Five Years of Iraq War Impact Union Program That Turns Military Vets Into Craft Workers
Since 2003, when the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Dept. (BCTD) and nine construction employer groups founded Helmets to Hardhats, or H2H, to transition military personnel into industry craft jobs, the continuing Iraq war has added a new crop of veterans and, as Memorial Day approaches, a poignant dimension to the union recruiting and training program.
The war’s demands spawned a larger military force trained in higher-tech tools and approaches. But the Pentagon had to reach deeper into National Guard and reserve support units, which drew longer, tougher stretches of duty. For those ready and able to transition back to civilian life or seek a post-military career change, H2H has offered a new opportunity.