Mission Continues: Veterans Building Careers in the Grain Industry

Hosted by Jim Lenz, Director of Global Education and Training at GEAPS, this episode of the Whole Grain Podcast explores how military experience translates into meaningful careers in the grain handling and processing industry.

A lot of veterans don’t struggle with work ethic—they struggle with direction. When the uniform comes off, the mission and the built-in team can disappear overnight. That’s why this conversation resonates so strongly.

Jim sits down with veterans Bishop Chamberlin and Justin Leach of The DeLong Co., Inc. to discuss how the grain industry can turn “I just need a job” into a career built around community, growth, leadership, and real public impact.

Together, they explore the practical reasons veterans fit grain operations so well: long hours, high standards, safety-first thinking, teamwork, adaptability, and constant problem solving when equipment, logistics, or plans suddenly change. Bishop shares how his military background in construction, logistics, and leadership translates directly into agricultural exports and terminal operations, while Justin discusses the leadership habits that matter most on civilian teams—staying level-headed, developing people, and building trust quickly.

The conversation also dives into veteran advocacy and support systems that truly make a difference. Bishop explains the creation of The DeLong Company’s Military Veterans Resource Group and why veterans often need a “team within a team” as they transition into civilian careers. The discussion also highlights how small improvements in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and mentorship can improve retention and long-term success for veterans, National Guard members, and Reservists.

Finally, the episode shares the origin story behind the new GEAPS Military Discount Program, which provides 50% off GEAPS online learning opportunities for veterans and active-duty military personnel. The group discusses how reducing financial barriers can help veterans pursue credentials like the CGOM and stand out in a rapidly evolving industry.

If you care about workforce development, veteran careers, leadership, and the future of agriculture logistics, this is a conversation worth sharing.

Subscribe to the Whole Grain Podcast, share this episode with a veteran or hiring manager, and leave a review to help more people discover opportunities in the grain industry.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

Transcript

Why Veterans Belong In Grain

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 0:03

What happens when military leadership, discipline, teamwork, and purpose meet an industry responsible for feeding and fueling the world? And what if a veteran searching for a new path discovers not just a job, but a career, a community, and an opportunity to continue serving in a completely different way. Today we're exploring how veterans are finding meaningful careers in the grain hailing and processing industry and why this industry may be one of the best kept secrets for transitioning service members. Welcome to the Whole Grain Podcast, where we bring you the stories, insights, and innovations shaping the grain hailing and processing industry around the world. I am Jim Lennon, Director of Global Education and Training at Jeeps. On today's episode, I'm joined by two veterans from the DeLong Company Incorporated, Bishop Chamberlain and Justin Leach. Together we'll discuss their transition from military service into the grain industry, the power of mentorship and advocacy, the importance of creating support systems for veterans, and how organizations can better attract and retain veteran talent. We'll also explore Jeeps' new military discount program offering veterans and active duty military personnel 50% off Chiefs online learning opportunities and helping make pathways like the CGOM credential more accessible than ever. Whether you're a veteran, knowing someone, transitioning from service, or simply want to better understand the people helping strengthen this industry's future workforce, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. But first, this important message. Custom concrete specialist has you covered with concrete style of repairs, having completed over 1,500 projects. CTS is the nation's leader in structural assessments, preventative maintenance, and emergency repairs for terminal and country grain elevators. CTS is dedicated to providing advanced evaluation technology, a skilled and experienced team, and unwavering commitment to safety. CTS provides nationwide services of Shock Creek liners, catastrophic failure repairs, carbon fiber solutions, crack and spalling repairs, hopper installation and repairs, and rough coatings. Visit their website at CTSgrouponline.com. Alright, I'm joined today by Bishop Chamberlain and Justin Leach of the DeLong Company Incorporated. And what makes this conversation especially meaningful? So very exciting. Bishop Justin, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Hey Jim, thank you for having us on. It's uh definitely a pleasure.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 3:06

Bishop, you mentioned wanting to share the story of how you and Justin met. Let's start there for our listeners.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

So I believe it was in 2020, so maybe six years now. We were both in the Ohio Army National Guard and we were put on active duty orders. I ended up going to a tattoo shop and I was dating the girl that was working the desk at the time, and she was like, Hey, that guy back there's in the army. And I was like, Okay, cool. So are hundreds of thousands of other people. And I looked at his name and I was like, this name's kind of familiar. And then I realized he was one of the soldiers assigned underneath me, but I hadn't actually met him yet. So I ended up sending him a text later that night, and uh it was very weird. We both grew up in the same exact part of Ohio, right outside of Hawking Hills in a town called Laurelville, and we never ran into each other. And while we were in the army, we're in the National Guard, more specifically, the Ohio Army National Guard. So there's about 12,000 soldiers in the Ohio Army National Guard, so it's a little smaller, you know, than the actual Army, but we were even in the same battalion and hadn't met yet. So it was weird that we lived so grew up so close together and hadn't met, and then that we were in the same body and hadn't crossed paths beforehand, and just happened to end up on the same COVID-19 relief mission as one another. And since then we've uh had a whole lot of side quests, and it's all it's all been fun. And now here we end up together working for the same company after our service has concluded.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 4:45

Interesting. Justin, what stood out for you in that first connection?

