In a workshop in Colorado Springs, the aroma of Cajun jambalaya mingled with the metallic scent of freshly cut steel. Sergeant Freemon Woods, temporarily stationed here from his post in Japan, had brought a taste of his Southern roots to share with his classmates and instructors at the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMART) Heroes program. It was a small gesture that spoke volumes about the unique culture of the seven-week intensive sheet metal training program — where military precision meets industrial craftsmanship, and where veterans find their next mission in life.
“He cooked us jambalaya for lunch one day. Oh my gosh, it was so good,” Greg Daniels, the SMART Heroes instructor at Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 9, said, his eyes lighting up at the memory. “He even made extra for my wife and kids.” This moment of shared cuisine might have seemed insignificant, but it exemplified the tight-knit community that forms among each cohort of transitioning service members.
Woods’ journey to the program was anything but typical. While stationed nearly 6,000 miles away in Japan, he navigated a complex web of approvals and arrangements to temporarily relocate to Colorado Springs for the training. It’s the kind of determination that Daniels had come to expect from his military students, who often move mountains to participate in the program.
A Bridge Between Two Worlds
The sheet metal industry faces a pressing challenge: as mega-projects multiply across the country — 165 at last count — the need for skilled workers has never been more acute. Enter SMART Heroes, a program that transforms military precision into industrial expertise, and veterans into craftsmen.
“These guys gobble up information,” Daniels explained, seated in his classroom where the walls were lined with completed sheet metal projects. “It’s hard to stay in front of them. I start off every class with ‘Anybody got any questions?’ because I know they have them. They go home, talk to their families, their spouses, and come back hungry for more.”
In Colorado Springs alone, where five military bases dot the landscape and over 80% of the population has military connections, the program serves as a crucial bridge between service and civilian life. Fort Carson, just one of the local bases, sees 500 service members transition out each month—a steady stream of potential craftsmen looking for their next mission.
“When we started looking into getting this program here, we went to the base and asked them how many people are getting out of the military in a month right here on Fort Carson alone,” Daniels recalled. “They said 500 a month. Right here.”
MEGA: With 165 megaprojects across the country and counting, SMART Heroes offers veterans a new opportunity to serve their country in civilian life. (Courtesy of SMART Heroes)
From Military Precision to Industrial Expertise
For Woods, who grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, surrounded by refineries, the program offered a chance to transform his longtime interest in hands-on work into a sustainable career. During the program’s third week—known as “electives week” — he gravitated toward testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB), one of several specialized paths available to apprentices.
“He really liked that side of it,” Daniels noted, describing how Woods took to the precise measurements and calculations required in TAB work. “He’s pretty smart.”
The program exposed Woods to everything from basic sheet metal fabrication to complex fitting creation, welding, and architectural work — fourteen different fittings in total, though Woods opted not to take his creations on his long flight back to Japan.
The logistics of Woods’ participation required extraordinary coordination. Charlotte Rose, the program’s administrative assistant, leveraged her military connections to secure him housing on base. Woods himself showed initiative by securing an Army Emergency Relief Fund grant to cover his rental car expenses. It’s this kind of problem-solving that makes veterans particularly attractive to employers in the sheet metal industry.
Building More Than Skills
Since its inception in 2017, SMART Heroes has graduated over 600 service members, with the ability to place them with 148 different apprenticeship training facilities across the United States. The program boasts a remarkable 55-58% retention rate, according to Josh Moore, SMART Heroes specialist with the ITI.
“The hook, line, and sinker that gets them is the wages, but our retirement packages seal the deal,” Daniels explained. “These guys see it. They don’t want to work forever — nobody should have to work forever.”
The program’s success has led to expansion plans, with eyes on establishing an East Coast location to complement the existing programs in Colorado Springs and Washington state.
SERVICE: The 7-week sheet metal training program through SMART Heroes aims to serve the hundreds of service members who are discharged every week from various arms of the military. (Courtesy of SMART Heroes)
The Next Mission
The program’s structure reflects the military mindset: intensive training, clear objectives, and measurable outcomes. Students complete 224 hours in the classroom, making everything from tool trays to complex HVAC fittings. But perhaps more importantly, they build a network that will support them in their transition.
“Before they graduate, we contact their locals that they’re going to go to,” Daniels explained. “Those locals reach out to them, and they start a conversation. They talk about their expectations, the work outlook that’s coming up, what kind of work is going on. Sometimes I’ve had locals go, ‘Hey, don’t move here. We don’t have any work.’ Which is good for those guys, especially if they want to stay in the industry.”
For Woods, who will return to Japan to complete his service before joining Local 67 in the Austin-San Antonio area, the program represents more than just vocational training. It’s a testament to the military’s commitment to supporting service members’ transitions and the sheet metal industry’s recognition of veterans’ value.
The Future Takes Shape
As the sun sets over the Rockies, another day of training draws to a close. In the workshop, the latest cohort of SMART Heroes participants stands back to admire their completed projects, phones out, snapping pictures to send home to family.
“I like to sit back and watch all the aha moments,” Daniels said, “when they complete a project and they’re taking pictures and putting it on their social media, sending it home to family, going, ‘this is what I’m going to do when I get out.'”
These moments remind everyone involved why the program exists: to transform military precision into industrial expertise, and to help veterans find their next mission in life — one sheet of metal at a time.