Current and former members of the military can access a range of benefits to help them undertake heavy equipment training for a new career. There are several restrictions on the type of training that can be undertaken. For example, the training organization must be approved to deliver these services.

When you served and for how long you served will also affect the level of benefits available. In some situations, you are also able to transfer benefits to a direct family member. The types of benefits available include:

• Montgomery GI Bill ® – There are a number of eligibility criteria for this bill and you are better off talking to a VA vocational counselor as to your eligibility.
• Post 9/11 GI Bill ® – Provides assistance for training and housing. You can transfer some of your entitlements to dependents.
• VetSuccess Program – Rehabilitation and employment program for veterans with service-connected disabilities
• Survivors & Dependents Assistance – Provides education or training assistance to spouses and their children following the death of their partner whilst on active service.
• Active Duty Personnel – May be eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are approved for the use of Veterans Educational Benefits. You will need to check with the respective government departments to see whether or not you are eligible for any assistance under these programs. You may also be eligible for state-based military education benefits so check with your state’s web site for more information.

Heavy equipment operations are a perfect opportunity for those who have been in military service. The camaraderie that operators have with each other has been likened to the military as has the need to work with precision. Former service personnel also find that continuing to work outdoors a lot more satisfying than trying to adapt to an inside job. If life as a heavy equipment operator appeals to you, and your have been involved in the military in some capacity, then you may be eligible for assistance to help you with your training.

We live in unfortunate times where world peace is constantly under threat. We have brave men and women serving in various places around the world and many, on return, require re-training before they can find well paid employment. Some of those returning are doing so with injuries that prevent them from returning to previous careers. To help those from the military that are trying to rebuild their lives, ATS Heavy Equipment Schools offers training that has been approved for Veterans Educational Benefits.

There are a range of benefits available for current and ex-military personnel. Some of these benefits also extend to the spouses and children of veterans – this enables them too to undertake heavy equipment training as well. Funding for veterans is available through the GI Bill. For current service personnel, there is funding available through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). This is available for eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and the Coast Guard.

Guard and Reserve Members may also be eligible for funding to train as heavy equipment operators through schemes such as the GI Bill, the Tuition Assistance Program, and through various state military education benefits schemes. Vocational training is important for those that have been injured and this too is available.

A career in the field of heavy equipment operations can be ideal for those who have served in active duty areas. Military personnel are used to working outdoors, often in hot and dry (and sometimes wet and muddy) conditions. When it comes to remuneration, a heavy equipment operators’ weekly paycheck is competitive, especially when compared to careers that take months or even years to train for. If you’re a current or former member of the military, and you’re considering re-training in heavy equipment, you may be eligible for funding that can help to pay for your training. Contact us at ATS for more information or visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/gi_bill_info/how_to_apply.htm to determine eligibility requirements.

If you are, or have been, a member of the military, or a spouse or dependent of a member of the military, past or present, then you may be eligible for financial aid that may help you undertake one of our training programs. Now that sounds like a mouthful so let’s break it down into actual details.

For current service members and their spouses, financial aid is available in the following forms:

For active members: $4,500 is available under The Armed Forces Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). This is for all active members in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and the Coast Guard. There is specific criteria attached to the funding.

Souses of active members: the MyCCA (Military Spouse Program) provides funding of up to $6,000 for education, training, licenses, certificates and degrees leading to employment.

Veterans: Nearly all ATS training schools are approved for the use of Veterans Educational Benefits. If injured on active service, veterans may also be eligible for vocational rehabilitation training.

Dependents of veterans: Dependents of active members injured while on active service may also be eligible for vocational training.

If you are considering undertaking a training program through ATS and you feel you may be eligible for one of these financial aid options, contact us for more information on the training programs available for funding.

I must add that these programs and the funds available were correct at the time this post was published. If you are reading this at a later date then please refer to the military websites for the latest training program funding available.

Did you know that our military services used heavy equipment like bulldozers? Did you also know you could have a military career as a bulldozer operator? You can and you can fast track your initial training if you gain a qualification and experience before signing up to the military.

There are two ways to enter the military as a bulldozer operator. The first is to sign up, do the complete basic training then request a transfer to the heavy equipment division. The second is to sign up as a trained and experienced bulldozer operator. You will still need to undertake the basic training.

A career in the US Army, for example, can be an exciting one and can take you to many places around the world, even as a bulldozer operator. Although your specialty skill will be as a bulldozer operator, you will still be considered a part of the infantry. This means learning the basic skills that all soldiers possess, namely, handling weapons and working as a team under attack.

Bulldozers are not the only heavy equipment used by the military. They also use crawlers, wheeled tractors, scoop loaders, motorized graders and towed or self-propelled scrapers. Undertaking training and gaining some on the job experience is the easiest way to get a foot hold into the military.

If a career in the military as a heavy equipment operator sounds good then check out the heavy equipment training options that are available through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator schools.

Backhoes are not exactly the slowest of creatures but even on the open highway they would struggle to get over 20mph – imagine driving one at 60mph? The military have now taken on a backhoe that can do just that and not just on the open highway either.

Built with full suspension, ABS braking technology, sophisticated computer diagnostics, run-flat tires, roll-over protection, and a two-man, air-conditioned cab, the JCB HMEE can travel at much higher speeds on open roads and on cross country runs. According to an article in Associated Construction Publications, the backhoe is

purpose-built for the U.S. Army and destined for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, where it will provide battlefield commanders with a myriad of logistics capabilities in front patrols.

The backhoe is one of the most versatile machines in the heavy equipment range. Deployment to areas such as Afghanistan will provide the military with far more options than they currently have. Of course, equally important are the skills of the operators who are, by the way, also professional soldiers.

You may never get to drive the world’s fastest backhoe, unless of course you have a desire to join the army. You can guarantee that at some time in the future these backhoes will migrate from the military to the workplace. To operate one, you will need training through a good training provider. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools deliver high quality training in most aspects of heavy equipment including backhoes.

A lot of people don’t realize that the military are big users of heavy equipment. They use a wide variety of equipment from the small backhoes to the large bulldozers. They also use the large flatbed trucks to transport the equipment around.

The military do train their own operators, however if you are already trained then they will welcome you with open arms, so long as you meet their other requirements. You may ask why the military would use heavy equipment?

There is a pretty straightforward answer to that question. The military build bridges, they build roads and they demolish buildings that have been used by the enemy.

If you wish to join the military and become a heavy equipment operator, think about getting your training done first. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with all the training you need to become an effective operator – even in the military.

If you’re looking to gain experience as a heavy equipment operator then the military may be your answer. The Army is always working on construction jobs both at home and abroad and so require the skills of heavy equipment operators. They crate airfields, prepare sites for buildings, build dams and undertake demolition jobs.

The military requires skilled teams of construction workers to complete these task. Of course when working abroad the location can be just as challenging as the construction job itself. As with all new recruits to the army, construction equipment operators begin with nine weeks of basic training to learn to be a soldier.

Once you have completed your basic training you will move on to more advanced training for heavy equipment which includes safety, using the heavy equipment in possible battle zones and the maintenance and repair of your equipment. You may also need to learn how to assemble some components of your heavy equipment as there are times and situations where the equipment cannot be shipped in one piece.

Many army professionals spend their days on powerful bulldozers, cranes, graders and front end loaders. After leaving the army, these trained heavy equipment operators are in high demand due to their superior skill levels and quickly snapped up for well paying jobs in the construction, timber and mining industries.

This all starts by getting good quality basic training on your chosen piece of heavy equipment. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with those basic skills and help you get started in a well paid career.