Military Welding Contractors - Jacob Ramírez is a success story that our industry must repeat again and again. From Houston, Ramírez grew up surrounded by industry. In high school he completed the professional welding program and went to work as a welder. After two years on the job, Ramirez enlisted in the Marines and deployed to East Asia and Afghanistan. When he returned to Camp Pendleton, a friend told him about the United Association (UA) Veterans in Piping® (VIP®) program on base.
Ramirez signed up for VIP initially because it was "free and basic." He began attending classes and was soon accepted into the 18-week welding training program. “I liked being able to train at night after being on duty all day,” he said. He joined the program because "it was an opportunity that no one else was offering."
Military Welding Contractors
Over the past decade, more than 2 million men and women have served and sacrificed for our nation. But despite being a disciplined and highly educated population, the military faces a very high unemployment rate when they retire from service.
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To ease the transition back to civilian life, the UA has established the VIP program to equip military service members preparing to leave the service with sought-after skills that can lead to lifelong careers in pipeline trades . Through accelerated courses offered for free at various military bases across the country, VIP participants gain industry-recognized certification and direct access to solid private sector jobs with good wages and benefits .
"I could join the union right out of the service, so I could have income to support my family," he said.
The apprenticeship gave him a thorough training in pipe fitting and welding, as well as an overview of plumbing, refrigeration and HVAC.
"The apprenticeship classes teach the science and math of the trade, so the work is more meaningful and I understand what I'm doing in the field," Ramirez said.
General Dynamics Employees Work On A Gun Turret For An Abrams Battle Tank During A Tour Of The Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, Lima Army Tank Plant, In Lima, Ohio, April 23, 2012
Having this understanding of the trade was important to him while working at the South Texas nuclear plant for two different contractors. For the past year, Ramirez has worked for CustomArc, a specialty union welding group, on the ExxonMobil Baytown project. His contributions were recognized by project leadership, and he now works for them at Georgia Power's Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant.
When asked about joining a union rather than returning to his former employers, Ramírez is blunt. "When I was working opening shops, I had no profit.
. In addition to health insurance, training and retirement benefits, Ramirez earned college credit for his apprenticeship classes. He plans to complete his associate's degree and would like to one day become a Certified Welding Inspector by continuing with the UA.
Connecting business and industry people with each other for the betterment of all. Become a member of the BIC Alliance today. Fairfax contractors welding qualifications are based on our staff. Fairfax Contractor has qualified welding professionals to get any type of welding project finished professionally and to compliance. Our procedures include: grading electrodes and filler metals, as well as welded plates and structural steel under ASME and AWS codes and standards. Fairfax Contractors is a Class A Virginia contractor endorsed by DPOR as a CBC Commercial Construction Contractor. This means we build commercial facilities.
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In addition, we have skilled workers who can complete the piping system design. We are certified to install steel pipe by ASME Section IX. We can also weld structural steel in flat, vertical, horizontal and overhead positions. We can weld stainless steel and aluminum following military standard 1595-A. Looking for a professional welding company, we at Fairfax Contractor can install welded pipe from inch to 5 inch in the following positions in 2G, 5G and 6G. Our professional welding staff can weld larger diameter pipe standards in accordance with API Pipe Standard 1104. Some of the more difficult procedures we could complete include bead overlap, hand full, socket a group welding procedure . We can also measure, cut and prepare pipe and structural steel segments. We are qualified contractors in Virginia, we can complete structural piping, structural ladders and barrel projects. Aluminum and stainless steel welding process. We are well versed in metal preparation, welding symbols and Iceman designs to get a structural steel project to the finish line.
Fairfax Contractor can install and manufacture blast resistant doors and windows. We can use the best explosion-proof standards that ensure more protection in government, military or embassy installations.
We can perform a wide range of welding services, including SWAW metal arc welding and GMAW gas metal welding. Flux Base Arc Welding FCAW, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding GTAW (HF TIG), we can prepare and cut metal using industrial mills, leveling machines and gas torches. the same practice is common in the civil sector. Here is a breakdown of welding and metalworking duties and responsibilities by service branch.
The U.S. military classifies jobs under a code called a military occupational specialty, or MOS. In the US military, welding and metalworking jobs are called allied trade specialist or 91E. Allied Trades specialists are responsible for manufacturing, repairing and modifying metal and non-metal parts, as well as operating lathes, drills, mills and other machine shop tools and equipment. After 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training (Boot Camp), Allied Trade Specialists undergo an additional 13 weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Lee, Virginia. To qualify for this job, applicants must score at least 98 on the General Maintenance segment of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, or a combination of 88 on General Maintenance and 95 points in the General Technique part.
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The US Navy calls them job ratings or rates. There are three main welding and metalworking indexes in the US Navy.
The first of these is the hull maintenance technician (HT). HTs perform metal work to maintain the structure and surface of ships in good condition. Essentially, they are the hands of a ship. They are trained in welding, piping, welding and other jobs. HTs must be versatile and able to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of problems that may occur on a vessel.
Next up is Steelworker (SW). Sea bees build a variety of structures in almost every environment imaginable. SW manufactures structural steel and sheet metal.
Finally, the underwater construction team of divers (UCT) performs highly specialized underwater welding and cutting. They must attend a seven-week dive preparation course in Great Lakes, Illinois, followed by another fifteen weeks at the Second Class Dive School in Panama City, Florida. Many second class divers eventually qualify as first class or master divers. UCT Divers use special SMAW equipment underwater, including water resistant electrodes, lightweight insulated electrodes and of course specialized diving suits. All underwater welding is done using a DCEN process due to the unique environment.
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The United States Air Force uses the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) to classify jobs. The AFSC that does the most welding is Aircraft Metal Technology (A2A7X1). This job role is responsible for repairing and manufacturing essential aircraft parts. These airmen weld and fabricate custom metal components critical to an aircraft's function, in addition to CNC machining and other tasks. They will attend 8.5 weeks of basic military training, followed by 67 days of technical school training at Sheppard AFB in Texas. This work often involves aluminum, titanium and stainless steel components common in modern aircraft.
The United States Marine Corps is known as the smallest service branch, but they still see the value in training Marines in welding and metalworking. The Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) primarily responsible for this job is Metal Worker (1316). To qualify as a metalworker, recruits must score 95 or higher on the mechanical maintenance portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. Metalworkers are trained in oxy/acetylene, SMAW, GTAW and GMAW welding processes alongside their Allied Trade Specialist counterparts as part of a detachment stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia. USMC metalworkers must be prepared to apply their craft wherever needed and often repair or replace armor plates on combat vehicles.
For dry dock repair and maintenance, the US Coast Guard prefers to subcontract to civilian contractors, such as USCG Base Miami Beach in South Florida. When at sea, however, the job falls to the Damage Controlman (DC). The DC fulfills a very dynamic role and is something of a "Jack of all trades" aboard USCG ships. They are responsible for maintaining the ship's watertight integrity, firefighting, flood control, plumbing, welding and fabrication, as well as detecting and decontamination of nuclear, biological and chemical attacks. DCs usually attend a fifteen-week "A" school year in Yorktown, Virginia, where they learn oxy/gas cutting and welding, plasma cutting, and SMAW welding among other topics. After "A" school, DCs can also receive additional training in "C" courses such as advanced steel welding and aluminum welding.
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