Veterans Day: Navy
George Kerstetter spent four years in the Navy aboard the USS Denver LPD-9 from 1989-1993, and was part of the Gulf War invasion to liberate Kuwait. As a Boiler Technician, sunlight was a premium, Kerstetter told Inside Towers, but many deployments with his fellow shipmates were some of his fondest memories. He said he now tries to do his part in several endeavors that help or bring light to Veteran issues, as a member of the Military of NATE Committee, The Syracuse Scottish Pipe Band for Honor Flights, and The Combat Veteran’s Motorcycle Association.
“When I got out,” Kerstetter said, “I started to work in the family business, but it didn’t seem where I wanted to end up. A friend said if I wanted to interview and could show up that day at NYNEX, they were desperate for Lineman.” Having passed the interview on a Friday, he was told to show up Monday morning ready to climb.
“I worked for two years as a temporary employee before they ‘hired’ me,” he said. “I got into a management job and after a few job title changes, I transferred to a corporate position in safety for the northeast region. Once Verizon Wireless decided to get into the small cell business, I moved to that side of the house in Corporate Compliance and sat as the VZW representative…but not able to speak…on NATE, NWSA, and the beginning of SEMC.” In 2018, Kerstetter was hired by PerfectVision Manufacturing and now serves as their National Solutions Engineer.
Joining up with the wireless industry, according to Kerstetter, “was the best decision I ever made.”
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