In a prelude to National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, USA Truck, Inc. last week presented personalized, military-themed tractors to four of its veteran drivers during a celebration at the company’s headquarters in Van Buren, Ark.
USA Truck presented four of its outstanding military veteran driving team members with personalized, military-themed tractors during a celebration Sept. 11 at the company’s headquarters in Van Buren, Ark. Pictured from left: Michael Powell, U.S. Marines veteran; David Bell, U.S. Navy veteran; Shannon Newton, President of the Arkansas Trucking Association; Russell Overla, Executive Vice President of Truckload Operations for USA Truck; Tom Glaser, President & CEO of USA Truck; Robert Decker, U.S. Air Force veteran; and Jodie Yoder, U.S. Army veteran.The drivers receiving 2016 International ProStars with patriotic highlights, along with a personalized dog tag decal bearing their name and branch of service included:
- David Bell, who spent four years in the U.S. Navy. He lives in Attalla, Ala. and has been with USA Truck since August 2005. He has accumulated more than 915,000 safe driving miles.
- Robert Decker, who spent six years in the U.S. Air Force. He lives in Rantoul, Ill. He has been with USA Truck since February 2004 and was the Company’s Driver of the Month for June 2015. He is a USA Truck Mileage Milestone Club member with more than 2,750,000 safe driving miles.
- Michael Powell, who spent 21 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He lives in Athens, Ala. and has been with USA Truck since November 2007. He has logged nearly 384,000 safe driving miles.
- Jodie Yoder, who spent eight years in the U.S. Army. He lives in Haubstadt, IN and has been with USA Truck since October 2008. He is a past USA Truck Driving Champion and a four-time participant in the Arkansas Truck Driving Championship. He has accumulated nearly 820,000 safe driving miles.
The recipients were selected based on tenure and safety record.
In addition, USA Truck reaffirmed its ongoing support of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund with a donation on behalf of the company’s driving fleet.
The event was a prelude to National Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 13-19.
“USA Truck has a deep appreciation for those who have served and who continue to serve our nation,” said Tom Glaser, president & CEO of USA Truck. “It dates back to the vision of one of our company’s founders, Robert Powell, a former Navy aviator who built USA Truck in a military image.
“Our bar and star logo is inspired by the insignia on the plane he piloted while serving aboard the USS Intrepid. We are honored to continue the tradition of recognizing our outstanding USA Truck veteran team members, who make up more than a quarter of our workforce. Their excellence sets them apart, so it’s only fitting that their tractors stand out as well.”
