Hosted by Montel Williams, “Military Makeover: Operation Career” follows military members as they transition into new civilian careers.
The Lifetime TV show shines a spotlight on military personnel who have found new careers in the steel industry with United States Steel Corporation.
Hosted by longtime television personality Montel Williams, “Military Makeover: Operation Career” will tell the stories of U.S. military veterans who have successfully transitioned to civilian careers.
The August 26 episode will feature four veterans currently working for U.S. Steel across the country and will tell the story of U.S. Steel’s history. 12% of new U.S. Steel hires are veteransand Military Times recognized the Pittsburgh-based company as a “Best Employer for Veterans.”
One of the veterans featured on the show was Jason Taliaferro, sales manager at U.S. Steel and president of SERVE Employee Resource Group, which supports reservist and veteran employees. Taliaferro, who retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of colonel after 23 years of military service, said the following about U.S. Steel’s support for veterans: Beyond the Yellow Ribbon He talks about his career with the program and the company.
“To me, culture is king. Once you get it right, it’s the foundation for everything you want to do with your organization and how to take it to the next level and beyond,” Taliaferro said on the show. “At U.S. Steel, we tend to operate according to our steel principles, and safety first is number one. Every day, people are doing activities and making decisions that could impact their teammates or themselves if they don’t remain disciplined and follow systems, processes and procedures. A lot of the things that made them successful in the military are the things we look for in order to be successful here, too.”
Also interviewed on the show is Taina Hall, a U.S. Army veteran who works as a miscellaneous equipment operator at U.S. Steel’s Minnesota Ore Division’s Keetuck Works and left the military to support her family while her husband continued his military service. She says she found a second career with U.S. Steel because of the company’s strong support for veterans.
“Being able to provide for my family and have a safe, stable life is very, very important, so I moved to northern Minnesota and U.S. Steel is a big part of the community,” Hall recalls. “When I first heard about it, I thought, ‘Oh no, I can’t do this! What does it mean to be a miner?’ But when I heard about the great options they had for veterans, I applied, interviewed, and got the job.”
The show will provide an overview of U.S. Steel’s 120 years of operation as well as a glimpse into the company’s future, including efforts to improve sustainability and meet ambitious carbon emissions goals. Other veterans appearing on the show include Terry Carter, senior manager of safety and security for U.S. Steel’s Gary Works, and Ray Tarnow, safety manager for Big River Steel.
Carter is a U.S. Navy veteran who served as a boiler engineer on the USS Capodanno and was approached to join the company in 1995 and has been with the company ever since.
“The Navy culture was very much about teamwork, working together so no one gets hurt, making sure everyone is working safely and following procedures,” Carter said. “When I came to U.S. Steel, one of the first things I did was go through procedures and talk about the job and how to do it safely… One of the big things I carried over from the military to U.S. Steel was the procedural mindset — how to do a job, learn on the job, get training. It’s the same thing I experienced in the Navy.”
Tarnow also served in the U.S. Navy, deploying seven times aboard the USS Maryland submarine, estimating his time underwater to be “three to four years.” Before moving to the Big River Steel team, Tarnow also worked on the safety team at U.S. Gary Works. “I’m now the safety manager for the newest steel mill in North America, which is pretty awesome,” Tarnow says.
“My team is amazing. Very young, very enthusiastic and very hungry,” he says. “We’re out there every day teaching, educating and mentoring this workforce. This is the strongest, hungriest workforce I’ve ever been a part of.”
Tarnow urges veterans to consider U.S. Steel when considering a career change in the civilian industry.
“The military isn’t known for paying well, but U.S. Steel is a great home,” he said. “I’m a fourth-generation U.S. Steel employee. I’ve been supporting my family since the 1920s.”
Watch all episodes of Military Makeover: Operation Carrier on U.S. Steel. onlineIt will also air on Lifetime TV on September 3rd.
