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“They also found in combat the closest brotherhood they ever knew. They found selflessness. They found they could love the other guy in their foxhole more than themselves. They found that in war, men who loved life would give their lives for them.”
–From the Band of Brothers, By Steven Ambrose
“I was told Marine Corps’ basic training was the hardest– so I thought I would give that a shot.” As Terell Johnson trained, he rappelled down buildings, threw grenades, and learned how to handle a riot situation.
In the military, “You start as an individual, but by the time (training) is over you are a band of brothers.” You have different, “religions, points of view. But you become one. People from all walks of life come together to form a brotherhood.” Terell says, “It lets me know you can overcome anything. You can always set aside your differences and accomplish the mission.”
Today, many of Terell’s former Marine friends still get together. And many of them also went into trucking, where they are their own Band of Brothers: “Like bootcamp we get challenging and necessary training.”
Terell says that training, just like in the Marines, bonds them, and when they have a problem they reach out to each other. And even though Terell has been a driver trainer, he admonishes that trucking requires lifelong learning, “There’s no such thing as knowing everything about trucking.”
Even though he’s out of the Marines and into trucking, training is still a big deal to Terell. He drives for Hansen and Adkins, “The training program here is the best; it’s really intense and detailed. Our company wants you to train until you feel comfortable. We aren’t just interested in putting drivers in the truck… we have to put the best drivers on the road, the most qualified drivers.”
“I enjoyed being a driver trainer.” Terell wants the future of trucking to be bright, “If I can teach anyone anything to make their life easier, I do. I want the guys that come after me to be prepared,” to be safe.
Terell loves that Hansen and Adkins emphasize drivers’ safety, “The most important thing we teach is safety. That’s why we train until you feel comfortable.” We tell “drivers to call any of us (the trucking brotherhood) any time of day.”
The brotherhood is great, but Terell also says, “We are compensated very well for our job. Our health insurance is very good. It’s family-like. You tell dispatch where you want to go, ninety-nine percent of the time you get what you ask for.”
“From eight feet of snow reflecting light,” in famed outdoor Mecca of Bend, Oregon to the Statue of Liberty in New York, Terell has enjoyed traveling as a driver. “Trucking is not just a job, it’s a career.” That is, “if you want to set your own hours, get to travel places most people don’t get to go.”
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