Military Jobs: Supply Truck Drivers

Supply truck drivers are essential for achieving success in the military. Supply truck drivers sign up for one of the most dangerous military jobs. Supply truck drivers face many threats when they are on the roads, but their dedication and commitment drives them down each dangerous turn and across the miles of unpredictable desolation.

Supply Drivers are a Military Necessity

Supply truck drivers are responsible for making sure weapons, supplies, food, and other necessities get delivered to soldiers on the front lines. Supply truck drivers get behind the seat because they know they are the only ones who can deliver all the goods a soldier needs. Supply truck drivers are trained to secure their loads, and responsibly navigate through dangerous territory to ensure their cargo is delivered safely to the boots on the ground or bases across the U.S. Without the supply truck drivers, soldiers would be without everything they need to successfully accomplish their missions. Soldiers need to eat, drink and fight- and the supply truck drivers are there to make sure they supply soldiers with that they need to thrive.

Responsibilities and Duties

The supply truck driver’s main concern is hauling vital cargo to support the military, but their duties aren’t limited to the drive. Drivers are responsible for every aspect of their travel, their vehicle and their load. Driver’s responsibilities include:

• Determining specific routes for cargo and develop a plan to arrive on time
• Inspecting loads and verifying the supply truck is properly secured
• Maintaining detailed travel records and mileage statements
• Performing routine maintenance and inspections of their vehicles for safety and sustainability
• Evaluating road conditions and possible threats to themselves, their crew and their load

Work Environment

A supply truck driver can be hauling loads across the states to different bases, or creeping through unsafe militant territory. A driver spends many hours, days, or even weeks behind the wheel of their vehicle.

Who is Eligible?

• Male and female recruits can apply.
• Recruits must have successfully completed basic training.
• Qualified recruits must have a valid U.S. driver’s license.
• A driver’s license must be free of blemishes.
• Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20.
• Recruits ability to perceive color is essential to the job so drivers can read an interpret domestic and international road signs.

Qualifications and Skills

Many skills can be taught to supply truck drivers, but having basic knowledge of vehicles will assist them in successful hauls. Supply truck drivers usually join the military with the desire to drive and work on vehicles. Specific skills that may advance the success of a supply truck driver include:

• Interest in mechanics
• Ability to navigate and interpret a map
• Capability to follow directions and develop action plans on their own
• Basic car maintenance and repair

Training

After basic training, recruits will be trained to care for their load, maintenance their rig and successfully operate their vehicle. Supply truck drivers receive:

• Classroom training
• Hands-on operation and on-site training
• Training on strategic and effective loading and storing of cargo
• Vehicle maintenance and repair education
• Supplies and inventory training
• Commercial driver’s license training

Compensation

Pay for supply truck drivers depends on the driver’s rank and duties. Drivers may advance all the way up to organizing and developing convoys and their travel routes.

Dangers of Driving

Supply truck drivers are convoys of moving target for insurgents to attack. Imagine driving alone, or in a convoy across an unpredictable land. Sometimes, drivers approach areas where their fellow members were just attacked, or they too are ambushed. Supply truck drivers typically travel the same route, but are constantly aware of the dangers lurking behind walls, crouched in roadside ditches or buried beneath the ground. Despite the uncertainty, they keep driving- they have to. Supply truck drivers know their mission is not complete until they have reached their destination.

Life After Driving a Supply Truck in the Military

Members of the military receive extensive training and develop top-notch skills in the field. A driver’s education and discipline in the military, allows them to succeed in civilian transportation careers after they are discharged. Military jobs teach supply truck drivers how to remain calm, dedicated and efficient during their travels- skills admired by employers. The skills they learn in the military also make drivers ideal business owners in the states. Supply truck drivers who decide to remain in the transportation field have a variety of opportunities waiting for them back home after military retirement begins:

• Towing companies
• Long-haul trucking
• Moving companies
• Delivery services