Hello,
My name is Ben Benuck. I come from a "poor" background. My early childhood was filled with hunger, eviction, and general disfunction. My mother got cervical cancer my Junior in high school and was unable to work. instead of allowing my siblings and myself become wards of the state I dropped out of high school with a 3.9 GPA. I found a job at a local junk yard pulling transmissions out of old cars and my "boss" would rebuild them. My mother recovered and I enrolled in a self-paced alternative program where I finished my diploma in 3 months. Feeling the deep desire that urges you to push and search for something better.
In 2004 at 18 yrs, I joined the Navy. I served on the USS Pasadena (nuclear submarine) where I deployed to countries that to this day, I'm not sure I can talk about. During my time on the sub I was subjected to some of the worst hazing and harassment that the Navy ever documented. In 2007 there were 15 suicides and countless drug offences that I knew of. I served in the Navy for 2 years 2 months and 22 days. In 2007(during the surge in Iraq/Afghanistan) I requested and was granted a service to service transfer to the Army. I later deployed twice to both Iraq and Afghanistan where I worked on Blackhawk helicopters. In between deployments I lived like all service members at the time. Drink, party, repeat.
I met my married my first wife at the end of my last deployment. We were married on September 22, 2012 and she was pregnant the following month. Thus beginning my Scripted life. I was medically discharged in July 2014 with no job prospects, a mortgage, a kid, two car payments and three maxed out credit cards.
I still had that desire, that burning passion that I was not going to give up. I attended countless job fairs, I reflected on my resume and what my real skillsets were and nothing......
At about 8am on a Monday, right before the my last Army paycheck came in I found myself in a rock quarry where my neighbor worked. I was looking for rocks to place on a path to our little pathetic above ground swimming pool. My neighbor Lloyd who was the operations manager. Was talking with a Caterpillar mechanic about a wheel loader that had a steering issue. I had already applied to CAT a month ago so I boldly walked up the guy and asked "hey yall hiring?" "hell yea!" he replied wondering who the hell I was. Lloyd introduced us, and for the next 8 hours, in 102 July heat I worked. I started out small talking. Then I handed him tools. I attempted putting hoses back on. I watched a digital gage during a test. Anything and everything I could to show him I could do what he is doing. At least 5 times that day he told me "you know I can't hire you?". Every time I would say the same thing "Yea, but I bet you know who can". At the end of the day I was covered in a thick layer of grease, oil, and dirt. I was exhausted to say the least. While we were putting away tools he told me that the hiring manager was on vacation but to go online, re-apply and put his name in the referring box.
Later that week I get a call from Caterpillar requesting an interview. I drove the 50 miles in Austin Tx traffic and nailed the mechanical aptitude tests and interview. I Got the job! Shortly after that I found out that the mechanic I "worked with" was the highest paid, most respected, and best mechanic in the state of Texas and I was the first person he had recommended in 15 years!
I started out at $22/hr but I didn't know the first thing about heavy equipment. I had never seen a bulldozer up close. I was thrown to the wolves with guys with degrees in diesel technology, 10,20, even 30 years experience. I slept with the manual, I stayed late, and I took full advantage of all the online and in person classes. Within 14 months I was promoted to a field tech and regarded as an expert on complex exhaust treatment systems. I was making $29/hr + overtime. I could have stayed for 30 years and had a steady job. After my wife had our second child I realized I hated the toll it took on my body and the time I had to spend away from home. So after 3 years I applied for a Certificate of Equipment management. The course was supposed to take a year with a grueling 6 hour exam at the end. I finished in 11 days and the exam in 32 min with a 95%. Nothing was going to stop me from finding my place, although misguided. I soon found a job as a service manager, for a rock crusher dealer making $95,000 a year. It was a new company with old connections. I taught myself ,service management software, billing, hiring, purchasing, infrastructure, and a myriad of other skills. About a year later I realized the company was tanking because of poor ownership and once again put myself out to the world. All while going through a bitter divorce with my now ex-wife.
5 sent resumes and 4 offers later, one of our competitors heard I was in the market and wouldn't take no for an answer, I didn't even apply. I now make $115,000 a year selling rock crushers. You would think I would be happy. Great salary, great benefits, new company truck, WHY IS THIS NOT ENOUGH?!!!!!
The answer. I have not found my purpose. I know this was a very long introduction, but I wanted to make the point that I have always been driven. It is my hope that my story might inspire someone to never to give up no matter the odds. I wish to add value in return for value. I'm tired of the scripted life. I feel the deepest desire to be free from it all while simultaneously helping those around me. I feel my plans coming together like a tesla coil that hasn't quite warmed up yet. You can obviously see there is something happening I'm just not sure what it is yet.
Thank you.
