The resilience Oldenburg learned in the Army has been an asset in his new career.
This is the second Veterans Way column featuring a veteran employed by Impact Networking. We must give a shout out to Frank Cucco, chief executive officer of Impact Networking, for the number of veterans he employs. This month, we highlight Impact Networking’s Luke Oldenburg, an airborne Army veteran.
Oldenburg is typical of most veterans. They start by telling you they did nothing special and do not deserve any attention for being served. They believe every American, if able, should be happy to do so. Oldenburg is no different, as he told me multiple times during our interview that he did nothing special. Like most veterans, he is proud to have served.
Frank: Tell us about your service. When did you join? How long did you serve? What was your military occupational specialty?
Oldenburg: I joined in 1998 and served on active duty for 20 years. MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) was code 92R, and the title was parachute rigger. This entailed packing personnel and cargo parachutes, maintaining all parachutes, and rigging heavy equipment and supplies for airdrop. I was airborne for all 20 years of service as it was a requirement for the MOS. I completed many static jumps. When I made the rank of sergeant, I was given the responsibility of jumpmaster. The role of jumpmaster was to ensure the safety of the paratroopers and the execution of the airborne operation. Every unit I served in was airborne. I was fortunate to have served with the 75th Army Ranger Regiment.
Frank: How many times were you deployed during your service?
Oldenburg: Over the 20 years I served, I was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Adding up all the time we were deployed, it came out to be 36 months. (Editor’s note: That adds up to five deployments.)
Frank: What was your motivation for joining the Army?
Oldenburg: I wanted to join the service period. For me, it was all about my dad. He served and for me, that was all the motivation I needed. My dad was a water purification specialist in the Army from 1970 to 1974. He also spent six months with the Army Color Guard and then received an honorable discharge.
Frank: When did you start working with Impact Networking, and what was your job description? And what are you doing today?
Oldenburg: I started working for Impact in 2018 as a security officer with a little bit of access control. In 2021, I became a leader in what is referred to as a field network engineer with an 18-employee team. This entails visiting clients and helping them manage network equipment. My current leadership role is to lead my team in technical service and end user support. I provide training and guidance to all levels of network engineers. I coordinate all support for 70 clients in our branch.
Frank: What values do you believe all veterans can bring to our industry?
Oldenburg: One of the most important things the Army instilled in us is resilience. The best way that I can explain that is the ability to adapt to different situations. It also helps you develop management and leadership skills. That allows you to stay with it and get to know the job, as well as get it done. I love work and have always had an interest in technology. When this came along, I felt that the Army had prepared me well.
Frank: How do you feel about the training you received in 20 years of service?
Oldenburg: My 20 years of service taught me many things. I joined straight out of high school, so I was young, inexperienced, and ready to start an adventure. I learned how to be a critical thinker and how to manage adversity with the ever-changing leadership and policies throughout the Army. I honed my ability to train and understand where people have shortcomings and help to fix them. I also accepted the fact that there are times when you need to be tough, but only when the situation warrants it.
Frank: How did you come to join Impact Networking?
Oldenburg: I did a lot of research and felt the job they offered filled my needs. The company was headed in the right direction and not only gave me a job but also room for growth. I have been promoted three times in three years. The Army taught us to take on any difficult assignment you are asked to fulfill. We can apply that kind of experience in every job.
Frank: What advice would you give to veterans who are having a tough time finding a job?
Oldenburg: The biggest and best thing they can do is network. Start with your family and friends, and ask them if they have any suggestions. Ask them about their work and the type of job they have. You might also ask if they believe it is a good place for you to build a career. You should not be afraid to open yourself up and ask for their help and advice. Expand your network whether through social media or joining veteran’s organizations. When you meet someone who is also a veteran, ask him or her how they started looking for a job.
Frank: What do you do in your free time?
Oldenburg: Impact Networking started a veteran’s group last November. The goal is to attract and retain veterans. The idea is to support people in the group, help them identify resources that can help them, and direct them to the Veteran’s Administration’s disability programs that address PTSD and any physical disabilities with which they are dealing. We also help those in need that are not veterans.
Frank: What can you tell us about your family?
Oldenburg: I have four kids and one just went into the Army. He is stationed in Germany as an MP. He has been there for a month and is enjoying it.
Editor’s Note: We are pleased to inform you that Luke has joined Shane Bartelt (June issue) along with Ron Rupright (March issue) and Julie Anderson (May issue) as nominees to receive the Outstanding Veteran Award at our 39th Gala on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
Thanks to David Ramos of Visual Edge IT, we have a Gala table reserved for veterans. The nominees, plus two wives and two veteran guests, will have a fun night thanks to David and Visual Edge IT. The best part is that all the travel and hotel expenses of the nominees have been paid for by their employers. To this point, that includes Pacific Office Automation, Impact Networking, and Visual Edge IT. We look forward to interviewing our final nominee.
Praise for Luke
“Luke Oldenburg has clearly put his military experience to good use as a lead field network engineer at Impact. His background enables him to make quick decisions, inspire and motivate his team, and function under pressure. He routinely handles challenges calmly and demonstrates a strong work ethic within the company.” – Frank Cucco, CEO, Impact Networking
