed! Let us know how it goes!

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upslocal480

Guest
JDWolfert...what was your job in the air force? I'm trying to get in now myself.
 
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jdwolfert

Guest
UPSLOCAL 480 -- I have spent my career in Traffic Managment and Logistics. Everything from Loading Cargo aircraft, driving Tractor Trailer OTR, passenger terminals, shipping HHGs and 4 years in DC at the Pentagon working Policy and answering Congressional Inquiries.

I just got back from S. Korea in August where I was the Base Traffic Manager (Rail, truck and cargo processing for Airlift fell under me), even got menitioned in "OEF Logistics Legacies" for an ITV project I led. I am currently the Superintendent for Distribution at FE Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming (Nuke Missiles). I attached a pic of my Loggie Flight (Me, 1st row right on my knee) Retiring in 60 days and looking to join UPS.

Tell me what you want to know about the AF and I will give the straight scoop. It is a great organization but there are some jobs that are much better than others. Remember the recruiters have a job to do and that is to put qualified people in to the jobs the AF needs most. The key is to qualify for what "you want" and hold out for it. Get back to me. -- SMSgt Wolfert
 
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upslocal480

Guest
I plan on going for 4 years because that's all UPS will hold your job for. I'm interested in, and qualified for, TACP, Combat Control, Engineering (would prefer civil engineerng). I've been running (allot) and working out the past 2.5 months to get ready. With the exception of engineering I'm pretty much only intersted in ALL special forces jobs in all the branches but I'd prefer the air force because everyone else in my family and all my relatives that were ever in the military were all in the army. I want to be different. My best friend is already in the air force and he suggested combat control to me after he saw them at his tech school for air traffic control because he knows how much I hate boring jobs and can't stand being stationary for long periods of time. LOL. He said it seemed like a job I'd do. Since I've researched the job I also came across TACP. I have talked to many of them that are stationed here at Fort Campbell,Ky and they all say it is a fun job. A fun job in the military? LOL. Isn't that rare? There are some things I want to find out before I sign off for it. Like what will happen with UPS. I'm wondering if I'll just pick up where I left off when I get back or if I'll lose my seniority for the 4 years I am gone. Also wondering if I'll get all the raises I would get during that time. It's things I have to consider. If you know anything about those jobs I mentioned let me know.
 
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jdwolfert

Guest
480 - Have you already taken your ASVAP tests and qualified for these positions? Since your only talking about 4 years have you considered going guard or reserve? This way you can stay with UPS and also serve the country and build up another retirment with the military at the same time?

Have you talked with a recrutier yet?
 
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upslocal480

Guest
Yes I've taken the asvab test and talked to a recruiter. I need to get a physical at MEPS though. I'm not going guard or reserves. I'm going active duty because I, or anyone else, can take "military leave" and UPS has to hold my job for me for one term (4 years). I asked HR about it and they said that it's actually a law and even in the UPS contract but I didn't see that part in it when I looked. I don't know how active duty military leave effects UPS though. I am wondering how it effects benefits and pay raises and seniority and all that. I'll have to ask HR soon.
 
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my2cents

Guest
ARTICLE 15. MILITARY CLAUSE

Employees in service in the uniformed services of the United States, as defined by the provisions of the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Title 38, U.S. Code Chapter 43, shall be granted all rights and privileges provided by USERRA and/or other applicable state and federal laws. This shall include continuation of health coverage as provided by USERRA, and pension contributions for the employee's period of service, as provided by USERRA. Employees shall be subject to all obligations contained in USERRA which must be satisfied for the employees to be covered by the statute.

The Employer, in its discretion, may make additional payments or award additional benefits to employees on leave for service in the uniformed services in excess of the requirements outlined in the USERRA.

Good link sir! The above is the language from the collective bargaining agreement. FYI.

One other thing 480 should consider is the fact that he may end up serving longer than four years. If you volunteer for an overseas tour, there is the chance you may have to extend your enlistment, which is what happened in my case.

There is also the possiblilty of your unit being deployed if a situation arises. In this case, your enlistment may be extended for manpower reasons. Given the climate of world affairs today, don't be surprised if this were to happen. Those two years of inactive reserve could end up as active duty time in terms of fulfilling your standard six year contract.
 
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upslocal480

Guest
Well, according to the About.com link I can take up to 5 years of leave. Possibly more than that if the term is extended for some reason beyond my control. Also keep seniority and whatever pay rate I'd be at if I hadn't of took leave is what I'll get when I get back. Sounds pretty good to me. I'm still not for sure about the benefits though. I guess they are just frozen or I'd have to pay for it myself. Why do that though when the military has pretty good benefits?
 
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