My name is Ben Benuck. I come from a "poor" background. My early childhood was filled with hunger, eviction, and general disfunction. My mother got cervical cancer my Junior in high school and was unable to work. instead of allowing my siblings and myself become wards of the state I dropped out of high school with a 3.9 GPA. I found a job at a local junk yard pulling transmissions out of old cars and my "boss" would rebuild them. My mother recovered and I enrolled in a self-paced alternative program where I finished my diploma in 3 months. Feeling the deep desire that urges you to push and search for something better.
In 2004 at 18 yrs, I joined the Navy. I served on the USS Pasadena (nuclear submarine) where I deployed to countries that to this day, I'm not sure I can talk about. During my time on the sub I was subjected to some of the worst hazing and harassment that the Navy ever documented. In 2007 there were 15 suicides and countless drug offences that I knew of. I served in the Navy for 2 years 2 months and 22 days. In 2007(during the surge in Iraq/Afghanistan) I requested and was granted a service to service transfer to the Army. I later deployed twice to both Iraq and Afghanistan where I worked on Blackhawk helicopters. In between deployments I lived like all service members at the time. Drink, party, repeat.
I met my married my first wife at the end of my last deployment. We were married on September 22, 2012 and she was pregnant the following month. Thus beginning my Scripted life. I was medically discharged in July 2014 with no job prospects, a mortgage, a kid, two car payments and three maxed out credit cards.
I still had that desire, that burning passion that I was not going to give up. I attended countless job fairs, I reflected on my resume and what my real skillsets were and nothing......
At about 8am on a Monday, right before the my last Army paycheck came in I found myself in a rock quarry where my neighbor worked. I was looking for rocks to place on a path to our little pathetic above ground swimming pool. My neighbor Lloyd who was the operations manager. Was talking with a Caterpillar mechanic about a wheel loader that had a steering issue. I had already applied to CAT a month ago so I boldly walked up the guy and asked "hey yall hiring?" "hell yea!" he replied wondering who the hell I was. Lloyd introduced us, and for the next 8 hours, in 102 July heat I worked. I started out small talking. Then I handed him tools. I attempted putting hoses back on. I watched a digital gage during a test. Anything and everything I could to show him I could do what he is doing. At least 5 times that day he told me "you know I can't hire you?". Every time I would say the same thing "Yea, but I bet you know who can". At the end of the day I was covered in a thick layer of grease, oil, and dirt. I was exhausted to say the least. While we were putting away tools he told me that the hiring manager was on vacation but to go online, re-apply and put his name in the referring box.
Later that week I get a call from Caterpillar requesting an interview. I drove the 50 miles in Austin Tx traffic and nailed the mechanical aptitude tests and interview. I Got the job! Shortly after that I found out that the mechanic I "worked with" was the highest paid, most respected, and best mechanic in the state of Texas and I was the first person he had recommended in 15 years!
I started out at $22/hr but I didn't know the first thing about heavy equipment. I had never seen a bulldozer up close. I was thrown to the wolves with guys with degrees in diesel technology, 10,20, even 30 years experience. I slept with the manual, I stayed late, and I took full advantage of all the online and in person classes. Within 14 months I was promoted to a field tech and regarded as an expert on complex exhaust treatment systems. I was making $29/hr + overtime. I could have stayed for 30 years and had a steady job. After my wife had our second child I realized I hated the toll it took on my body and the time I had to spend away from home. So after 3 years I applied for a Certificate of Equipment management. The course was supposed to take a year with a grueling 6 hour exam at the end. I finished in 11 days and the exam in 32 min with a 95%. Nothing was going to stop me from finding my place, although misguided. I soon found a job as a service manager, for a rock crusher dealer making $95,000 a year. It was a new company with old connections. I taught myself ,service management software, billing, hiring, purchasing, infrastructure, and a myriad of other skills. About a year later I realized the company was tanking because of poor ownership and once again put myself out to the world. All while going through a bitter divorce with my now ex-wife.
5 sent resumes and 4 offers later, one of our competitors heard I was in the market and wouldn't take no for an answer, I didn't even apply. I now make $115,000 a year selling rock crushers. You would think I would be happy. Great salary, great benefits, new company truck, WHY IS THIS NOT ENOUGH?!!!!!
The answer. I have not found my purpose. I know this was a very long introduction, but I wanted to make the point that I have always been driven. It is my hope that my story might inspire someone to never to give up no matter the odds. I wish to add value in return for value. I'm tired of the scripted life. I feel the deepest desire to be free from it all while simultaneously helping those around me. I feel my plans coming together like a tesla coil that hasn't quite warmed up yet. You can obviously see there is something happening I'm just not sure what it is yet.
Thank you.
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