GREENSBORO, N.C. — This Veteran's Day we're highlighting an aerospace company new to Greensboro, it hired five veteran crew chiefs, all with experience working on military aircraft.
They call themselves the 'First Five.' The group consists of four Marines and one Sailor, all united by a passion for a military aircraft called the C-130.
Daniel Hatley and Adam Miller are two of the five. The Marine Corps Vets have years of experience with the C-130 and other military planes.
"When I was deployed in Iraq 2006 & 2008 a couple of airplanes took some damage. We had one that took some mortar fire, so we had to make some corrections there, fabricate some patches for the skins of the airplane and what not," recalled Miller.
Now, both Hatley and Miller are taking their training to the next level. The vets are crew chiefs for Marshall USA'S newest Greensboro facility near Piedmont Triad International Airport.
"I really feel like the position that I took with Marshall, the job description was written according to my resume," exclaimed Hatley.
The crew chiefs are in training at Guilford Technical Community College. The college is partnering with Marshall offering a 10- week structural maintenance course.
After this training, there's more to learn. Hatley said after the holidays the group will travel to Marshall's headquarters in the UK. Hatley expects their hanger to be complete at PTI sometime in spring of 2025.
GTCC is an aviation training college in North Carolina. The college works with other nearby companies to train future employees. Those companies include, Honda Aircraft, HEACO, Boeing, Boom Supersonic, and Marshall Aerospace.