Zac Elenchin, Army veteran and store manager at 84 Lumber’s Cranberry, Pennsylvania store
EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (May 1, 2024) – May is National Military Appreciation Month and according to many companies like 84 Lumber, the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, one way to honor veterans is to hire them.
Roughly 200,000 military members retire or separate from the armed services every year, according to the Department of Labor. Veterans returning to the workforce after military service face a variety of challenges and, oftentimes, finding and vying for civilian positions can be challenging for transitioning veterans.
A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. military veterans revealed there are an average of three different major challenges on this journey. Finding a job topped the list, with a third (33 percent) of respondents calling it their biggest hurdle. Other challenges included parting ways with their friends in the military and finding a purposeful career (28 percent, each).
Translating Military Skills to Civilian Employment
The journey from military service to civilian employment is not just about finding a job – it's about discovering a new sense of purpose and leveraging past experiences to thrive once back home, said Army veteran Zac Elenchin.
Born and raised in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, Elenchin’s journey began with a passion for service and a deep-rooted military tradition in his family.
“My father was in the Army, as was one of my older brothers. My uncle, and both my grandfathers, served. I have cousins in both the Army and law enforcement, so you can say it’s in my DNA,” said Elenchin.
After a year of college, Elenchin enlisted in the Army in 2015 and became a combat medic. After completing basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Elenchin was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he attended air assault school, earned the expert field medical badge, and received an air assault patch. While Elenchin was at Fort Campbell, he was deployed to Kuwait and did a nine-month rotation at Camp Arifjan in support of Operation Spartan Shield from 2017-2018. After returning from Kuwait, Elenchin was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas where he completed an expeditionary combat medic course and graduated, becoming an ECM. After graduating, Elenchin was given a PCS, or permanent change of station, to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he then deployed to Afghanistan in 2019 in support of Operation Freedom’s sentinel. Elenchin was based out of Bagram Airfield and traveled around northern Afghanistan during his deployment. Elenchin returned stateside in November 2019. Months later, the COVID pandemic left the world at a standstill by March 2020. Elenchin was his battalion's COVID response senior medic. After years of service, he made the major decision to leave the military.
"The military lifestyle can wear you down physically and mentally," he reflected. Medically retired in 2022, Elenchin faced uncertainty about his future. “I felt like I was starting over.”
Elenchin emphasized the importance of having a plan and staying engaged.
"An idle mind is the devil's paradise," he quipped, advising against complacency. Importantly, he said that returning home from the military doesn’t mean leaving that life behind. “Not only do those experiences shape who you are, they give us former soldiers a lot to work with. It’s working through the good with the bad that is key.”
“Instead of trying to shed the Army from you, embrace what it taught you and use that to your advantage,” said Elenchin. “You know, you served this country, whether it was three or 30 years. Use what the Army taught you to do well in the civilian world. The worst thing you can do is just stay at home.”
Enter 84 Lumber. Passing by the company's premises in Cresson, Pennsylvania, Elenchin's curiosity was piqued. He joined as a Manager Trainee (MT) in March 2022, marking the beginning of an unexpected, yet rewarding journey. "I never thought that two years later, I'd have the keys to my own store," he admitted.
For Elenchin, the transition was both a period of adaptation and discovery.
The move from military to civilian life, Elenchin noted, revealed surprising parallels. Leadership, camaraderie, and a sense of purpose mirrored his experiences in the Army.
"The art of leadership is universal," he asserted, crediting mentors like Dave Fisher, 84 Lumber Central Area Manager, for offering support and guidance. “He would check in on me to make sure I was doing all right -- he would check on everybody. I appreciated his style of leadership.”
The nurturing environment at 84 Lumber is something he thinks other companies recruiting veterans should learn from.
Companies, he added, can support veterans by fostering compassion and understanding in the workplace. Something he credits his 84 Lumber mentors with.
“I would say that a lot of people see guys that come out of the Army as, like, really just rough and tough and can handle anything – but we're human too. If companies acknowledge and support their veterans, then they can get the world back,” said Elenchin. “Veterans are the hardest workers in the room. They're very coachable and they're willing to adapt. I mean, I adapted to selling wood. I've never even built anything in my life, and now I run a store.”
“Veterans bring very competitive skills to civilian jobs, along with core values military service cultivates like dedication, teamwork, and pride,” said Joe Jena, director of talent acquisition at 84 Lumber. “At 84 Lumber, we know that solid careers are built from the ground up and that you don’t have to have a background in construction to prosper in this rapidly growing industry. We have opportunities across the company and the nation. We’ve found that 84 Lumber aligns very well with the values of military veterans. When someone retires from the military, they’re typically used to a very structured, hard-working environment where they can grow and move up the ranks. That’s why veterans tend to thrive at 84 Lumber and become some of our most successful associates,” explained Jena. “On the other hand, 84 Lumber benefits from the hard-working values that our military has learned.”
Re-training in a new job can provide a sense of purpose and community but it’s not the only thing veterans need to move forward. Continued support outside of 84 Lumber was key to his reintegration into civilian life.
Specifically, Elenchin said, veterans should seek out any programs offered, and for him it was at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“The V.A. has been a tremendous help. The V.A. has really impressed me with how they helped me out with all my appointments and all the care I need. They're very communicative. They're very responsive.”
Career Two Years In
Reflecting on his time at 84 Lumber, Elenchin finds fulfillment in the honest work and sense of accomplishment it offers.
"Every day, it's been an honest day's work," said Elenchin. “I never have a problem falling asleep at night because I'm that exhausted.”
Of course, it’s not just about the paycheck or keeping busy. The supportive environment, the daily challenges, the hard work, and the opportunity for growth are all ideal for returning service members, said Elenchin.
“I would say the opportunities for vets at 84 Lumber are boundless. There's a really big population of warriors coming out of the service. I would encourage all of them to come to 84 Lumber,” said Elenchin.
Elenchin's journey from combat medic to store manager is a testament to the resilience, adaptability, and determination of military veterans. Returning home after military service is never as simple as finding a job. For soldiers, said Elenchin, a job is the thing that keeps you moving when you need it most.
“If you just sit at home, and you're trying to get by with the least amount of work, or effort possible, it's not going to go well, it's a trap that a lot of guys will fall into, including myself at first,” said Elenchin. “I was just sitting at home and it's not fun, it's not fulfilling, and it doesn't pay well.”
To watch Elenchin’s interview about life at 84 Lumber after the military, click here.
RECRUITMENT CALL CENTER
84 Lumber’s Recruitment Call Center will be open on Fridays in May from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., beginning on May 3, 2024. This adds a personal touch for potential associates to ask questions and learn about opportunities throughout the 84 Lumber network without having to travel to a specific location. Callers will have an opportunity to speak with 84 Lumber recruiters about career opportunities and available positions.
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ABOUT 84 LUMBER
Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Co. is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single and multifamily residences and commercial buildings. The company operates 320 facilities which include stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, and engineered wood product centers in 33 states. 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for a variety of products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking, and drywall. A certified national women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy, 84 Lumber was named as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 by Newsweek, and one of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2023 by Forbes. The company also made the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2023. For more information, visit 84lumber.com and join us at Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.