Before beginning his career at Gentex, TJ Tijerina served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than six years. He’s from a military family with relatives who served in the Army, Navy, and Air Force…but he is the only one who followed the path of the Marines.
“I always wanted to help people, and I was very interested in using my shooting and athletic skills,” Tijerina said. “I saw how much respect [Marines] had and how sharp they looked. No one wanted to mess with the Marines.”
During his service, he held the rank of Corporal (E-4) and served as an 0311 Infantryman, taking on roles as both a squad leader and fireteam leader. Tijerina considers himself lucky he was in the reserve unit based in Grand Rapids, Mich.
He and his troop were deployed to Djibouti, Africa, in 2003 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. While overseas, he oversaw base security for Camp Lemonnier. Shortly after returning home, he joined Gentex as a preventative maintenance technician.
Transitioning back to civilian life was an adjustment for Tijerina.
“It was strange to not have set schedules or being around other military-minded people. It was a nice change but also took some time getting used to it after a deployment,” Tijerina said. “Makes you appreciate how good we as Americans have it.”
TJ spent his first 12 years with Gentex as a preventative maintenance technician. Now, he works with Prototype as a Process Technician III. He searches for any issues with the bill of materials before creating and loading programs for the machines. He then checks the materials list, runs test boards to identify potential issues. Then he builds and inspects each side of the board and helps test them.
The Gentex V.E.T.S. business resource group has given Tijerina a sense of community he didn’t know he needed. Surrounded by coworkers who understand him on a deeper level, he’s found belonging and camaraderie. He enjoys getting to know other veterans while also serving as a role model.
“I have slowly become more involved in the activities the V.E.T.S. are doing,” Tijerina said. “It can be hard sometimes to find the free time when they are doing some of the events, but I am looking forward to volunteering some of my time.”
Tijerina encourages other employees to recognize that Gentex offers a wide range of positions suited for veterans from all backgrounds.
His experience taught him that transitioning from military to civilian life takes patience and persistence, something he hopes other veterans will remember as they begin their own journeys.
“I think most veterans have a different way of thinking and it takes some time to get used to the current workforce,” Tijerina said. “Be patient. Use your work ethic. It will serve you well wherever you go.”