SPEAKER_01 4:50

So uh for me, I thought it was kind of odd that somebody was reaching out to me like that in that capacity, but uh it was even cooler because you know, at that time I was I was a private. So to have somebody who was he was a sergeant at the time who was higher ranked reaching out to have a conversation with me, you know, it was neat. And then I actually thought that he was older than me and way older than what he actually is because of how professional he presented himself. But then he was also extremely friendly, extremely personable. And I could tell right from the beginning, I mean, there were some things that I was talking to him about so far that I had experienced with my service. He wanted to, he wanted to help, he wanted to direct, he wanted to instruct. So he's always kind of had that. So it was no surprise to me that he ended up in a position of management with the DeLong Company.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 5:38

Great introduction. Did your shared military background play a role early on?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Early on, I wouldn't say so. It was more of us being from the same area of Ohio. But then, you know, as we've developed that relationship and we've kind of cultivated what we are to each other now, it's definitely played a role. I'm knowing that we've been through similar experiences and there's a different, there's definitely a way that you carry yourselves and the a way that you see the things around you when you come from the military. And being able to have that with each other makes it easier to understand and communicate because we come from that same kind of area of life.

Leaving The Army For Grain

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 6:15

I've heard others in the military say that. So that is great that you two had that uh similar connection and background and now entering that grain industry. But uh, I'm curious first of all, Bishop and Justin, how long did each of you serve in the military? And then we want to talk about that transition from military to industry. What was your transition like leaving the Army and entering the industry? I'm curious uh for both of you.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

So how it worked for me was I had just come off of an active duty stint and was looking for a job. I went from full-time Army National Guard to traditional, what they call M Day, which is your one weekend a month, two weeks of summer commitment. But I did that right as my active time in the guard was coming to a close. So I came off that mission around October and I was due to get out the following April. And I planned on making the active duty side of the Ohio Army National Guard kind of my forever. And by the time that this stage of my life rolled around, I was kind of kind of done with it. Uh I wanted to do something different, and I wasn't sure what that thing was. So I spent a total of seven years in the guard, and then I did one year of inactive ready reserve. So when I got out of the army, I'd only worked for DeLong for about four months. And it's funny, I always tell people when they if they know me, they know how much I like who I work for and what I do. I didn't necessarily want the job, uh, I just needed a job. And after the interview, I had an interview with uh, he's now one of my close friends, Jesse Keith. I was like, there might be something here. This might be a little bit better than just your everyday opportunity. And it has absolutely been that. I'm glad I took the chance. I didn't want to work in the industry, but uh I wasn't opposed, and everything's kind of fallen into place for me. It's all been pretty enjoyable so far. And uh I never really counted this as a line of work that uh you could make a decent living off of. You know, everybody when they thinks of the ag industry or grain, they're like, oh, farmers or oh, you know, an elevator worker. They don't talk about things like ethanol, they don't talk about exports, they don't talk about seed oils. Nobody talks about that stuff. So when you're in 4HN FFA when you're younger, if you're not exposed to the, you know, the broader agricultural industry, you have a very limited understanding of it. And that was the state of things for me when I was 23 and I started with the company. You know, I was I first walked onto the loading dock and saw soybeans in a shipping container, and I was like, what is this place? What are they doing here? It all felt very weird. Uh, and now that's the only thing I ever want to talk about.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 9:10

That is an interesting point that you make. If someone is coming from FFA or similar organization, and they they may not have that broader understanding of egg industry and how your local community not only supports your local community and your state, but like your organization, the world. It uh truly is incredible. That's a great take and and uh setup for you. What about you, Justin?

SPEAKER_01 9:37

So um I joined the Army around 2019, and as I was going through my training and everything, COVID had hit, and then came back home. I spent the majority of my time in some kind of active duty capacity. But in 2024, I uh I had deployed to the Middle East with my unit and came back around the end of the year in 2024, around October, November. And I'd started back at an active duty position I had at Rickenbacker with uh a Seaburn task force. I was in IT and communications, so nothing with agriculture at all. But after about six months of being back at that, I realized that I wanted to do something other than IT. Although I had loved IT and enjoyed it up to that point, it was my life. I realized that for my professional civilian career, I wanted to pick something else. And talking with Bishop and he just, like you said, he loves to talk about this work and what he does. So I never got a minute of relief from it. Um, how much he loved the company, everything that they were doing for him, all of his ideas, everything that he was doing in the company. He was just always very excited and very passionate about it. And I had talked to him about wanting to leave the position that I had had, and he said that something was opening up. And that's where that military background kind of tied in was that he knew that I would be able to handle the job. He knew the kind of person I was, the kind of worker that I am. So he thought I would be good for the position. So I'd put in for it and I'd interviewed, and I was like, you know, yeah, it's just this will be cool. I'll be working with my buddy, you know. But it really has been a really nice change of pace for me. And uh it's been something that's kind of re-invigorated some of my interests and some of my passions, especially going to the Jeeps conference down in Kansas City after that. It was like something that ignited, and I was into it. I was interested. So now here I am, set ablaze by this guy for this industry. And I really am excited to see where it's gonna take me, where it's gonna go, and what kind of other opportunities might open up. You know, if I stay in this position until I retire, I I'm okay with that. If it ends up becoming something much bigger, I'm just as happy. But this has been a very satisfying adventure so far.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 11:50

Justin, that's uh what a great, remarkable testimony. And we had a great ambassador with your buddy Bishop there. And Bishop, thank you for dispelling your experiences and your understandings and your feelings about the grain industry to uh Justin and to so many uh others, I'm sure. That's fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Yeah, if I have uh opportunity to talk about what I do for a living and the the company especially, I will absolutely take advantage of it. I'm I'm kind of the guy that if you see me walking up to you in the store, you either have to get away from me or forfeit the rest of your day because we I have so much to talk about and I don't even know what I have to talk about, but I know I want to talk about it. I wish I could shut it off, but this kind of seems to be part of me at this point, especially if I get talking about my employer, the DeLong family. They're excellent, excellent stewards of their profession. They're very welcoming to me. And uh I think that I have more of a love for them than I do for the industry itself, although I do love what I do. Wow. Um, they're the ones that gave me this opportunity. Well, not even this opportunity, they've given me a bucket full of opportunities, and they've never at any point held age or experience, you know, against me. They've always been encouraging and willing to take a chance on me, and they're getting a good return on their investment, not to uh toot my own horn, but uh you know, that's it's mutually beneficial. But they were the ones that definitely it was lopsided for a long time starting out. You know, they they were giving me a whole lot more than I ever deserved. So I I like touching on that and uh they invested in you.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 13:29

