Monte
Air Force, 2000-2004
From 2000-2004 Monte flew from Nebraska, to Texas, to Charleston on the wings of the Air Force. With the help of his Dad who had been in the army, Monte’s landing back into ground-level everyday life was a smooth one. He brought home new skills such as discipline, flexibility, and the tools he needed to be a structured individual. Monte took a job as a Verizon financial services representative and all of a sudden two years flew by. Feeling unfulfilled and confident in his abilities to do something more meaningful, a friend of Monte’s recommended he look into the Sustainability Institute.
Joining the Veteran Conservation Crew provided Monte with another option, an option that has helped him broaden his horizons, expand his network, and introduce him to new friends. Truly everything he has learned with the VCC has been a new skill him, and he’ll be walking out certified in those skills. Monte has found a fulfilling richness to helping individuals and giving back to the community. One of his favorite parts of the VCC has been interacting with his team where work is a place be productive but also have fun. Although it’s all fun and games until someone brings up the recent Super Bowl and it turns out some crew members are still healing from a fresh wound and in no way ready to discuss such a tender subject. But of course not only does his team enhance his experience but the homeowners and individuals whose lives he’s deeply impacting. As Monte delves into the job market he now has a new set of skills and certifications in his back pocket and a sense of confidence and ambition in his front. When asked about his overall experience and thoughts on the Sustainability Institute he simply responded with, “it’s a wonderful program”. Monte defines sustainability as consistency and the ability to keep a necessity. Fueled by his passion for life and his kids, the way Monte’s been going a steady 75mph down that road of success there’s no doubt he’ll be able to practice what he preaches.
