Few jobs if any in the civilian world can simulate the special sense of kinship and togetherness that nearly all military veterans can speak to. And while building cell towers may ultimately pale in comparison to protecting one’s country, life as a tower tech is one such profession.
“It’s one of the few industries that has the same sense of camaraderie or brotherhood that the Army does ,” said Ron Miller, a 2014 graduate of the Warriors 4 Wireless program and current tower tech for SBA. “You’re living with your crew and are on site every day, and sometimes putting your life on the line like the guy next to you.”
After returning home from deployment in Afghanistan in 2014, Miller was “lost in the sauce for about four or five months,” as he puts it, until he came across the Warriors 4 Wireless training program at one of the Army’s yellow ribbon events. Miller had yet to find a steady job or career since coming home.
“I had a few odds and ends jobs before entering the program, but nothing serious,” Miller said.
After hearing positive reviews from friends who had gone through the program, Miller decided to enter the program himself and pursue a career in the wireless industry. Practically, it was a good fit too, Miller said, as Warriors 4 Wireless enabled him to use his G.I. bill to help pay for the program.
Miller talked glowingly about his experience in the program, citing the organization’s leadership and expertise as his favorite features of the 120-hour training course.
“The people that Tara [Dunne] and Kelley [Dunne] brought in were just fountains of knowledge, Miller said. “Kelly himself has been in the industry since the early 1990s, so he probably could have taught the entire course himself.”
The transition from the training facility to jobsite was smooth, Miller said. The Warriors 4 Wireless program simulates daily life as a professional tower technician, making the transition that much easier for graduating trainees.
“There was hardly any difficulty in the transition,” Miller said. “Basically the course is the first couple weeks of most tower companies that you’re going to be hired by, so I hit the ground running.”
Since 2014, Miller has been working as a tower tech in the industry. Currently, he works for industry giant SBA in the Pittsburgh market, where he also resides.
By Benjamin Horvath
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