So if if you don't mind before we get to the next segment here, talk about your organization. Both of you expressed that about your organization. Me personally, I have actually visited one, two, three facilities of theirs of the DeLong Company in the last eight months, and it was an incredible experience. But I I would love for you to speak about the DeLong Company.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

Yeah, so uh the DeLong Company, they're headquartered out of Clinton, Wisconsin, and they you know, family-owned company. It definitely shows, and uh whenever you do something, you see about a million people with the last name DeLong. Uh it is very hard to keep who's who straight, especially when you first start out, but they're all very, very professional. They're all very kind, very courteous, and they are very good at staying grounded as human beings. Like you talk uh about some families, you know, that run big companies and they get kind of detached from your everyday person. Well, you could run into any of the DeLongs in in a store and they would act like you and me, you know. They uh they stay very humble, and I can tell that they all absolutely love, you know, what they do and running the company, and it motivates me. You know, I something that I tell people a lot is I feel like I own a share of the company. I don't. My name is not DeLong, but uh they uh they make me feel that way. I I feel empowered to work, you know. They're very good at uh facilitating that.

Transferable Military Skills That Fit

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 15:03

Fantastic. So let's talk about this particular episode. Why veterans fit this industry? You both are veterans, you've known other veterans, you've known about other veterans who have transitioned to different industries. Why do veterans fit so well in the grain handling and grain processing industries?

SPEAKER_01 15:22

In my opinion, from the military, I was used to doing a lot of odd jobs, a lot of, you know, do what you have to do to get the job done. And I think in the grain industry, we run into that every now and again, but it's a lot of long hours, it's a lot of hard work, and sometimes it's tedious. Having the ability to balance that work life and home life, the military is really big on uh establishing that kind of balance or the ability to create that kind of balance in your life. So for this, there's that kind of that there's enough structure there to where it feels similar, but it's hands-off enough that you're able to grow, you're able to develop, you're able to continue in your own way. Not to say that you can't do that in the military, but a lot of it is very directed toward one direction. I mean, in agriculture, there's a million different ways you can go with it, like what Bishop was saying earlier. But it's early to rise, late to bed, a lot of, like I said, a lot of late hours. And it kind of feels that there's almost an urge to do a certain type of work and for veterans, and uh it feels that. It honestly does. It feels it feels fulfilling, it feels meaningful, it feels like I'm actually doing something. And for me personally, that's something that I really appreciate about it, and that's something that kind of made it easier to fall into the role that I'm in, was it felt familiar.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 16:45

Thank you for your input, Justin. Bishop, what about you? Why do you think veterans fit so well in the grain handling and processing industry?

SPEAKER_02 16:53

So not that it's unique to you know the grain industry, but especially for my role, I sit at the the crossroads of a couple of different industries. So I do agricultural exports here. So not only am I dealing with grain, but I am also dealing with logistics. And when I was in the army, I was a horizontal construction engineer, which is an equipment operator, but I also held positions as a task force logistics non-commissioned officer in charge, as well as I also did a little bit of human resources. So being in the army gave me a few different sets of skills over the seven years I spent in there, and it was perfect for the job that I walked into in the civilian world. In my role, I'm on the safety board, I'm on the human resources committee. I work in the grain industry as well as the logistics industry. And, you know, we have other endeavors as a company. And I think that I had the perfect set of skills for my position. Uh, at least to, you know, to for somebody that was new to the grain industry, I had enough to lean on that it wasn't an impossible stretch for me to take the job. And I am not the only person like that. You can meet probably literally any veteran, I would say, be like, hey, what'd you do when you were in? Well, I was this job, but they had me doing whatever they needed. And when you do that, you just get good at solving problems and at answering questions and working through things. So you become a great operationally minded person. And I think that that is great for the industry because I mean who doesn't need a problem solver, you know. But to make it more specific to our industry, you know, it's it's Americana, you know, working in grain just as much as it is being a patriot, you know. So if you like that kind of gritty down home kind of uh kind of feel, to me it it makes sense. I don't know if it makes sense to everybody, but uh driving around where I'm from, you can see grain bins and legs and any other agricultural type of facility. And that was just as appreciated, you know, as being a patriot. You know, everybody says thank the truck drivers, the farmers, and the veterans. And you know, just uh it feels right.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 19:20

Great thoughts, Justin and Bishop. You touched on problem solving mindset operationally wise, you've seen a lot of different things, and that fits in. Is there anything else, Justin or Bishop, uh, you know, skills or mindsets that transfer most directly to the grain industry from military experience?

