ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) and members of its Equipment and Technology Advisory Council (ETAC) traveled to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland to get a first-hand look at the Department of Labor’s Hire Vets First Committee’s Training Assistance Program (TAP). As the truck renting and leasing industry continues to face a growing national shortage of qualified maintenance technicians, TRALA and its member companies have teamed up with the President’s National Hire Veterans Committee. The commission was established under the 2002 Jobs for Veterans Act, in an effort to offer more training, skills, and job opportunities to military veterans. The visit to Aberdeen allowed senior maintenance executives to observe Department of Defense (DOD) transition training, including a briefing on wheel vehicle mechanic training and certification programs and to witness an Advance Individual Training in progress. TRALA also participates in the HireVetsFirst initiative, an Internet portal for employers to find veterans. The site provides employment resource information, nationwide job fair listings, local community career centers that provide employment assistance to employers, and access to links for Americas Job Bank and an electronic job search engine. More information on this campaign is available at www.hirevetsfirst.gov.
The Truck Renting and Leasing Association's Equipment and Technology Advisory Council (ETAC) tour the shop floor at the U.S. Army's Advanced Individual Training facility in Downer Hall at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The tour was part of a briefing for the ETAC given by the U.S. Army on its vehicle maintenance training and certification program. The ETAC has initiated a partnership with President Bush's Hire Vets First Committee, a program within the U.S. Department of Labor, to address the growing shortage of qualified maintenance technicians through the hiring of experienced veterans. Left to Right: Tom James (TRALA), Craig Talbott (Maryland Motor Truck Association), Ken McKibbon (Penske Truck Leasing), John Lynch (TRALA), Andy Stopka (NationaLease), Don Porthan (Paccar Leasing Company), Ty Cross (Ryder System), Jim Salas (Ryder System), Bob Baumer (Mercedes-Benz), Jim Russo (Ameriquest Transportation and Logistic Resources).

Members of the Truck Renting and Leasing Association's Equipment and Technology Advisory Council (ETAC) observe a U.S. Army Advanced Individual Training class on vehicle maintenance in Downer Hall at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The classroom observation was part of a briefing for the ETAC given by the U.S. Army on its vehicle maintenance training and certification program. The ETAC has initiated a partnership with President Bush's Hire Vets First Committee, a program within the U.S. Department of Labor, to address the growing shortage of qualified maintenance technicians through the hiring of experienced veterans. ETAC members pictured are Jim Russo (Ameriquest Transportation and Logistic Resources), Ty Cross (Ryder System), Ken McKibbon (Penske Truck Leasing), and Jim Salas (Ryder System).