‘AN AWESOMETRANSITION’

DAV job fair helps Marine veteran find fulfilling career and camaraderie

By Elizabeth DePompei

When Marine Corps veteran and former military police officer Codey Arnold attended a DAV job fair in March 2022, he wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into.

He was scrolling through Facebook while working as a server at a local cantina when he stumbled on a post about a job fair happening at nearby TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. With five years as a military police officer and degrees in business and marketing, he was ready for a new career that gave him the purpose and community he had in the military.

Arnold’s boss let him leave work early that day to attend the job fair before it ended.

“It actually was my first job fair with DAV,” Arnold said. “And the first one was the right one.”

Arnold said a DAV representative helped him register and briefed him on how the fair worked. There were opportunities in just about every field, including finance, law enforcement and real estate.

But one company stood out among the rest. Arnold said when he approached the Corporate Traffic Logistics booth, he was immediately asked about his service. The family-owned business has been delivering goods for businesses all over the country for more than 30 years.

“They wanted to know everything about what I had experienced [in the military],” Arnold said.

It also helped that the company had an employee who was also a Marine veteran who could relate to Arnold on a different level. Veterans comprise 10% of the company’s staff.

“He immediately said, ‘This company is an awesome transition from the military,’” Arnold explained. “They just made me feel a little bit more like I was going into a similar atmosphere as the military, and I loved the military.”

Arnold went straight home and applied with Corporate Traffic online. Within a day or two, a human resources representative reached out to schedule a Zoom meeting followed by an in-person interview.

When Arnold arrived at the interview at the company’s headquarters, he knew right away that all the talk about camaraderie and company culture was true. Some employees were bonding over a game of cornhole while others were working hard at their desks—a signal of Corporate Traffic’s “work hard, play hard” mentality. It reminded Arnold of his days in the Marine Corps when his co-workers were his family.

“It was a very easy fit to walk through the doors and feel like it was somewhere that I could make a future out of,” he said.

Today, Arnold is a logistics solutions engineer, receiving all of his logistics training through the company. He spends his days reviewing and creating logistics operations, such as transportation, shipment and inventory control, to improve clients’ operational efficiency. Much of his job is about building and maintaining authentic relationships, another component that mirrors the community he found in the Marines.

“It’s a job where I wake up and I look forward to coming in to work,” he said.

Arnold and his wife welcomed their first child in late April. Arnold said Corporate Traffic’s fun, supportive environment allows him to stress less about work and better enjoy such a big milestone in his personal life.

“I get it all the time that I look younger than I am,” he said. “I feel like with less stress at this company … I can live [a better life] outside of work.”

Now Arnold gets to attend DAV job fairs on behalf of Corporate Traffic and meet other veterans on their job search. He’s able to relate to their transition struggles and help them find a good career fit.

He was also able to find job assistance for his wife, who was looking for substitute teaching opportunities leading up to her due date. All DAV job fairs are open to service members, veterans and their spouses.

“We’re thrilled that DAV was able to assist Codey and his wife in finding meaningful employment that allows them to lead fulfilling lives as they grow their family,” said DAV National Employment Director Ryan Burgos.

“Codey’s story is a prime example of why DAV holds job fairs designed specifically for the military and veteran community. Our employers understand the challenges that veterans and their families face and the value they bring to any workplace.

“We’re grateful for partners like Corporate Traffic Logistics that make DAV’s mission to empower veterans through employment possible.” n

Learn More Online

Find a full schedule of upcoming DAV job fairs and other employment resources at jobs.dav.org

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Above: Arnold and his co-workers recently participated in an endurance and obstacle course, an example of the kind of camaraderie he enjoyed in the military. Right: Arnold and his wife, Emily, welcomed their first child in April. Arnold said the culture at Corporate Traffic Logistics makes big life changes, like starting a family, less stressful.