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Absolutely. I think that uh he hit the nail right on the head with that, with the problem solving mindset. Uh, you know, you run into, especially with what we do, this is very new, sort of how we have everything set up here and what we're doing. So to have the mentality and the ability that when something, when trouble arises, being able to stay level-headed and be able to think through the situation, what's going on, and how to uh take care of it. Not just troubleshooting the problem itself, but being able to manage the people around you and influence the people around you. A lot of times when something goes wrong, our first instinct is to panic and freak out and like, oh my gosh, this is awful, this is gonna hurt. But for a lot of us veterans, it's we're taught get comfortable with being uncomfortable. And for any veteran listening to this, you're gonna sigh or roll your eyes. I mean, that is absolutely what it is. So you get put into uncomfortable situations, and we're taught from the beginning to become comfortable with that, to be clear-minded thinkers, to be problem solvers. So I think that was uh hitting it right on the head there. One of the other skills I think Bishop can agree with this, is that you get to a point in your career in the military where you end up going to a basic leadership course. And even if you don't, you'll still see this if you have good NCOs and a good unit. But being able to build a team and seeing a team develop, there's a lot of times you're gonna have management change out, you're gonna change different people on your team. Being able to recognize what everyone's strong suits are or what their shortcomings are, and being able to train up on those deficiencies, being able to capitalize on those proficiencies, cover down on each other is extremely important to building a truly effective and critical team, which Bishop I think is excellent at. You know, I can say it, but he can do it. It's incredible. But also being able to recognize your people's best days and also what their worst days look like. So that way you can kind of tend to that, especially here at our facility. You see that on a huge scale. I mean, it's we're so close and so tight knit, it really is like being on a team again. You come in in the morning and you know somebody had a rough night or a rough weekend, and you know, we genuinely care about each other. We ask how we're doing, you know, we offer to help each other. Each other. That mentality too kind of comes from the military. It can come from growing up or different backgrounds, but for the military, for me, that mentality of can I help you or what can I do for you? So I yeah, I'd say the troubleshooting, being able to build an effective team and recognize strengths and weaknesses and being able to put put people in the right place and then uh recognizing each other and helping each other out, that camaraderie, I think is great. I mean, one thing forgot to mention this, but the ability and confidence to be able to learn and do anything. So many different situations that I've been in where I just had to, you know, pull up my bootstraps and figure it out. Like there's no option to not succeed. You have to. I think that's instrumental in this industry, honestly, to have somebody that's able to just keep moving forward like that and like there's no other way, you know. We're gonna get through it. And once it's behind us, it's just another part of the day, you know.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 22:57

Great feedback, great insight. Thank you. Bishop, anything they add for you?

SPEAKER_02 23:02

Uh no, I I think that all pretty well covers it.

Building A Veteran Resource Group

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 23:04

Okay. Now, Bishop, you founded the DeLong Company's Military Veterans Resource Group. Please share with our listeners what is it and why did you start it?

SPEAKER_02 23:13

So the uh DeLong Company Military Veterans Resource Group or MVRG started that as a way to kind of pull all the veterans together because once you leave the military, you lost your family. I mean, you still got those people, but with every day that goes by, they either pass away or they just you guys fall off. And not a fault of anybody's, but that's just the way it works. You know, I probably talked to five or six people that I was in the army with over the course of you know my seven years, and I wanted to be able to find those people again. Not necessarily those people, but my people. You lose your tribe, you know. So I wanted to have my own tribe here at work, and I've got plenty of coworkers, you know, that I love and respect and count as close friends, but we don't share the same connections, you know. We're not cut from the same cloth. Their cloth is good if they're not, but you know, I want to find the people cut from the same stuff. So and we can share a lot of very similar experiences, you know. Like, for instance, if you're somebody who deployed overseas, you're going to have a very hard time finding a normal civilian that can understand those things, you know, that maybe was a contractor overseas or was a missionary or something like that. But if you find somebody, more than likely they're a veteran of some kind. And that's kind of what I was looking to recreate was that kind of team within a team kind of mindset by pulling veterans together. And then I kind of started looking at companies I'd worked for in the past that had similar organizations or at least had some policy that was, you know, a little more veteran inclusive. I worked for a company in the past that uh would send care packages if you were deployed and would check on your family while you were deployed. And I wanted to add that, but then also wanted to add, you know, assisting people that are coming out of active duty with transitioning into the civilian workforce. There's a lot of weird niche things that you don't think of, like having long answers. Like if you go to a an interview of somebody who joined the army at 18 and did his four years and got out, and you're giving him his first interview, he's gonna give you yes or no answers. And that's normal to them. He's not gonna ask questions, you know, very kind of closed off. And he might be the absolute best look no further candidate, but because of what they enforce in those kind of interview environments in the military, you're going to pass on them. And that's just one example. There are many, many, many more examples, but that's kind of what I wanted to do was advocate for veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve, pull all of our people back together and help those people transition and be there for our brothers and sisters who are deploying overseas. You see way more deployments of the National Guard and Reserves. And unfortunately, those people are still marginalized in the veteran community. Being that I was in the guard, I can appreciate their unique situation. And, you know, I worked for civilian employers that couldn't have cared less. They just would be either upset that you were off for drill or annoyed that you were getting activated and didn't really offer anything to help soften the blow. You know, it's it's not easy to just throw all your stuff in your car, go to the armory, and then be gone for four or five or six months, you know, because you're helping with a flood or a tornado or something. So I try to be the one that from the inside I'm helping to change policies or approaches and different recruiting campaigns to try to target more of our veterans and service members. People that were doing, maybe not to the same degree, the thing I was that I'm doing, helped me in the past. Like that company I was talking about that I worked for earlier, they helped a little bit, but they they didn't really know what they were helping because they themselves weren't veterans. Not that it wasn't appreciated, but I just see where I can offer some insight and some really, really, you know, effective change with our own company. And as I network with professionals from others through, you know, Jeeps, I can offer them, hey, you know, you guys could think about doing paid military leave. You know, you could just do it for 34, 36, you know, days is what a traditional National Guard or reservist um commitment is. You can just offer them that many hours for the year. I could be like, hey, you know, there's this organization that will help you find people that are in the guard and reserves that are looking for employment, and they've got a lot of positives that they bring with them. You know, we'll pass a drug test. They're usually, you know, cut above your typical candidate. You know, they're usually very loyal. So I'm showing as I network, I'm showing more and more people these things that I've known about because I went through it. You know, I use the people that found you jobs, I used the people that would help you write a resume and all that stuff. And while every soldier was aware of it, it doesn't seem like any private company is aware of it. Good example is employer support of the Garden Reserve. I work with a very nice lady in Southern Ohio. She got me a couple of jobs, they weren't good fits. And now that I have a job that I like, every time I have a posting, I give her an email and try to fill it with soldiers because I want to be able to give them not giving them any special treatment. You know, a good candidate is a good candidate, regardless of veteran status, but it's definitely taken into consideration. And I think that they will be a good fit for what we have here because we have just this team that I have here. We have three veterans out of seven employees. I just know they'd be a good fit for what we've got here. So I always try to recruit people that are either veterans or in the service. I always try to recruit people who are veterans or in the service as it is uh sensible to do so if they're a good fit.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 28:59

Great expression. Thank you for that. Thank you for starting the DeLong Company's Military Veterans Resource Group. You can support your organization with uh future employees, and uh you can support those who are uh have that that background, uh such as you. So that's fantastic. I'm real proud of what you've done. Justin, tell me how important are these communities within a company?

