Associated Training Services would like to thank all military personnel and Veterans and wish you all a Happy Veterans Day.

Happy Veterans Day!

If you have served in the military, you have a GI Bill that is available to cover the cost of training at higher learning institutions that don’t offer college degrees. This allows a veteran to get trained to perform work such as truck driving, heavy equipment operator, mobile crane operator, certified as a rigger/signalperson, and horizontal directional drilling operator.

The amount of funds available depends on the specific GI bill that is being utilized and the kind of non-college-degree school or training that you are pursuing. Payments will be issued on a monthly basis after you have completed training with the monthly entitlement being based on the clock hours that you attended training for each week of the month. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays the actual net costs of in-state tuition for non-degree granting schools or the national maximum, whichever is the least amount. There is a monthly housing allowance based on the school’s location and up to $83 is available for books and supplies monthly.

You can use your GI bill or educational benefits from your military service toward various vocational training and non-degree programs. If you need a CDL to drive a truck for a living, your VA benefits can help you cover the cost of the specialized truck driving school that you attend. You should check with the financial counselors at the school you plan to attend to learn about your benefits would come into play while you are attending a program there. That way, you can properly plan for the cost and know how much – if any – you would be responsible for.

Training for Career Opportunities

Construction workers and truck drivers are in demand. These are two growing fields in need of skilled employees. Because this is a growing field, you could benefit significantly from specialized training. You could use some VA or military benefits for training at ATS. The mission of ATS is to be an industry-leading educational institution that offers effective vocational training while maintaining the highest standards of quality and integrity. ATS trains veterans to go into various positions and fields in the workforce.

Your VA or military benefits can be used to participate in any of the many programs available at ATS. Educational opportunities are available in mobile crane operation, horizontal directional drilling, rigger/signalperson certification, heavy equipment operation, or truck driving. If you would like to learn more about the educational programs available at ATS, or how you can use your GI bill toward funding your career goals by participating in ATS educational programs, call (800) 383-7364.

Next Wednesday is Veterans Day. On behalf of Associated Training Services, we’d like to wish all veterans a Happy Veterans Day. And just for serving our country, we want to make you an offer that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Feel free to take advantage of either of our two specials for veterans from now until the end of the year.

1. Free Housing – Yes, until December 31, 2015, all veterans can get double room housing when they enroll and attend one of our heavy equipment training classes in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.
2. Travel Allowance – We realize that you might have to travel a good distance to join our classes. That’s why we’ve decided to offer all U.S. vets a $500 travel allowance. No matter where you are coming from, you can get your travel paid for in full or in part. That $500 should cover most of your travel expenses to get to our Sun Prairie, Wisconsin training center.

We’re a company that likes to honor veterans. We appreciate the sacrifice you’ve made for our country and want to give you something back to appreciate that sacrifice. Veterans are valuable members of the workforce and deserve all the support they can to enter the workforce, stay employed, and benefit from the efforts that made their sacrifices worthy in the first place.

So, on behalf of truck drivers and their employers, and we and our trainers, Happy Veterans Day!

If you are a veteran of any US military service, we want to say “thank you” for the sacrifices you have made. Well over two thousand military veterans have gone through our training programs and we are impressed with you all. Here are ways Veterans benefit.

Standard Military Benefits

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is qualified to provide training under a number of federal and state programs, so make sure you ask about the Military and Veterans Benefits available to you. Our financial assistance department is experienced in all the paperwork that is involved and can help you figure out how to pay for your training here.

No matter which branch you served with if you are active or a veteran, there may be a benefits program available to you. It’s a good reason to explore your options!

A Military Benefit You Only Will Find Here

Another benefit available to some veterans is exclusive to ATS. Since the middle of September 2014, Associated Training Services has added a housing voucher to cover the full cost of a double room at the ATS dormitory. This is our housing facility and it is a great place to stay during your training.

To qualify, you’ll need to be honorably discharged and submit your Form DD214 to the School Registrar. It’s one more way we can thank those who serve, and the voucher is good for the entire time of your training. That means it has a value between $360 and $2,040, or $120 per week. It’s not good for cash or at any other facility but it’s all you will need for housing while you train for your civilian career in heavy equipment.

Vets, Did you know that Associated Training Services has been in operation for over fifty years? We have had time to learn how to do things right, and to adapt to the new stuff coming into the industry. In the Training School sense, we are veterans because of those years of experience. We’ve invested the time and the effort to do our job well, and it shows.

But there’s another kind of veteran that we have a profound respect for and will always honor: the military veteran. 

Over the last fifty years, our organization has trained over 2,000 military veterans. We’ve helped them figure out the benefits they qualify for and ATS is approved as a career training course for many of those educational benefits. There are some programs for active duty members, National Guard, Reserve, and military spouses, too.

We appreciate the time and effort you have put into service to our country, and over the years we have seen that military veterans come into their training with a competent attitude and a willingness to do what it takes to accomplish their goals. This probably has a great deal to do with the fact that you’ve been in one of the branches of the Armed Forces and learned a lot there.

If you are interested in exploring the military benefits available to you with our financial aid office, we’ll be glad to help you do that. There’s even a scholarship for all honorably discharged veterans of military service, a scholarship ranging from $500 up to $1,500 depending on the program you enter. You’ll need to submit your DD214 to the school registrar to qualify for this particular scholarship since it is from ATS in recognition of your service.

And in case you don’t hear it from anyone else, Thanks.

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.