Program Helps Marines Transition to Civilian Life

Although Cpl. Daniel Tyrrell is transitioning from the Marine Corps in December, he doesn’t have to worry about finding a job. He already found one.

The 26-year-old said he was “hired on the spot” by a representative from a drilling company at a summer job fair when he mentioned he was enrolled in the Troops 2 Roughnecks course at Camp Pendleton.

“I brought 20 resumes down there because I didn’t know how many companies would be there,” Tyrrell said. “They didn’t want my resume. All they cared about was me being in the Marine Corps and me taking this class.”

Tyrrell completed the Troops 2 Roughnecks course on Friday. It is one of three courses Troop Transition offers exclusively to members of the United States Armed Forces. 

Tyrrell and his family will soon relocate to Texas, where he will begin his job with Patterson-UTI Drilling Company on Dec. 29.

“I have a wife and two kids, and it’s a lot of mouths to feed,” Tyrrell said. “It makes me feel good knowing that when I get out of the military, I’ll be able to support my family.”

Troops 2 Roughnecks is a rig safety and skills training program. After nine weeks, Participants graduate with an International Association of Drilling Contractors Rig Safety Pass, WellCAP certification and knowledge about working on a rig.

Troop Transition also offers an eight-week Troops 2 Energy course, which is a renewable energy industry preparation and certification program, as well as a 12-week Troops 2 Truckers course that trains service members for a career in the transportation and logistics industry.

Lance Cpl. Paul Saban, 25, said he enrolled in the Troops 2 Roughnecks course because he likes working with his hands.

“It fits my character,” Saban said. “It’s not just grease monkey knowledge, just turning wrenches. I keep a notebook and take notes every day.”

Saban, who has been enrolled in the course for about a month, is excited to work with his placement manager to find a job.

“You’re starting a new chapter,” he said. “It’s like when you leave college. I know I’m leaving a different product than when I entered.”

The class is held for four hours each evening, Monday through Friday.

Troops 2 Roughnecks Instructor Brian Armour said most of his students are not familiar with the industry and what the job entails when they register for the course. Students are required to complete exercises and exams to progress through each learning module.

“I love getting new guys, and at the end of the nine weeks, they’re up to par and ready to go on a rig,” said Armour, who began working in the oil fields in 1979.

He has taught the course since 2008.

“This is a great opportunity for somebody to transition into the civilian world with a great-paying job and a lifelong career,” said Armour, who also served in the Army. “We didn’t have these opportunities. This could be the only job that they ever need.”

More than 2,600 active duty military personnel have graduated from the Troop Transition program since it was founded in 2006. About 50 percent of these graduates re-enlisted, while about 80 percent of the remaining graduates secured jobs.

Company President Richard Carr said about 40 percent of first-term enlistees who transition out of the service live below the poverty line. Troop Transition hopes to change that, he added.

“Troop Transition is all about Johnny gets a job,” Carr said.

Carr explained that the company partners with energy, oil and gas, and trucking industry leaders who recognize and reward military service, training, experience and leadership—what he refers to as “military DNA” or MDNA.

“Some companies really covet that MDNA,” Carr said. “They covet discipline, they covet loyalty, they covet teamwork and they covet productivity.”

Currently, Troop Transition courses are offered at Camp Pendleton, as well as Camp Lejeune, Quantico and Twentynine Palms. Carr said the company hopes to eventually offer courses at other bases. The company also plans to offer different courses for management, mining and rail industries. 

“I’ve been talking up the Troops Transition program to everyone just because they don’t just teach you how to do the profession,” Saban said. “They work with you on finding a job so you can have a seamless transition from the Marine Corps to that job. I think it’s an amazing resource.”

Tuition Assistance is available to cover the costs of the programs. 

For more information about Troop Transition, visit trooptransition.com.