SPEAKER_01 29:24

It's it's extremely important. I couldn't, I can't uh stress it enough. One, it's bringing awareness to whatever industry it's in, but especially you know, our industry right now, we're here having this conversation. But um it also creates a friendly environment to veterans. It creates a more hospitable environment. Like what we're doing right here and having this conversation is you know, it's it's gonna help other employers or other people in the grain industry think about when they see those kind of people coming through the door and everything. And they uh a lot of companies will hire veterans as like a diversity hire or something like that, and then they'll give them a job and you know that's the end of it. And then every 4th of July they'll say thank you or something like that. But what Bishop's done here and having this conversation here is going so far beyond that. It's going so much deeper in recognizing veterans and what we have to offer, you know, our capabilities. And that's not just helping us out, that's helping out these different employers, helping out the industry. And honestly, I think it's going to do a lot to help revitalize the grain industry because you get, like he said, you were talking about getting people that are just a cut above. You're getting people who are able to adapt, you're getting people who are able to do time management, they're able to handle themselves and take care of stressful situations. You're getting versatile people that can fill multiple roles and just get the job done, you know? And I think that that's something so big. And then recognizing that what you have is an asset. It's not just, oh, we hired a veteran, so we're veteran friendly, you know. It's we hired a veteran and now he's heading off a whole community inside the company to welcome other veterans and to help. Bishop is working like a uh a liaison for veterans, honestly. I mean, I think that's the best way to put it. One of the things that I learned early on in the military is that you can be two people can be saying the exact same thing to each other in completely different ways. It's like a different language. And I've met so many people from so many different backgrounds. So having somebody like Bishop here doing this kind of thing to help translate our experience or what we're saying or what we're doing, or the kind of things that we've achieved or accomplished, and transitioning that into what we can do for a company, on top of just creating a community where we feel comfortable here and we feel actually appreciated and seen, I think that's tremendous. I I can't speak to it enough.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 31:56

That's a great testament. Uh thank you, Justin. Thank you, Bishop, for that. It's not just, hey, we are supporting veterans, we're supporting people, individuals with military experience, but have special skill set that can greatly benefit this. And then with this organization, you're developing a community. And it goes both ways. You're supporting the people who are there, you're supporting bringing great skills and assets into the organization potentially. So that kind of leads to my next thing. What impact have you seen so far with uh the long company military veterans resource group?

SPEAKER_02 32:31

So some of the different things that we've seen originally we did not have a roster of who was a veteran and who was active in the National Guard of Reserves, just had never been compiled before. When I first asked for a list of who our veterans were, they were like, Oh, we've got, you know, it's asked during our application. I looked at the application and it asked, Do you identify as a protected status veteran? Which is not a good question to have because you could be a veteran, but not protected status. So, and you don't want to leave it up to the applicant's understanding of federal law. So I've added some extra questions to the application process. That way, if you're sure or not that you're protected status veteran, it at least asks you at the end if you are a veteran, period. That way we can be sure to identify those people from the get-go, and I can get with them during their onboarding process. Kind of starts us off on the right foot as far as uh you know the MVRG and the relationship with that employee is concerned. So we identify the people that that at least were willing to come forward and identify as veterans, and then we were able to identify the people coming in. It's very hard to get something like this started from nothing, and it's definitely been a learning experience. But uh, I've also been able to help people with things like reasonable accommodation, and also I've been able to educate some of our managers on different techniques for interviewing and hiring veterans and service members, kind of like how we talked about. They give short questions or short answers to the questions usually and are aren't very expressive. Another way that we've seen some positive impact is the company now is being vocal about veterans encouraged to apply. That was never on any of our stuff in the past, none of our job postings, not on our application, not on our website. And now they've got it on there, and it's helping the greater conversation of veterans in the company. So now, for example, if I want to ask, you know, hey, can we offer paid military leave to members of the Garden Reserve, like we talked about earlier? If you just say that out of nowhere, it might not be welcomed as warmly as if if you scale the project, right? So first just ask, you know, hey, can we have an organization to identify each other, to recognize them, show appreciation? That's easier for companies to say yes to. I've got some things that I'm working on now, hoping to see some more things in the company by the end of the year, but I don't think that the DeLong family is done doing things for our veterans, and it makes me excited. I'm not doing any of this for myself. I am using a position that was graciously given to me to advocate for everybody else. I know that everybody around me knows that I'm I was a veteran, but there were quite a few Vietnam veterans that currently work for us that people didn't even know were veterans. Um, you know, coming home, they were kind of ashamed for it and never really, you know, opened up. They don't make common knowledge. You know, some do, you know, but it was nice to be able to identify those people and draw attention to them and give them credit and thank them for their service. That's really the uh my favorite part of uh the MBRG is being able to act on behalf of the company and communicate with the veterans employed by us and let them know that they're appreciated and that their service, you know, means the world to all of us. And to remind them that they stood on the s the shoulders of all those that served before them. They provide for the freedoms that we enjoy every day.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 36:08

It's April 27th of 2026. When this is recorded, it'll soon be published. But I'm just curious when did you start this group?

