IAM Journal: IAM Lends a Helping Hand to U.S. Military Veterans

The IAM has the highest concentration of union members in the AFL-CIO who are former members of the U.S. military. Many IAM-represented professions, like aircraft mechanics and military contractors, match skillsets of veterans who have transitioned to civilian life. Great pay, lucrative benefits, shopfloor comradery, and strong IAM-bargained contracts make those jobs a good fit for former servicemen and women.

“Belonging to a labor union that genuinely values and supports military veterans is both empowering and humbling,” said Larry Bride, U.S. Army veteran and IAM Local 949 (District 142) safety representative in Nashville, Tenn. “It feels good to know that my service is recognized, and that the union is committed to ensuring veterans have a voice, resources, and a community that understands the unique challenges we face. It reinforces the sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that many of us experienced in the military, and it shows that the IAM stands behind its members long after their military service ends.”

Over the years, especially after recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many veterans in the IAM have sought information about important government assistance programs. Others have tried to file for federal benefits that are owed to them by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Unfortunately, too many were left in the dark, with little knowledge of assistance programs and/or overburdened by a benefit claim filing system that can be confusing and frustrating, especially for wounded veterans who qualify for VA disability.

IAM Local 1746 member Taylor Salman is a veterans advocate and U.S Navy veteran.

Fortunately, the IAM is meeting a critical need by assisting and guiding veterans after they serve the country. The union’s Veterans Services Program is building a team of specially trained members around the U.S. to serve as advocates, who can help veterans, and/or their families, file VA claims and/or learn about crucial assistance programs.

“U.S. military veterans deserve better. They dedicated their lives to protect our great country, and we need to honor their service and sacrifice the best way possible,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “Our union is stepping up and helping these brave men and women, and their families, as they transition to the civilian work world and after.”

The endeavor has garnered praise from the federal government. The Department of Veterans Affairs says the IAM is the first labor union in the U.S. to embrace such a task.

“It’s important because it fills a critical gap for military members within the labor movement. We provide expert, no-cost support that directly improves the lives of IAM members and their families,” said Evans. “Our union has more than 50,000 veterans in our ranks. We help veterans receive disability compensation which can be life-changing financial benefits. We also help them understand their benefits as veterans and disabled veterans, and assist them with education and employment, life insurance, home loans, and burial benefits.”

With help from IAM Headquarters, a fresh group of veterans advocates are currently undergoing rigorous training, a process that has lasted months. Taylor Salman is a U.S Navy veteran based in East Hartford, Conn. and a member of IAM Local 1746. She decided to become a veterans advocate after experiencing personal frustration with the complicated VA claim process.

“I believe that the transition from military to civilian life is difficult in general, but what I personally experienced was not always knowing exactly what benefits we’re entitled to. With military service being deeply rooted in my family, I have seen firsthand what it looks like when veterans do not receive the services they may need,” said Salman. “When I reached a point where I needed those services myself, I didn’t always know where to turn or how to access the support that was available. That experience showed me how confusing the system can be, even for those who have served.”

Amy Bannister is a U.S. Navy veteran and current Recording Secretary with IAM Local 18 in Meridian, Miss. Like Salman, Bannister is stepping up and training to become a veterans advocate. She says pride and patriotism serve as powerful motivators.

“I am passionate about helping veterans for several reasons. I come from a family full of veterans, a fact I am extremely proud of. My older brother joined the military before I did, three years after the attacks on 9/11. It was a shock to the system to say goodbye and watch him go to war,” said Bannister. “It was even harder for me to see the struggles he and others went through once they came home. I wanted to find a way to help him, and my other veteran brothers and sisters. Too often, I feel veterans are thanked for their service, but a blind eye or deaf ear is what’s waiting when they express the need for help.”

Left, IAM members volunteer to clean a military veterans monument in Missouri. Right, IAM Veterans Services Steering Committee gather in St. Louis.

Nichelle Robertson Littlejohn is a U.S. Army veteran and current Conductor Sentinel and Veteran’s Committee Chairperson at IAM Local 709 in Marietta, Ga. Like Salman and Bannister, she’s also training to become a veterans advocate, a commitment steeped in personal pain and empathy. Littlejohn witnessed her dad struggle to obtain VA benefits after serving time in combat in southeast Asia.

“My late father was a 21-year Army combat veteran who served in multiple conflicts, including three tours in Vietnam. Despite his longstanding service and health issues resulting from exposure to Agent Orange, he still had to fight for his benefits,” said Littlejohn. “If I can be instrumental in helping our veterans obtain the benefits that they deserve, then I happily take on that challenge.”

The IAM veterans advocate program, which was initially operated by senior staff at the union’s headquarters in Maryland, has been successful. Since 2022, the IAM has helped more than a thousand union members by offering advice about assistance programs, educating them about the V.A. application and filing process and preparing claim cases that were reviewed by the Board of Veterans Appeals. Additionally, the program has helped over 400 military veterans obtain an increase in disability benefits.

“We constantly travel the country and actively promote our goals and initiatives. There is a major information gap that needs to be filled,” said Bryan Stymacks, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and IAM Veterans Services Coordinator. “We’ve received a phenomenal response from union members across the U.S. who are interested in becoming an advocate, and they’re eager to learn more about assistance offered by our program.”

Larry Bride, the IAM Local 949 safety representative, is joining the group of veterans advocates. He says he and his team have received great training, and he recommends the IAM Veterans Services Program to anyone in need.

“It offers real support from people who understand what veterans go through,” said Bride. “The program is built on respect, advocacy, and a commitment to ensuring veterans receive the benefits and recognition they deserve. It’s a resource that strengthens not only individual veterans but our entire union community.”

If union members are interested in becoming an IAM veterans advocate, or receiving assistance in filing claims with the VA, please visit goIAM.org for detailed information, or call 301-967-4500.