SPEAKER_02 36:19

It was about a a year and a half ago.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 36:21

Oh wow. So you've done a lot in just a short period of time. So that's fantastic. Congratulations on that. Justin, what should companies understand about supporting veterans?

SPEAKER_01 36:32

Supporting veterans is not just hiring veterans. It's not just giving them a handshake on the 4th of July and saying thank you. It really goes so much deeper than that. It takes empathy, it takes understanding, knowing that there are going to be some challenges coming from active duty or M Day or reserves and coming into the civilian workforce full time. There's a lot of things that that, you know, it's a it's a huge transition. You're going from a way of life to something completely different. A lot of times they won't ask for help or recognition. So what Bishop's doing here, again, I can't speak to it enough. Having that liaison there. And if every company could have a Bishop Chamberlain in their roster to help bridge that communication gap and that understanding, it would go a heck of a long way. I think you would see veterans stay in a position a lot longer. I think you would see them do more for the company. You would get a more of a return on us. But more for the veterans, I think we would just, we would be happier where we're at. We would want to give more. We would want to do more. One of the biggest things that I've seen from a few of my personal friends is that they get out and then they lose their sense of purpose. You hate to see that, you hate to hear that in a workforce. You've given everything for your country, for your people, for your families. And then you come back home, you get out, you did your time and everything, and uh it's like what's left. And a lot of people, that's you know, that's kind of what it was for Bishop is like, all right, well, now what? What am I gonna do? And he ended up in the grain industry and ended up in the position that he's in. Um, but a lot of us aren't so fortunate. A lot of us don't end up in careers like that, and a lot of us don't feel that welcomed. So supporting veterans is more than just hiring a veteran, it's taking the extra step to understand us, to utilize us correctly, to give us those opportunities to really show and wow you guys with what we're able to do. And like I said, I think if every company could have a Bishop Chamberlain in their roster to help bridge that gap, it would just it would change the world, honestly.

GEAPS Military Discount Origin Story

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 38:40

Well, I think you guys are doing that right now. And let's in fact talk about a little bit about that. Thank you, Justin, about how this military discount origin came to be, because this is an episode that serves a lot of purposes. One is uh geared towards education and training. I mean, Jeeps is uh the global leader in in the grain handling and grain processing industry. We have a community of the largest, you mentioned exchange. You got excited about that. And I and when people attend, I'd love to touch on that before we conclude here, uh, what that impact of attending exchange has had on both of you. Um I met you in person there in the Chiefs booth area. Very excited to meet you. But Bishop, you and I first made contact with, I think you and our first contact with Jeeps was through a phone call or email exchange. That's what I want to talk about here because your organization, the DeLong Company, before you got there, was a long supporter of of Jeeps, and we're a big supporter of what the DeLong Company does. For example, Sean Farrell, he is a board of director member for the National Board of Directors. He's a project manager for the DeLong Company. I've had great conversations with him and tell listeners how the conversation started that led to Jeeps launching the military discount program because you are so greatly uh responsible for that. I've been with the organization for four years now. We did not have that, but you made that happen. Let's let's find out that story. What's the origin story, Bishop?

SPEAKER_02 40:03

So I was uh taking a look at some of my benefits. You know, I I have the post I11 GI Bill and I don't want to go to college. I I could not do that to myself. Uh I I could barely keep it together to read one book. But I wanted to do something that put my skills on paper and to show people that I know what I'm doing. You know, for instance, my father is a social worker. He's got a degree on the wall that shows that he knows what he's doing. You could come to my facility and you know what I'm I know what I'm doing at least a little bit because it's running, but it's nice to have something to point at, something to work for and to be proud of. And I wanted some kind of not quite college, but I wanted some sort of professional credential or certification to add a little bit of value to myself. I asked people, I asked, you know, different peers, what kind of certifications do you have? What do you recommend? And the Jeeps credentials kept coming up. I didn't know anything about it, and I got a little nosy and started looking into it. And I talked to a VA continuing education officer and was asking, like, hey, what kind of stuff is not college that you guys will pay for with the the GI bill that I earned? And I asked about Jeeps, and they're they don't even know what that is. So I was like, Okay, so probably not. And she's like, Well, just ask them. I was like, Okay, you know what, I will. So I sent an email asking if uh Jeeps accepted the GI bill. You know, eventually I got an answer back. It was a no, and I was I, you know, thanked whoever it was for their time and wasn't gonna push the issue or anything. And then I get a email from the CEO of Jeeps, our friend John, and he just went in on this amazing idea of opening up the credentialing to uh to the discount. And that was one of the most exciting emails I've gotten because I know what that means or can mean for so many people.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 42:12

You're right. That's exactly what happened. I shared that correspondence with John. And if you ever have a if you speak to him for an hour, he probably will bring up the military and what that means to him and his family who served in um you you hit the right place and uh at the right time, and we're so thankful for you doing that. And so let's take that a little bit further. Justin, why is this important for the industry?

SPEAKER_01 42:37

Well, I think it's really important for the industry because you're taking people that are competent and able to do these kind of things, and you're giving them source material to be more proficient at their job. You're, you know, we in the Army we get sent to different schools a lot to learn different traits, different skills. And this is kind of the same thing, you know. You're taking someone, a highly qualified individual, and you're giving them the knowledge that they need to really excel at their position and be effective where they're at. You're just taking an asset and you're making it, you're just taking a knife and you're just sharpening it. You're making it that much more uh better.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 43:16

Fantastic. Bishop Justin, I'm curious, what does removing cost barriers mean for veterans?

SPEAKER_02 43:23

Well, that means that anybody who is interested in the grain industry and is interested in some kind of training can access the stuff themselves. For me, I I can in my company there is a reimbursement for continuing education. But if you're coming into the industry, maybe you don't have a job yet. Maybe you're still on active duty and you're you just know that you want to go and work in the grain industry and you want to have something to show when you go start going for interviews. So your last year in active duty, you start doing classes and stuff. You're not with a company that's going to pay for that yet. Now you're You're shouldering that financial burden yourself while also your full-time commitment to the military. Helping with that cost barrier for those people is huge. And then the other part of it, people that are already out of the military and are working shoulder to shoulder with us right now, or even people that are still in National Guard and Reserve, this helps them with that cost barrier and encourages them to stay in this industry. It helps keep those hard and soft skills in-house and helps to build the industry.

Credentialing And CGOM Learning Path

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 44:30

All right. Now let's start with you, Bishop. What's driving your goal to earn the CGOM credential? And for listeners out there, I don't want to make any assumptions here. CGOM credential is globally recognized credential in grain operations management. It's a course on fundamentals for grain facility supervisors, is one course. There's grain facilities planning and design one. It also includes completion of four other courses, including introduction to grain quality management, quality management systems or bulk materials handling operations, entry-level safety and materials handling one. So uh Justin, what drives your goal and your mindset for completing that credential and earning that?

SPEAKER_02 45:11

So, like I said earlier, the big big driver for me is to I already know what I know. I want to put it on paper and show people, hey, this is what I know. I'm qualified to be doing what I'm doing. But it's it's not that I'm learning stuff that I already know. Uh I've definitely learned quite a bit. I have four of the six classes completed. And every single one of them, you're learning something new. It's teaching you core stuff that is important to understand, but it's also teaching you things that are on the fringes that create for you a full spectrum understanding of the grain industry. And I highly recommend all of these classes to anybody, regardless of if you want to complete the credential. My uh master goal is to have the master credential in grain operations management, um, which, as you know, is uh a culmination of all of the credentials available through Jeeps. For now, I'll stay with CGOM. It's been quite a bit of work just in itself, um, but a lot of value. And it's nice to be able to show people that I am qualified to do what I do. Before it was just I'm I'm good enough at what I do that I have the job, you know. So it's just nice to have that on the wall behind you.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 46:28

You say there's a lot of like fringed topics. I mean, that can lead to some really terrific conversations, right, within your organization in areas of interest or maybe areas you're you're not quite familiar with.

SPEAKER_02 46:40

Absolutely. I'm very interested in processing because all I do is uh throw it into a container and ship it off. But I am interested in things like ethanol and seed oils. So but I don't want to learn so much about it that it bogs down, you know, what I'm do every single day. Um obviously in the other credentials, it gets heavier into the processing side of things and quality management. But uh as far as the CGOM is concerned, it teaches you just enough to make you more effective in what you do already every single day.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 47:14

Great insights. Thank you for sharing. Justin, how do you view credentialing and continued learning?

SPEAKER_01 47:20

I think it's essential, especially if you're going to go into a new field and something that you haven't done. For me personally, it's been instrumental in understanding the industry and getting started with everything. And one of the great things about credentialing, especially with Jeep, for the case for these credentials, is that it's self-paced. I don't have to show up somewhere, I don't have to be somewhere in person, I don't have to adjust things, move my schedule around, I don't have to miss work. I can do this at home, sitting on my couch with my bass cow running around the living room. And it just makes it that much more convenient to make myself indisposable to the company. Or if you know, I choose to go into a different, a different area in agriculture. I can do that because I have the time, I have the ability, I have the the the freedom to do that and the flexibility. And especially nowadays, you see this huge cultural shift from you know, you need a college degree to succeed in anything. And you see a lot of people now are shifting toward credentialing. It's been extremely effective. It's not just cost efficient, but time efficient. It's easier on families, especially, you know, whether you've got kids or not. It's just ideal. It's it's convenient and it's effective. So as far as credentialing and continued learning, I think if you're going to do anything, you should at least have one credential or one certification or certificate in that industry or that area to say, you know, like what Bishop was saying, hey, I'm competent. I have an idea of what's going on. Not just to say that, but then to actually have an idea of what's going on.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 49:02

Right. It makes sense. And just uh I'll let people know in the outro after this conversation, but the military discount program, what is that about? So to honor the efforts of all active duty and veteran service members, Jeeps offers these individuals 50% off the purchase of online learning courses. Members will receive 50% off the member cost of courses. Non-members receive 50% off the non member cost of courses. And to receive uh military discount, eligible individuals can complete the military discount program form below. We have it on our website. You can also just type in military discount and Jeeps. That's G-E-A-P-S. You'll find that at the first thing that comes up. But you can look in the website, you'll see that information on there. But uh just have to include either U.S. Military Veterans D D 2014 form, uh U.S. Active Duty or Reserve, or National Guard, Coast Guard Common Access Card, Canadian Military Veterans NDI 75 card, Canadian Active Duty NDI 20 card. We have a process and we'll follow up within 48 hours of that and give you that access code to doing that. So we really appreciate your service and your overall enthusiasm and expression. You very intelligent individuals, and just as much your communication skills are phenomenal. I saw that from the start on the phone and email and then other correspondences and at the Jeeps Exchange and now here on Whole Grain Show. So absolutely fantastic. So, either one, one final thing related to the segment. How important is structured learning in accelerating your growth? I know you kind of expressed that. Any last-minute words out there for others who are considering that?

SPEAKER_02 50:41

I'd say it's definitely worth looking into. Even if you don't have a goal in mind and you're just looking to sharpen your skills and better yourself, if you already are working in this industry, there's no reason to look much farther. It's worth it. Even if you've already taken all the safety courses you can, even the safety basics is worth taking. So definitely look into it. If you got any questions, shoot Jim an email. He'll be happy to walk you through it.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 51:07

And thank you, both of you. If a final statement for each of you, what would you say to a veteran unsure about their next step?

SPEAKER_01 51:15

I would say don't be afraid to try something new. Don't be afraid to go after something that you know nothing about. And then don't be afraid to go after credentialing. You know, check it out, see what's good out there. Uh, you might find something that you fall in love with that you never would have thought.

SPEAKER_02 51:33

I would say apply for whatever jobs look good to you. Go there. If you're not valued, don't stay.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 51:41

Fantastic. Thank you. The grain industry welcomes veterans. We appreciate you so much. And finally, I guess this might be the final inquiry and question I have for each of you. What excites you most about the future for veterans in this grain industry?

SPEAKER_02 51:56

I'm excited to grow the community of people that I already belong to and know that I love to be around and work with. And I'm excited to possibly be part of uh, you know, more veteran initiatives going forward, not just in my company, but in Jeeps as an organization. I'm sure that we're not done having conversations together. And I look forward to that. Not just for myself. Like I said, I I enjoy this position because of the grace of others, and I'm excited to use that for veterans who may never see management or don't feel it's their place to use their voice. I'm excited to be able to advocate for them and see what new things we can bring about.

SPEAKER_01 52:37

I'm just excited to watch. I mean, it really is something awesome. I'm very excited to see one, my brothers and sisters coming into an industry that is welcoming to them. And two, to see how that's going to help reinforce and build the agricultural industry, to see people in roles that they belong in or never thought that they could be in, see people achieving great things, like I'm sitting here watching Bishop achieve great things. It's it's exciting to see. I'm happy for him. But then also seeing how that impacts the industry and how how that's helping us, how it's helping the economy, how it's helping America. You know, it just it uh it it scratches that patriotic spot for me. And I love it. I I can't I can't, I'm just so excited to be here and be a part of it.

GEAPS Exchange Takeaways And Closing

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 53:29

That is fantastic. And uh and I forgot to add uh inquire about this is the Jeeps Exchange. You both uh came in February of this year, 2026. You have never been to Exchange. Uh this grain industry was newer to you, but but being in person on site, they have well over 4,000 attendants and and all the the the trade show floor and the education that is out there, the connection with the bonding, you talk about problem solving. Hey, if there's anybody who has any problems, this is a great place to get your problem solved and and more. Tell us, tell us, tell listeners, uh, whether they're in the the uh veterans coming into this or or not, what does Jeeps Exchange, what did it mean to you, both of you?

SPEAKER_02 54:18

I can tell you it really upgraded the quality of my hat collection. But uh I have I met a lot of really good people. I got to meet people who represented companies whose products I was already using for quite a long time, products that I love. You know, I got to have conversations about those products and what I do with them and uh try to offer any kind of user-level insight. It was nice. It great networking opportunity. In addition to my very large hat collection, I also have a lot of business cards. And I've probably only followed up with half of them just because everybody's given me one. And even when the conversation is just a casual, you know, you see them carrying around something from another company, you know, you might ask about it and have a little casual uh conversation on the spot. Even those are worth something. And uh it was it was just a great time all around. The entire exchange was excellent. I am very, very excited for the next one.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 55:22

Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 55:23

Yeah, it was the walking around on the floor seeing all these different pieces of equipment and things that I've worked with and I've seen and the different applications for everything, it was really cool. And getting to walk around and see the different technologies. You know, you look at a you look at a roller on an assembly line and you think, ah, it's just a roller. Pretty simple, you know, bearings, uh tube of steel, whatever. But seeing five or six different companies out there breaking it down and putting it together differently, how they fold the metal or how they weld it, it's it's it's insane, you know. And you really start to think, like, how can I use this? How would this benefit us on our job site where we're working at? It really is an exchange. It really is. You're exchanging ideas, you're exchanging words, you're exchanging everything. It's it's awesome. And yeah, just like Bishop, I'm stoked for the next opportunity that I get to be able to come to that. And if the company doesn't send me, then I might just find my way down there myself because it really is, it is an experience.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 56:27

Well, I told you at Exchange, we got to get an episode on this. You just are very infectious individuals. You're great ambassadors for your company. Your company's incredible, the DeLong Company, but you're ambassadors for the grain industry. There's so many people who are coming into the industry with little to no background in grain or agriculture, and they may be going past these facilities since they were young, the grain facilities, and they may never have given it much thought. And so we can share this episode uh with the greater grain industry, but also with uh perhaps veterans groups out there because strengthen the reputation and how you can support because you are a military uh veterans bringing special uh assets and skills that are just transferable to this grain industry in terms of problem solving operation-wise, and just leadership in high. Thank you so much, Justin and Bishop, for being part of this conversation.

SPEAKER_02 57:19

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 57:19

Thank you for having us. Thank you very much for the opportunity.

Jim Lenz, GEAPS (Host) 57:23

A special thank you to Bishop Chamberlain and Justin Leach for joining us today and for sharing their experiences, perspectives, and passion for supporting veterans in our industry. Today's conversation reminds us that the grain handling and processing industry is more than facilities, equipment, and operations. It's about the people, purpose, and opportunity. Veterans bring leadership, adaptability, teamwork, resilience, and a mission-focused mindset that helps align naturally with the work being done across this industry every single day. And now, through the new military discount program from Jeeps, veterans and active duty military personnel have even greater access to online learning opportunities and industry recognized credentials. To learn more about the Jeeps Military Discount Program, online courses, and credentialing opportunities, visit the Jeeps website at Jeeps.com. That's G-E-A-P-S.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a colleague, a veteran, or someone exploring their next career opportunity. Thanks again for listening to the Whole Grain Podcast. My name is Jim Lenz, Director of Global Education and Training at Jeeps. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep building the future of the grain industry.